This Month
‘Game changer’ tax ruling may lead to refunds for family trusts
The AAT ruling potentially questions the past 14 years of tax treatment of about 971,000 family trusts, most of which have corporate beneficiaries.
- Duncan Hughes
A family trust strategy to deal with the $3m super tax
The first hurdle is that to both access your fund and withdraw lump sums, you must satisfy a condition that allows this – either retiring or turning 65.
- John Wasiliev
September
One family trust and three kids – what can go wrong?
What happens when one son doesn’t need the capital, another wants to develop a property with a huge loan and the daughter needs money ASAP for a new home.
- Peter Townsend
August
- Opinion
- Tax minimisation
Level the tax-raising playing field
The government’s crackdown passes the pub test. But the revenue lost through the most egregious tax avoidance schemes is dwarfed by the amounts whisked away through perfectly legal means.
- Robert Breunig
July
In the Forrest family empire, it’s all a matter of trust
Andrew and Nicola Forrest’s sprawling private empire was incorrectly applying a key clause of the Corporations Act for years. So who’s in charge now?
- Peter Ker and Brad Thompson
- Analysis
- Legal industry
Can Allan Myers save rich, divorced men?
The long-time member of the Melbourne establishment is mounting what may be a last-ditch defence of the family trust.
- Aaron Patrick
June
Fury as small business owners face 73pc rise on shareholder loans
Rates set at 8.3pc under Division 7A – intended to stop profits going tax-free to private company shareholders – means they’ll feel the squeeze.
- Duncan Hughes
Three family trust ploys the ATO is targeting in $1b crackdown
Under fire are deals to disguise profits as losses, overseas tax scams and trustees playing fast and loose with the rules.
- Duncan Hughes
- Opinion
- Super wars
When investment company is better than a family trust
We set out the key steps in growing family wealth through a company to avoid extra tax once the $3 million super cap kicks in.
- Michael Hutton
May
How family trusts and companies can help you avoid new super tax
Changes targeting balances over $3 million, set to be announced in next week’s budget, are forcing investors to review their strategies.
- Duncan Hughes
April
Allan Gray logs big gains in fees; doubles dividend to $20m
The local fund manager banked investment management fees of $42.4m at the end of 2022, up from $26m a year earlier.
- Aaron Weinman
- Opinion
- Inheritance
Seven reasons to gift your estate to a family trust (and three not to)
Testamentary trusts are the favoured vehicle for estate planning but it’s worth exploring an alternative if you already have a family trust.
- Peter Townsend
Family trusts the next step after $3m super crackdown
Where considerable wealth is being invested outside super, entities including trusts or personal investment companies can make sense.
- Michael Hutton
March
How to avoid family wealth being lost to new super tax
Asset transfers, trusts and low-tax investment bonds are some options being considered to protect inheritances.
- Duncan Hughes
Super workarounds: what to do with $3m-plus balances
Choices range from setting up a family trust or transferring savings into kids’ superannuation accounts to moving the biggest investments into private company structures.
- Hannah Wootton
February
How to avoid a Rinehart-style family trust dispute
It is critical that members of a family trust know what is to happen to trust assets if any of the key people die.
- Peter Townsend
ATO turns screws on popular trusts amid tax evasion claims
Complex trust structures are under renewed scrutiny as the tax office breathes new life into old anti-avoidance laws.
- Duncan Hughes
December 2022
Court cracks down on income payments by family trusts
This is what you need to do to prevent your assets coming under fire from estranged family members.
- Duncan Hughes
November 2022
More funds fall foul of ASIC over dodgy marketing
Australia’s corporate watchdog says trustee oversight of fund marketing must improve.
- Emma Rapaport
Why this inheritance trick is not just for the rich
Want to provide income to your grandkids or worried your child’s partner will walk off with part of your estate? This is what to do.
- Duncan Hughes
