Is an SMSF actually worth it for me?

It depends on your balance, goals and appetite for involvement. Annual costs are largely fixed, so they weigh more heavily on smaller balances. Direct property holdings or pooling with a partner strengthen the case. We give an honest assessment, including advising against it where appropriate.

Does my fund really need an audit every year?

Yes. Every SMSF must be audited annually by an approved independent auditor before the annual return is lodged, regardless of size or complexity. It cannot be done by the accountant who prepared the accounts. Our fee includes arranging and managing it.

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SMSF accounting and compliance

A self-managed fund gives you control and hands you a regulator. We handle the compliance end to end — and we will tell you honestly if an SMSF is not the right move for you.

Running your own super fund means becoming a trustee, and trustees carry real legal obligations. Annual financial statements, an independent audit, an ATO return, investment strategy documentation and strict rules about what the fund can own and who it can deal with. Get those wrong and the penalties are personal.

We administer SMSFs from establishment through to wind-up: accounts, member statements, the annual return, audit liaison and the trustee paperwork that has to exist whether or not anyone ever asks for it. Emile holds postgraduate SMSF qualifications, so the advice comes from genuine specialisation rather than general practice.

The most valuable thing we do, though, is the conversation before you start. An SMSF is not automatically better than an industry fund. Below a certain balance the fixed annual costs simply outweigh the benefit, and the administrative load is real. If that is your situation we will say so.

Establishment, accounts, return and audit liaison
Independent audit included in the annual fee
Postgraduate SMSF qualifications behind the advice
Honest assessment before you set one up
From $2,200 per year, fixed

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What’s included

What SMSF administration covers

Fund establishment

Trust deed, trustee structure, ABN and TFN registration, bank account and rollover of your existing balances — set up correctly the first time.

Annual financial statements

Full fund accounts prepared to the standard your auditor and the ATO expect, with investments valued at market as required.

Member statements

Each member’s balance, contributions and preservation components tracked and reported clearly.

SMSF annual return

Prepared and lodged with the ATO, including the supervisory levy and any tax on contributions or earnings.

Independent audit

Every fund must be audited annually by an approved independent auditor. We arrange it, liaise throughout and resolve any queries — the audit is included in our fee.

Compliance and strategy support

Contribution caps, pension commencement and minimum drawdowns, investment strategy documentation and the in-house asset and related party rules.

How it works

How we run your fund’s year

Step 1

Is an SMSF right?

Before anything else, an honest assessment against your balance, goals and appetite for involvement.

Step 2

Establish or transfer

We set the fund up properly, or take over administration from your current provider without disrupting the year.

Step 3

Year-round compliance

Contributions, pensions and transactions monitored as they happen, rather than discovered at year end.

Step 4

Accounts, audit, lodge

Financial statements prepared, independent audit completed, annual return lodged and the year closed off.

From $2,200 a year, audit included

SMSF annual administration starts at $2,200 including GST per year — covering financial statements, member statements, the annual return and the independent audit. It is a single fixed fee, so the audit is not a surprise invoice that arrives later.

See full fee schedule

FAQ

SMSF questions

It depends on your balance, your goals and how involved you want to be. The annual costs are largely fixed, so they weigh far more heavily on a small balance than a large one. If you want to hold direct property or specific assets, or you have a partner to pool with, the case strengthens. Emile will give you a straight answer — including telling you not to bother, which happens regularly.

Yes — every SMSF must be audited annually by an approved independent auditor before the annual return is lodged, regardless of the fund’s size or how simple its investments are. It is not optional and it cannot be done by the accountant who prepared the accounts. Our fee includes arranging and managing it.

It can, including with borrowing through a limited recourse borrowing arrangement, but the rules are strict. The fund generally cannot buy residential property from a related party, members and their relatives cannot live in it, and the borrowing structure has to be set up precisely. It is very doable — it is just not something to improvise.

Yes. We request the prior year accounts, deed and audit file from your current administrator, review the fund’s compliance history, and flag anything that needs fixing before it becomes an audit issue. Transitions are usually complete within a few weeks.

Related services

Tax planning Investment property tax Individual tax returns Full fee schedule

Thinking about an SMSF?

Have the conversation before you commit. We will tell you whether it stacks up for your balance and goals — and what it would cost to run properly.

Book an appointment Call 0413 115 225