1. Home
  2. Resources
  3. Insights
  4. Archive
  5. ClearLaw

This article is more than 24 months old and is now archived. This article has not been updated to reflect any changes to the law.

clearlaw

An enduring power of attorney can help your SMSF stay compliant

If an SMSF member ceases to be a trustee or director of a trustee by reason of incapacity, the SMSF may no longer be a complying fund. The SIS Act provides for continued compliance in circumstances where the member's legal personal representative holds a valid enduring power of attorney granted by that member and is appointed in their place. Cassandra Townsend, Thomson Reuters

The SIS Act sets out conditions a fund must satisfy to be an SMSF. A member who has an enduring power of attorney in place ensures:

  • the fund can continue to satisfy the definition of an SMSF if they lose capacity; and
  • they can choose their most appropriate replacement as trustee or a director of the trustee.

There are some points to note about the power of attorney:

  • it must be in force before the member loses capacity;
  • it must be current; and
  • it must accord with relevant state or territory legislation.

The replacement process is not automatic. The incapacitated member must be removed as trustee and the legal personal representative appointed as trustee or director of the trustee, all in accordance with the relevant legislation and the governing rules of the entity (SMSF trust deed or company constitution).

The legislation provides for a 6 month period to get the fund in order. This means the replacement must be appointed within 6 months of the incapacity, unless the member regains capacity within that period and can resume their duties.

More information from the ATO

For more information, read Self Managed Superannuation Funds Ruling 2010/2.

More Cleardocs information on related topics

You can read earlier ClearLaw articles on a range of SMSF and estate planning topics.

Order Cleardocs estate planning packages

 

Lawyer in Profile

Julian Smith
Julian Smith
Partner
PH: 61 3 9258 3734

Julian Smith is a partner in the Maddocks Commercial team.

Julian advises extensively in the following areas:

  • trusts law;
  • self managed super funds;
  • business and company sales and acquisitions; and
  • financial services law.

Julian advises clients ranging from public companies servicing the wholesale financial services market to high net worth individuals and their advisers.

Julian has been with Maddocks since undertaking articles in 2001.

insights topics
popular resources
customer support
legal advice
  • legal-advice

    The legal information and commentary on this site is general only. Documents ordered through Cleardocs affect the user's legal rights and liabilities. To assess their suitability for the user, legal accounting and financial advice must be obtained.

    Learn More
    For more information, contact Maddocks on (03) 9258 3555 and ask to speak to a member of their team.