SMSF sector headed for big ‘period of transition’ next year
With the SuperStream changes and director ID regime now in place and an election not far off, next year is expected to be a “real period of adjustment and transition for the SMSF sector”, according to the SMSF Association.
SMSF Association deputy chief executive Peter Burgess explained that with the director identification number (DIN) regime only recently implemented and the industry still encountering some teething issues with the SuperStream standards, 2022 will “certainly be a period of adjustment and transition” for SMSF professionals.
“We’ve [also] got an election next year, which complicates things from a legislative perspective. We have some measures which are currently stored in Parliament and there are not a lot of sitting days left before an election is likely to be called,” said Mr Burgess.
“It’s unclear at this point as to when some of those measures will be passed or whether they will be passed if we see a change in government. If we see a change in government there might be a different policy agenda put forward.”
Mr Burgess said this creates a level of uncertainty, particularly for advisers, around the work test and bring-forward rules where advisers need to have a level of certainty to be able to provide advice to clients.
There also continues to be some issues with the latest SuperStream standards, said Mr Burgess, with the system not yet working as efficiently as it should be.
“Rollovers are not happening with the three days as prescribed. We are somewhat concerned by some of the APRA-regulated funds that seem to be taking a long time to roll money to SMSFs, even where the request complies with the SuperStream standards,” he said.
These delays are related to some of the additional ID checks that APRA-regulated funds are imposing on trustees, which are unnecessary in some cases, Mr Burgess told SMSF Adviser previously.
“I think there's further work to be done in that area, so that we do get the right balance between checks which ensure there is no risk of fraud, but at the same time, not imposing unreasonable requirements on SMSF trustees,” he said.
In terms of the new director ID regime, Mr Burgess said its important that SMSF professionals ensure their clients are aware of the timeframes in which they need to apply for a director ID.
There is currently a transitional period in place for the director ID regime, with all new directors required to apply for DIN with 28 days of being appointed a director. From 5 April next year, however, all directors will need to apply for a DIN prior to being appointed as a director.
Existing directors who were appointed prior to 31 October this year will need to apply for a DIN before 30 November 2022.
Miranda Brownlee
Miranda Brownlee is the deputy editor of SMSF Adviser, which is the leading source of news, strategy and educational content for professionals working in the SMSF sector.
Since joining the team in 2014, Miranda has been responsible for breaking some of the biggest superannuation stories in Australia, and has reported extensively on technical strategy and legislative updates.
Miranda also has broad business and financial services reporting experience, having written for titles including Investor Daily, ifa and Accountants Daily.
