SMSF Toolkit

Welcome to Institute of Financial Professionals Australia SMSF Toolkit.

Managing an SMSF is a major responsibility as trustees are responsible for complying with the superannuation and tax laws. One of the many responsibilities trustees must perform and meet are the reporting and administrative obligations of their fund, including completing certain forms for the ATO.

We’ve made this easy for you by collating in one place the forms a SMSF trustee is likely to need to carry out their role.

In some cases, the links will take you to an ATO page where you can download the relevant document as well as read instructions about how to use it.

A reminder that if you’re a IFPA member or have a subscription to the digital SMSF Manual, you can access your copy through your portal at any time.

Click any of the quick links below to skip to that section.

• Rates & Thresholds

• Forms & Guides

Administration & Trustees | Annual return | Auditors | Compliance and advice | Contributions | Payment summary & PAYG withholding | Rollovers | Superannuation benefits | Income streams

• Tools, Resources & calculators

Auditors | General superannuation

Rates & Thresholds

• Key super rates and thresholds

  Key rates and thresholds in relation to contribution caps, superannuation guarantee,  government co-contribution, Division 293 tax, benefit payments, transfer balance cap, and more (QC 18123).

Forms & Guides

Administration & Trustees

• Application for a substituted accounting period (SAP)
  Application form to apply for a substituted accounting period (SAP) or to change from a SAP back to a normal accounting period ending 30 June (NAT 5087).

• Application for an Australian business number (ABN) at the Australian Business Register.

• Change of details for superannuation entities
  Form to notify the ATO about changes in trustees or directors of a corporate trustee, members, contact details, address, and fund status (NAT 3036).

• Nomination of legal representative - individual
  Individuals (ie, clients of legal practitioners) can use this form to notify the ATO that they have appointed a legal representative to manage their tax affairs (NAT 11525).
• Superfundlookup.gov.au
  Super Fund Lookup – the ATO's external register of SMSF current compliance status.

• Superannuation standard choice form

This form advises employers of the employee's choice of fund (NAT 13080). Employees can access and complete the form online by logging into ATO online services via myGov.

• Trustee declaration
  

  This declaration must be competed if a person becomes a trustee or director of a corporate trustee (trustee) of a new SMSF or an existing SMSF to declare they understand their obligations and responsibilities (NAT 71089).

Annual return

• Self managed superannuation fund annual return
  For use by SMSFs to complete their annual return for the relevant year (NAT 71226).

• Self managed superannuation fund annual return instructions
  For use by SMSFs to assist in completion of the annual return (NAT 71606).

Auditors

• Auditor-actuary contravention report instructions
  SMSF auditors must lodge their auditor/actuary contravention report (ACR) electronically through Online services for business. For those unable to lodge online (for example, an actuary), such individuals can order a paper form ‘Auditor/actuary contravention report’ (NAT 11239) from the ATO, as it cannot be downloaded.

• Self-managed superannuation fund independent auditor’s report
  The SMSF independent auditor's report must be used for audits completed on or after 1 July 2021. This includes audits completed on or after this date regardless of what income year they apply to (NAT 11466).

Compliance and advice

• Request for SMSF specific advice
  Trustees should use this form if they want specific advice about how the superannuation law applies to a particular transaction or arrangement for a SMSF (NAT 72441).

• Supporting document requirements for SMSF specific advice

This information lists the documents and information the ATO usually needs to process SMSF specific advice (QC 22579).

• SMSF regulatory contravention disclosure
  SMSF trustees and professionals should use this form if they want to voluntarily disclose regulatory contraventions that have not been rectified. This allows trustees and professionals to engage with the ATO early (NAT 75188).

Contributions

• Application - excess contributions determination
  This application is for those who believe their superannuation contributions have, or will, exceed a contributions cap due to special circumstances and want to apply for a determination that some or all contributions should be either disregarded or reallocated to another year (NAT 71333).

• CGT cap election
  Form and instructions for superannuation funds and their members to make a CGT cap election (NAT 71161).
• Compulsory release authority & statement instructions
  Sample form and instructions to help individuals complete their ‘Compulsory release authority and statement’ for excess contributions tax, which authorises their superannuation fund to withdraw funds to pay excess non‑concessional contributions tax (NAT 71426).

