The advantages and disadvantages of family SMSFs

Many small business owners who run a family business and are nearing retirement face the significant decision of whether to include their adult children in their self-managed super fund (SMSF) as part of their personal and business succession planning. Including children in a family SMSF can have a critical impact on family relationships and finances,…

Preparing for the FBT year-end

With the end of the fringe benefits tax (FBT) year fast approaching, business owners need to be aware of the FBT and gross up rates when preparing for their FBT return. The FBT rate increased from 47 per cent to 49 per cent from 1 April 2015. The rate increase was due to the introduction…

Managing flexible working arrangements

In a rapidly changing business environment, it is essential that owners of small businesses get flexible working schemes right. Today’s employees continue to look for more balance between their personal and work lives. While some employers may think this may have a negative effect on their business, flexible working arrangements have been shown to benefit…

Succession planning for SMSF trustees

A responsibility that does not immediately spring to mind when managing a self-managed super fund is working out what will happen if a member becomes incapacitated and unable to perform their trustee duties. Succession planning for an SMSF can become quite complicated if not managed on an ongoing basis. It not only requires having a…