A court case APRA has brought against the director of an industry fund has highlighted the policy priorities of Canberra.

A flurry of activity in Canberra last week saw a raft of bills pass through parliament including the objective of superannuation while the Division 296 bill was placed on the back-burner, which for the moment is a win for the SMSF sector.

A recent letter writing campaign to SMSFs with unchanged valuations is symbolic of the ATO’s desire for trustees to get their house in order around the routine, daily operations of their fund.

The ATO’s intense focus on scams targeting SMSFs is a strong indicator that trustees should be cautious and take seriously the warnings and assistance the regulator provides to avoid falling prey to criminal activity.

Greater scrutiny of the ‘green’ investment offerings, including penalties for mis-representation, are a welcome development which provide certainty for SMSF investors looking to invest in line with their own convictions.

Changes to an 11 year old tax ruling have made it more difficult to recommence a pension when the minimum payments have not been met adding more complexity to the administration of an SMSF for retirees.

The Division 296 tax debate in parliament has led to unnecessary questions about the use of LRBAs in SMSFs while its flaws remain unaddressed by the government reinforcing the perception this bill will not improve confidence in the super system.

The indexation of the concessional contributions cap due on 1 July will give SMSF members the ability to enjoy a small tax advantage.

The treatment of SMSF legacy pensions in the proposed Division 296 tax raises more questions than it answers, contributing to the overall complexity of the tax measure.