• Contributions for personal injury
  Form and instructions for superannuation fund members who have received an eligible personal injury payment (ie, structured settlement) and want to contribute all or part of the amount to superannuation without it counting towards their non-concessional contributions cap, total superannuation balance and their transfer balance cap (NAT 71162).

• Contributions splitting
  Application form and instructions for superannuation fund members who want to split their superannuation contributions to their spouse’s superannuation account (NAT 15237).
• Downsizer contributions

This form must be used by individuals wishing to make a downsizer contribution into superannuation from selling their home (NAT 75073).

• Excess concessional contributions election form
  This form enables individuals to elect to release excess concessional contributions from their superannuation fund (NAT 74825). Note, it is easier and quicker to sign into myGov to complete this form.

• Excess non-concessional contributions election form
  This form enables individuals to elect how their excess non concessional contributions will be taxed (NAT 74824). Note, it is easier and quicker to sign into myGov to complete this form.

• Notice of intent to claim or vary a deduction for personal super contributions
  Form and instructions for superannuation fund members to claim or vary a deduction for personal contributions. This form should be used for personal contributions made after 1 July 2007 (NAT 71121).

• Notice of re-contributions of COVID-19 early release amounts

Form and instructions for superannuation fund members making a re-contribution of COVID-19 early release super amounts (NAT 75394).

• Release authority and statement for Division 293 tax
  Individuals can order a Division 293 paper election form from the ATO (NAT 74988). However, for most people, it is easier and quicker to sign into myGov to complete their Division 293 election form.

• Request to adjust concessional contributions
  This form notifies the ATO that an SMSF member has made concessional contributions in one financial year (Year 1) but the SMSF did not allocate them to the member until the next financial year (Year 2) (NAT 74851).

• Superannuation guarantee opt out for high income earners with multiple employers

The superannuation guarantee (SG) opt out for high income earners with multiple employers form is for individuals to apply for a SG shortfall exemption for an employer (NAT 75067).

• Voluntary release authority & statement instructions
  Instructions to help superannuation funds and their members complete the ‘Voluntary release authority and statement for excess contributions tax’ form (NAT 71777). Note, the ATO will send the individual the voluntary release authority form with their notice of assessment.

Payment summary & PAYG withholding

• PAYG payment summary - super income stream
  Sample form and instructions for superannuation providers that make superannuation income stream payments, including superannuation income stream lump sum in arrears payments to a person (NAT 70987).

• PAYG payment summary - superannuation lump sum
  This payment summary must be completed by superannuation funds when making a lump sum payment to a person (NAT 70947).
• Superannuation lump sum schedule
  This form should be completed if an individual has received two or more superannuation lump sum payments (NAT 71743).

• Tax table for superannuation lump sums (Schedule 12)
  This tax table should be used when a superannuation lump sum payment is made to an individual (NAT 70981).

• Tax table for superannuation income streams (Schedule 13)
  This table should be used when a payment of a superannuation income stream is made, including from an account-based superannuation income stream (including death benefit income streams), capped defined benefit income streams (including death benefit income streams), transition to retirement income streams, and temporary or permanent disability income streams (NAT 70982).

Rollovers

• Request for rollover of whole balance of super benefits between funds
  Form and instructions for superannuation fund members to transfer their benefits between superannuation funds. Note, superannuation funds (including SMSFs) must use SuperStream to roll over a member’s superannuation benefits (NAT 75359).
• Rollover benefits statement and instructions for transactions on or after 1 July 2017
  Form and instructions for trustees of superannuation funds or retirement savings account (RSA) providers when rolling over benefits to another fund on or after 1 July 2017 (NAT 70944 and NAT 74924).
• Death benefit rollover statement
  Use this form for the roll-over of a death benefit for an eligible dependant beneficiary in relation to a deceased member on or after 1 July 2017 (NAT 74924).
• Rollover benefits and Death benefit rollover statement information for transactions from 1 July 2017
  Form and instructions for trustees of superannuation funds or RSA providers when paying a rollover superannuation benefit to another superannuation provider, or rolling over a superannuation death benefit to another superannuation provider (QC 28175).
  

Superannuation benefits

• Application for payment of ATO-held superannuation money
  Use this form to apply for superannuation held by the ATO (NAT 74880).
• Individual retired due to permanent disability
  This form should be completed when an individual is requesting a withdrawal of their ATO-held super and is required to attach medical evidence confirming they have retired due to a permanent disability (NAT 8678a).

