SMSF Advice Canberra
Independent SMSF advice from a specialist who has nothing to sell you
A self-managed super fund gives you control and lets you buy things that other super funds don't, such as your business premises. However, they aren't for everyone and the control comes with responsibility. We are specialist SMSF advisers with no product to push. We will work through your existing SMSF or help establish a new one, providing the strategy and working alongside your accountant. We'll also be up front and tell you if we think an SMSF is not worth it for you.
1%
Only around 1% of financial planners in Australia are independent. We are one of them.
Independent means no commissions, no kick backs, and no ownership by a bank or super fund.
A SMSF can be a powerful structure or an expensive mistake.
Most people who come to us about an SMSF are drawn to the control. Picking the investments, perhaps buying a property, running the fund on their own terms instead of leaving it with a large fund. For some people it is the right structure, and it can do things a retail or industry fund can't.
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It also brings real obligations as a trustee, and the advice around it is rarely simple. Some providers earn fees from establishing funds, so their enthusiasm isn't neutral. Accountants often handle the administration and lodge the annual return, which is important work but isn't the same as strategic advice. As a result, a lot of SMSFs cost more than they should, hold investments that don't suit the members, or should never have been set up.
Before anything is established, we look at whether an SMSF makes sense at all: the balance, the running costs, what the members want from it, and how it sits alongside everything else, including any defined benefit entitlements. Sometimes the answer is no, and that is worth knowing early.
A few good questions to ask yourself before setting up an SMSF are:
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Is your balance really large enough to justify the cost?
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Do you have the time and interest to run it?
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Is your investment strategy actually sound, or just a document filed to keep the auditor happy?
We can help you work through this and will tell you when an SMSF isn't worth it for you.
What independent SMSF strategy looks like
We are independent, which means we take no commissions, charge no asset-based fees, and are not owned by a bank or a product manufacturer. We do not run an investment product, so we have nothing to sell you inside your fund. We have am a Specialist SMSF knowledge and accreditation which means that SMSF strategy is a genuine area of depth for us.
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Just as importantly, we work alongside your accountant rather than replacing them. Your accountant looks after the administration, compliance lodgements and audit coordination. We focus on the SMSF strategy: whether the fund makes sense, how it should be invested, how to handle contributions and tax, and how it should be structured for pension phase and what happens when you are gone.
I considered myself to be a fairly astute investor and on top of my own financial affairs, until I met Andrew. I initially sought Andrew's advice to discuss my investment options. However, Andrew provided thoughtful and personalised advice that went far beyond just investment advice.
Tu, Adviser Ratings
SMSF advice with us typically covers
An honest SMSF suitability assessment
Whether an SMSF genuinely suits your balance, goals and appetite, measured against the alternatives, with a clear recommendation either way.
A contribution and tax strategy
How to use contributions, caps and the fund's tax settings effectively in the lead-up to and during retirement.
A pension-phase plan
How and when to start a pension inside the SMSF, and how that changes the fund's tax.
A robust investment strategy
A real, compliant investment strategy for the fund, matched to your goals and risk profile.
Property and borrowing guidance
If holding property in super is on your mind, a plain look at whether it stacks up, including the rules around limited recourse borrowing.
Estate planning inside the fund
Binding death benefit nominations and reversionary pensions so your super goes where you intend, tax-effectively.
On a defence or public sector scheme?
If your super is currently in a defence or public-sector scheme, an SMSF is a very different decision again and we will walk through it carefully for any additional funds or lump sums outside of the defined benefit pensions. Find out more here
How we advise on your SMSF
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Complimentary introductory call
We talk through what you are trying to achieve and whether an SMSF is even the right question. No cost, no obligation.
2
Discovery and fact-find
If you go ahead, we gather the detail: your super, assets, goals and appetite for running a fund. We tell you the fixed fee up front before any work begins.
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Suitability and strategy
We assess whether an SMSF suits you and, if it does, build the investment, tax and structure strategy. If it does not, we tell you plainly and point you to a better option.
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Your written advice
We present it clearly and walk you through it.
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Implementation and review
We work with your accountant to put it in place, and review it as the rules and your circumstances change.
Trusted to deliver with your best interests first
"Andrew provided clear and succinct advice and answered my questions fully. I feel confident that the advice given was right for my needs. I would recommend Andrew as an advisor"
- Jennifer, Adviser Ratings
"Andrew provided me with excellent advice on a range of personal financial issues. Andrew is very warm and friendly, and took great care in explaining concepts and set out his advice logically and clearly. Thank you Andrew. I would highly recommend Andrew to anyone in need of clear and considered financial advice."
- Soraya, Adviser Ratings