The SMSF Coach

15/07/2026

Consistently at the forefront of SMSF advice and Education

Excited our Principal has been acknowledged in two specialist categories. A very proud team was behind him coordinating strategy, research, implementation and ongoing services leading to these nominations

Sonas Wealth has achieved a significant milestone, with Liam Shorte named finalist in 2 Categories in the 2026 Australian Wealth Management Awards.

🏆 William (Liam) Shorte

Finalist — Adviser of the Year - SMSF

Finalist — Executive of the Year - SMSF

This recognition in the executive category is particularly meaningful as this year we moved form a one-man-band to a team of 3 SMSF Specialist Advisors, Liam Shorte - SMSF Coach FSSA, Damian Hearn and Cameron Holdsworth and now the addition of Actuary, Adam Fusca, who is also going to do the PY Year and become a Financial Adviser bringing his expertise to help us with risk and longevity management for our clients.

Next year we have no doubt our new advisers will be on the podium too and being recognised for our holistic advice not just SMSFs.

29/06/2026

So many questions from clients about the cost of kids staying home longer and then helping them with a deposit. People genuinely concerned that with longevity this could backfire on them later. Modelling is key and our retirement specialists are doing great worth to provide confidence and guidance to clients on this issue.

Managing the affect of the realities of modern families on retirement & estate planning

27/06/2026

The Death of SMSFs has been called many times over the last 2 decades. The latest ATO stats (March 2026) show the true story and the banning of LRBAs will only dent the future numbers as the CGT changes will support superannuation growth and SMSFs as a strong sub-sector.

Source: https://www.ato.gov.au/individuals-and-families/super-for-individuals-and-families/self-managed-super-funds-smsf/smsf-newsroom/highlights-smsf-quarterly-statistical-report-march-2026

25/06/2026

More bad news for 2027FY and this time for existing SMSF related party loans and those rushing in before the pending deadline of Mid-August. https://smsfcoach.com.au/2016/04/06/smsf-alert-ato-guidance-on-related-party-smsf-loans-lrbas/

For those considering a related party loan to their SMSF for a property the figures don't stack up unless you are confident of long term growth on the target property and solid future contributions to make up the shortfall between rent and expenses.

SMSF LRBA Related Party Interest Rate 2027FY 9.35%. Old Rate for 2020-26FY Related Property LRBA was 8.95% and Listed Shares 10.35%

23/06/2026

So the Labor Government has done a deal with the Greens Party to ban the use of LRBAs (SMSF borrowing) for residential properties in return for their support of their flawed CGT and negative gearing changes.

What Was Agreed:

The Greens have confirmed today they will support Labor's Treasury Laws Amendment (Tax Reform No. 1) Bill 2026 through the Senate — the legislation covering the CGT discount overhaul, negative gearing restrictions, and discretionary trust tax.

In exchange, Labor agreed to amend the bill to ban SMSFs from borrowing to acquire residential property via LRBAs.

Greens leader Larissa Waters announced they had secured an amendment "preventing wealthy property investors from exploiting a loophole to use Self-Managed Super Funds to acquire tax-advantaged investment properties," per Yahoo Finance/AP reporting today.

What has been reported so far:

• Scope: Ban on SMSFs borrowing to acquire residential property via LRBAs

• Commercial property: No indication this is affected — the ban appears targeted at residential only

• Existing LRBAs: Grandfathering details have not yet been confirmed publicly — this is the critical unknown for your clients

• Ministerial discretion: The Greens also secured removal of ministerial powers that could have allowed a future minister to reverse the reform

• The legislation still needs to pass the Senate — the government is aiming for passage before Parliament rises on 2 July 2026

I also read that the changes will come into effect 45 days after the law changes receive royal assent - which means it could be 3-4 months away.

So what do you do if you're still in the process of buying a property via an SMSF using borrowings?

If you've already started the process, see it through. Quickly as you can. Lenders will begin to withdraw their lending products once the details are released.

