Software & comparisons 4 min read
SMSF Online Audit alternatives
The main alternatives to SMSF Online Audit for Australian SMSF auditors, compared fairly on category, workflow, and automation, including free and AI-assisted options.
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Software & comparisons 3 min read
Free SMSF audit software
The full manual SMSF audit workflow, free forever. What free actually means here, what you get, and where the optional paid Auto tier fits. For Australian SMSF auditors.
Contraventions 4 min read
In-house asset breach in an SMSF, and what the auditor checks
What an in-house asset is under section 71 of the SIS Act, the 5 percent limit in sections 82 and 83, how the ratio is calculated on market value under regulation 8.02B, and what an SMSF auditor checks.
Trustee guide 3 min read
Collectables in your SMSF
Art, wine, classic cars and jewellery can be held in your fund, but only under strict rules. Here is what trustees need to know.
Contraventions 4 min read
In-house assets and the 5 per cent rule explained
Your SMSF can only have limited dealings with people and businesses connected to you. Here is the 5 per cent rule, in plain English.
Trustee guide 5 min read
Can my SMSF borrow money? LRBAs explained
Super funds generally cannot borrow, but there is one important exception. Here is how borrowing in an SMSF works.
Trustee guide 3 min read
The $3m super tax (Division 296) explained for members
A new tax applies to very large super balances from 1 July 2026. Here is what it means if your total super is approaching $3 million.
Trustee guide 4 min read
What does an SMSF cost?
Running your own super fund comes with costs. Here is what to expect, and why the size of your balance matters so much, in plain English.
Trustee guide 3 min read
Minimum pension payments explained
Once your SMSF is paying you a pension, you must draw a minimum amount each year. Here is how it works and why it matters.
Trustee guide 3 min read
Crypto in your SMSF: the rules for trustees
Cryptocurrency is allowed in an SMSF, but only if you follow some specific rules. Here is what trustees need to get right.
Trustee guide 4 min read
Property in your SMSF: what trustees need to know
Buying property through your super fund can work well, but the rules are strict. Here is what trustees need to understand.
Trustee guide 3 min read
Is an SMSF right for you?
Thinking about setting up your own super fund? Here is an honest look at who an SMSF suits, and who it does not, in plain English.
Trustee guide 3 min read
Record-keeping basics for a compliant SMSF
Good records keep your fund compliant and make the annual audit quick and cheap. Here is what to keep and for how long.
Contraventions 3 min read
The sole purpose test for trustees
The single most important rule for your SMSF, explained simply: your fund must exist only to provide retirement benefits.
Trustee guide 4 min read
What your SMSF auditor actually checks, in plain English
Wondering what the auditor does with all those documents you send each year? Here is what they are actually looking at.
Trustee guide 4 min read
Winding up your SMSF: a step by step walkthrough
Closing an SMSF the right way matters. Here is what is involved, in plain English, so nothing is missed.
Trustee guide 4 min read
SMSF trustee responsibilities explained
If you run your own super fund, you are a trustee. Here is what that means and what you are responsible for, in plain English.
Standards & opinions 4 min read
What happens when a fund is reported to the ATO
An explanation for accountants and professionals of what follows when an auditor lodges a contravention report, and the range of outcomes a fund may face.
Standards & opinions 4 min read
Understanding the independent auditor's report
How to read the SMSF independent auditor's report, what its two opinions mean, and how to interpret a qualification.
Trustee guide 3 min read
Conditions of release explained
Super is locked away until you are allowed to access it. Here are the rules on when you can take your money out, in plain English.
Running an audit 4 min read
The annual SMSF compliance calendar and key dates
A reference for accountants and administrators of the recurring SMSF deadlines through the year, from audit appointment to annual return lodgement.
Running an audit 3 min read
SMSF valuation requirements explained
What accountants and professionals need to know about valuing SMSF assets at market value each year, and the evidence an auditor expects.
Trustee guide 4 min read
Death benefits, binding nominations and reversionary pensions explained
What happens to your super when you die, and how to make sure it goes where you want, explained in plain English for SMSF members.
Contraventions 4 min read
The most common SMSF contraventions and how to avoid them
A practical rundown for accountants and professionals of the breaches that most often appear in SMSF audits, and how to keep funds clear of them.
Standards & opinions 3 min read
Why an accountant cannot audit funds their firm prepared
An explanation for accounting professionals of the independence rule that prevents a firm from auditing the SMSF financial statements it prepared, and what the narrow exception allows.
Trustee guide 3 min read
Contribution caps explained
There are limits on how much you can put into super each year. Here are the caps and how they work, in plain English.
Running an audit 4 min read
Appointing an SMSF auditor: the 45-day rule and what to provide
A practical guide for accountants and administrators on when to appoint the auditor and the documents that make for a clean, efficient audit.
Running an audit 3 min read
What an SMSF audit is and why it is mandatory
A plain explanation for accountants and industry professionals of the annual SMSF audit, what it covers, and why the law requires it.
Running an audit 4 min read
Q4 lodgement crunch and the 40 percent rule for SMSF audits
How Q4 lodgement compression squeezes SMSF audit margin, and why Auto at $29 per fund changes the workload math for 1-2 partner firms.