• Searching for lost and unclaimed super

Individuals can search for their lost superannuation online using myGov, by phoning the ATO’s lost super search line on 13 28 65 or by completing a paper form (NAT 2476).

• Withdrawal from super holding accounts special account
  Form and instructions for superannuation holding account (SHA) special account holders to request a withdrawal of their account balance held by the ATO in the SHA special account (NAT 2373).

  Income streams

• Determination of deductible amount for UPP of a foreign pension or annuity

This form should be completed if an individual is seeking a determination for the deductible amount of the undeducted purchase price of a foreign pension or annuity (NAT 16543).

• Excess transfer balance election form instructions

These instructions will help individuals complete the Excess Transfer Balance Election form. This form will inform the ATO that the individual wants a commutation authority issued to a different superannuation income stream account or provider to the one identified in their default commutation notice (QC 54196).

• Request for determination of the deductible amount of UPP of an Australian pension or annuity
  This form should be completed if an individual is seeking a determination for the deductible amount of the undeducted purchase price of an Australian superannuation pension or annuity (NAT 16544).

• Super transfer balance account report and instructions
  Use the ‘Super transfer balance account report’ (TBAR) to advise the ATO when a transfer balance account event occurs (NAT 74923).

• Transition to retirement income streams
  Information for SMSF trustees regarding commencing, running and ceasing a transition to retirement income stream (QC 42388).
• Transfer balance event notification form

These instructions will help SMSF members to complete a transfer balance event notification form to allow the ATO to correctly apply the transfer balance cap provisions (QC 53510).

• Undeducted purchase price calculator

This calculator helps calculate the annual deductible amount associated with the payment of certain pensions or annuities. This means part of the pension or annuity an individual is receiving may be tax free (QC 18139).

Tools, Resources & Calculators

Auditors

• Online services for business

Online services for business is the ATO’s preferred channel for auditor contravention reports (ACRs). It can also be used to lodge an audit complete advice (QC 65243).

• Requesting non-binding advice

SMSF auditors that need help with circumstances not covered in the ATO range of guidance and self-help products can access non-binding guidance (QC 45577).

• SMSF auditor guidance

ATO guidance for SMSF auditors can be found on the ATO’s website (QC 45561).

• SMSF webinars

SMSF auditors can watch recorded SMSF webinars hosted by the ATO at a time that suits them (QC 42934).

General superannuation

• Am I entitled to super

This tool helps individuals understand whether they are entitled to SG contributions from their employer (QC 50272).

• Defined benefit income cap tool

The defined benefit income cap tool works out if the defined benefit income cap applies to an individual and calculates the defined benefit cap, the assessable income amount to report in their tax return, and the tax offset (if eligible). Note, SMSF members have not been able to start a new defined benefit pension from their SMSF since 1 January 2006 (QC 55642).

• Estimate my super

This tool helps individuals estimate how much SG their employer should have paid for them (QC 50273).

• Item A3 Government super contributions calculator
  This tool will help individuals calculate the correct amounts for the A3 labels on the individual tax return (QC 38562).

• Low income super contribution calculator
  The low income super contribution calculator (LISC) is a tool to help individuals estimate their eligibility and entitlement for the LISC (QC 36278).
• Report unpaid super contributions from my employer

Individuals can use this online tool to inform the ATO if their employer hasn't paid their superannuation, paid late or to the wrong fund (QC 50278).

• Superannuation benefit component calculator
  Superannuation funds and professionals can use this calculator to determine the proportions or percentages of the tax free and taxable component of a superannuation interest (QC 19972).
• Super co-contribution calculator
  The super co-contribution calculator is a tool to help individuals and the self-employed estimate their co-contribution entitlement and eligibility (QC 17532).

• Superannuation crystallisation calculator
  The crystallisation calculator helps superannuation funds calculate the crystallised segment of the tax free component of a member's superannuation interest, including any pre-July 1983 component, and other amounts (QC 19957).

Note – over time, the ATO may update or change some forms. The NAT number (which stands for ‘national’) is listed so that readers can confirm they have the correct form. Although documents can change over time, its allocated number generally remains the same.

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