Existing LRBAs will not be impacted. Commercial property apparently will still be available.

The SMSF Association has called for any changes to LRBA rules to include appropriate consultation and grandfathering provisions or a substantially longer implementation period.

Only about 1% of residential property purchases are SMSFs that use borrowings and it makes a minuscule percentage of the overall SMSF asset totals but it is taking away the option that annoys me. This change will do nothing of significance to build more homes or make property more affordable and may see rental availability drop even further.

Trying to make out that everyone who uses an SMSF to borrow to buy property is a "wealthy property investor" is a complete rubbish. The majority we see are simply people who trust property as an asset they can see and understand and because of that they are willing to make additional contributions to super to support that investment whereas they would be reluctant to do so for shares or bonds. For us it is about developing strategy to make people use the most of the system nu adapting to their preferences.

The SMSF Association is highly concerned by the government's announcement of a ban on LRBAs used to acquire residential property.

14/06/2026

New clients are sometimes hesitant to commit to ongoing reviews. We don’t ask for that commitment until we have delivered our initial advice where we prove our value-add services. But if we do such a good job upfront ….why would someone need ongoing reviews….the answer is life!!!

28/04/2026

New Blog Post from SMSF Coach on The Ultimate SMSF End of Financial Year Checklist 2026 - https://mailchi.mp/20dfdc7556cb/new-blog-post-from-smsf-coach-5811842
As the end of the 2026 financial year approaches, self-managed superannuation fund (SMSF) trustee must prioritise tasks to optimise their strategies. Key actions include reviewing contribution limits, pension payments, tax implications, and ensuring compliance with regulatory changes.

22/04/2026

New Blog Post from SMSF Coach on R11 Key Considerations Before Setting Up an SMSF - https://mailchi.mp/164f8e1d870c/new-blog-post-from-smsf-coach-5811743

19/04/2026

SMSF set-up costs clarification

The ATO provided guidance for individuals who pay for the SMSF setup costs personally, in order to assist them with correctly claiming a reimbursement from the fund.

To do this correctly, the ATO states that:

-The SMSF must charge the costs against the individuals’ benefits,

-The individual should seek reimbursement as soon as the fund has enough cash, and

-The trustee(s) should ensure that the reimbursement relates only to costs incurred in setting up the fund – not for other services.

When done properly, the ATO will not consider such a reimbursement to be a contribution, a borrowing or the provision of financial assistance to a member.

However, where an individual does not seek reimbursement for setup costs charged to the fund, the ATO has indicated that it will treat the payment of these costs by the individual as a contribution.

NOTE: The ATO also issued a reminder that SMSF establishment costs are capital expenses and cannot be claimed as a tax deduction. While also reminding fund trustees that they cannot be paid for the performance of any trustee duties, even if they set the fund up themselves.

16/04/2026

⚠️ Attention SMSF Trustees with second Retail or Industry Fund for insurance ⚠️

Are you leaving a small balance in your industry or retail super to keep your life insurance active? You must set up an annual direct debit for a contribution or use your fund’s opt-in process — or risk losing your cover.

Dylan (surname withheld for privacy), a 44-year-old father of three from NSW, paid $350 a year for $358,000 in death and disability cover. As a self-employed architect, he went 16 months without a contribution to his fund. Under the Protecting Your Super (PYS) laws, his insurance was automatically cancelled — even though he had money in the account.

His fund sent three warning emails. He deposited $200 but missed the final opt-in click. In 2023, he passed away without coverage, leaving his family financially exposed.

For SMSF Trustees this is a very real risk that in concentrating on their SMSF, they forget to keep an eye on the old super fund holding their insurances.

For background, many SMSF trustees retain the insurance in their old fund due to health issues that mean they can replace or transfer or just because of the cost to replace a group cover.

💡 Protect yourself:
Set up a yearly contribution via direct debit
Formally opt-in with your super fund to keep your insurance active

Don’t let your insurance vanish silently — act today!