In this episode of the SMSF Adviser Show, Adrian Fisher, head of distribution and product at RedZed, joins host Maja Garaca Djurdjevic to discuss why the self-employed lender has launched a new offering for SMSFs.

Fisher explains that SMSFs are a natural fit for small business owners, but they often run into hurdles, with infrequent super contributions scaring off traditional lenders and making it difficult to secure a loan at all, particularly when it comes to property investments.

Listen as they discuss:

• Why investing in property through an SMSF can be difficult for the self-employed.
• The importance of assessing each borrower on their unique circumstances.
• Filling the gap left by traditional lenders exiting the space.

In this episode of the SMSF Adviser Show, host Keith Ford is joined by Tracey Scotchbrook, head of policy and advocacy at the SMSF Association, to discuss the intricacies surrounding possible changes to the wholesale investor tests.

Scotchbrook explains the background to the current inquiry into the wholesale thresholds, including how SMSFs find themselves in a grey area between the standard $2.5 million threshold and the $10 million professional investor level, as well as why accountant’s certificates are no longer fit for purpose.

Listen as they discuss:

• How the stagnating levels have dramatically increased the number of Australians that meet the requirements.
• The complex regulatory framework surrounding financial services.
• Concerns around the disparity in regulatory costs between wholesale and retail advisers.

In this episode of the SMSF Adviser Show, hosts Keith Ford and Aaron Dunn are joined by Tim Miller, SMSF technical and education manager at Smarter SMSF, to discuss some of the contribution considerations advisers need to keep in mind ahead of 30 June.

Miller explains the concept of a ‘contributions matrix’ and how it can help SMSF members consider the future distribution of their superannuation funds, particularly in the context of blended families and estate planning.

Listen as they discuss:

• How to deal with benefit payments before the end of the financial year.
• The considerations around different fund assets from a tax perspective.
• What advisers need to be talking to their SMSF clients about.

In this special budget episode, hosts Keith Ford, Maja Garaca Djurdjevic, and Aaron Dunn discuss the outlook for financial advice and SMSFs on the back of a budget that revealed little in terms of detail for either sector.

They also take a look at some of the measures that were included, as well as why some high-profile topics were left out completely, such as the $3 million super tax being conspicuously absent.

Listen as they discuss:

• The need for more structural change within the taxation system to provide a meaningful impact.
• Why the headline-grabbing inflation predictions could be little more than a mirage.
• The missed opportunities to make a difference for advisers and clients.

In this episode of the SMSF Adviser Show, host Keith Ford is joined by Andrew McVeigh, managing partner at Remara, to discuss the property market and how the current landscape can impact how an SMSF invests.

McVeigh explains what is happening in the real estate market, the factors affecting it, and the strategies that SMSFs can utilise, as well as why the investors don’t need to be constrained by the traditional buy-and-hold model.

Listen as they discuss:

• The importance of diversification and risk management.
• How SMSFs can utilise property investment funds.
• Navigating the complexities of the current market with an adaptable approach.

In this episode of the SMSF Adviser Show, hosts Keith Ford and Aaron Dunn are joined by Tony Negline, superannuation and financial services leader at Chartered Accountants ANZ, to discuss some of the alternatives to the $3 million super tax.

Mr Negline explains CA ANZ’s range of position on division 296, detailing a range of alternatives that it has proposed to the government, and whether there is any chance that there will be substantial changed to the current form of the legislation.

Listen as they discuss:

• Some of the criticisms of division 296.
• The likely increase of the transfer balance cap to $2 million.
• What CA ANZ expects to see from the upcoming federal budget.

In this episode of the SMSF Show, host Maja Garaca Djurdjevic is joined by shadow treasurer Angus Taylor to discuss the current state of the financial advice sector, the economy, the housing affordability crisis and more.

Taylor, a key figure in the opposition, shared his views on a range of issues from the government’s handling of the Quality of Advice Review (QAR) to the challenges facing the Australian economy, including productivity, while also emphasising the principle that superannuation is Australians’ money, not the government’s.

The shadow treasurer shares his belief that the answer to most problems is less government intervention and not more.

“I’m a big believer in getting government out of the way as much as you can,” Taylor says.

Touching on Labor’s perceived regulatory overreach, specifically in financial services, Taylor says: “The commitment on our side … is to recognise that there has been regulatory overreach, that we have got a whole group of Australians now that are under-advised, underinsured and underbanked, and that we’ve got to have more accessible financial services and advice if Australians are to have the prosperity they deserve.”

Tune in to hear him speak about:

• The advice profession and the Coalition’s intentions
• Broader economic challenges
• The Help to Buy scheme, and more

In this episode of the SMSF Adviser Show, host Keith Ford is joined by Michael Wilczynski, co-owner of SMSF Property Valuations, to discuss the ins and outs of getting a property valuation that SMSF members can rely on.

Wilczynski explains why this process is vital, especially given the complexities involved in valuing unique properties or those with limited comparable market sales, and how his firm ensures properties are evaluated correctly.

Listen as they discuss:

• The ins and outs of getting a property properly evaluated.
• The nuance required to understand specific and unique markets.
• How regulatory requirements and non-arm’s length rules impact properties held in an SMSF.