As a part of hearings into ASIC’s oversight functions, the regulator presented the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Corporations and Financial Services with a range of policy solutions to be considered to remedy deficiencies identified in the SMSF space from its recent reports. Recommendations raised by ASIC include compulsory education for trustees, prohibiting limited recourse borrowing arrangements, and mandating a minimum SMSF balance.

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When it comes to buying a home, it can be both an exciting and stressful time. There are many things that need to be considered (and taken care off) before you receive the keys and start the next chapter in your life. Importantly, in our animation, ‘First Home Super Saver Scheme (FHSSS)’, we talked briefly about the impact that housing prices, wage growth and livings costs are having on prospective first home owners.

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Victoria’s Long Service Leave Act 2018 applies from 1 November 2018. This will mean new rights and responsibilities for employers and employees. The State Government of Victoria has an obligation to keep businesses informed of critical changes which present regulatory compliance obligations.

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Since the global financial crisis, demand for reverse mortgages have grown steadily. It allows older individuals, perhaps retirees, to unlock the equity in their homes while they continue to live in the property. However, reverse mortgages may not be all it’s cracked up to be. A recent review by ASIC found that borrowers had a poor understanding of the risks and future costs of their loan, inadequately documented long-term financial objectives, and lack of protection for non-borrowers who live in the property. When it comes to reverse mortgages, it may be a case of buyer beware.

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The government has started a crackdown on individuals who owe welfare debts by preventing them from leaving the country, even for a holiday, until either the debts have been paid or they enter into a repayment plan. Some of the welfare debts are as small as $10,000, so is this the start of the government using Departure Prohibition Orders (DPOs) more frequently as a tool to pressure individuals from paying their government debts, including money owed to the Tax Office?

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The deadline for lodging your tax return is fast approaching. Before you rush off to gather all the documents for your tax return, beware of some changes in this year’s return, particularly in the areas of rental properties and superannuation. In addition to the changes in the tax return, the ATO has also outlined the top 5 most common mistakes they have seen and will be following up on.

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Coming into 2018, investors were largely optimistic about global markets, in the belief that for the first time since 2010, the world was showing synchronised global economic growth1, which should in turn lead to higher corporate profits and therefore continued upward share price movements.

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Limited recourse borrowing arrangements (LRBAs) allow an SMSF to borrow money for the purchase of a single asset (or a collection of identical assets that have the same market value) to be held in a separate trust. Investment returns from the asset go to the SMSF and if the loan defaults, the lender’s rights are limited to the assets held in the separate trust. While LRBAs could potentially be an attractive avenue to achieve your retirement goals, the complexity and risks involved mean that forward planning is essential to get the best outcome.

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The sharing economy is booming in Australia with a large proportion of the population either making it their full-time job or making a little extra money on the side. However, with the boom comes the all-seeing-eye of the ATO which is now firmly focused on the sharing economy. Its latest target are those people who rent/hire their car out in car sharing arrangements, but this is by no means its only focus, and comes on the back of a data-matching program on online accommodation platforms.

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