What if you are not sure a proposed investment ticks all the boxes?

While you should make your best effort to ensure that the SMSF investments in your fund are compliant with the legislation, it can often be difficult to tell whether a particular investment strategy would be compliant or not.

For example, an SMSF trustee would be able to acquire a property from a member if that property was deemed to be business real property (BRP) but while for most BRP it is obvious that it satisfies the definition like a stand alone warehouse, for other properties it is far from clear such as a retail shop with 2 residential units above it.

In this case, as trustee, you could either decide not to proceed with the acquisition or else they could seek further guidance. you should initially seek guidance from your fund Auditor and other adviser but you may often get a grey answer.  While trustees always have the option of seeking legal advice, they also have the ability to go straight to the ATO to seek their opinion before entering the transaction.

Self-Managed Superannuation fund Specific Advice

This guidance can be sought by using the “Request for self-managed superannuation fund specific advice available” on the ATO website.

The ATO can provide SMSF specific advice about the following topics:

• investment rules including
  • an investment by an SMSF in a company or unit trust
  • acquisition of assets from related parties
  • borrowing and charges
  • in-house assets
  • business real property
• in specie contributions/payments
• payment of benefits under a condition of release.

You should use this service if you want specific advice about how the super law applies to a particular transaction or arrangement for a self-managed superannuation fund, but you cannot use this service for tax related questions so that is when you need to look for a Private Ruling.

Private Ruling for Tax Related Scenarios

As an SMSF Trustee, if you have a concern that your circumstances or those of the fund may put you in an unusual tax position, or that a particular financial arrangement doesn’t fit any known approach for tax purposes, or you simply wants to minimise the risk of an unanticipated tax outcome, you can apply for a ‘private ruling’ from the Tax Office.

A private ruling may deal with anything involved in the application of a relevant provision of the law, including issues relating to liability, administration and ultimate conclusions of fact (such as residency status).When you apply for a private ruling about an arrangement, you can also ask the ATO to consider whether Part IVA (general anti-avoidance rule) applies to the arrangement.

In fact a lot of the proposed SMSF projects or strategies we are asked to advise on do not have a clear definable answer. Specific advice is often required on unusual scenarios for contributions involving residency or the work test or benefit payments for those under age 65. Asking for a private ruling can be a good way to ‘test-drive’ a tax arrangement you may be considering, especially where the already existing information from the Tax Office doesn’t seem to adequately cover all the bases and you are concerned about the level of tax or penalties if you get it wrong.

You can apply for a private ruling on behalf of your SMSF yourself but I would recommend using your tax agent or tax law specialist (click here for access to the private ruling instructions, plus additional ATO guidance).

Each ruling is specific to the entity that applied for it, and only to the specific facts and situation considered by the ruling, and can’t be picked up as a standard by any other taxpayer. These are one-off decisions, made only about a certain set of circumstances, and they set out how the Tax Office views that situation.

Binding
If you get a private ruling, and base your SMSF tax affairs on that advice, the Tax Office is bound to administer the tax law as set out in that ruling. But, if later, the ATO issues a public ruling and the tax outcome conflicts with the one in your private ruling, you generally have the choice of which one to apply.

A ruling made in respect of a particular tax law will be changed if that law is altered by legislation or by the result of a court decision. But it’s worthwhile remembering that if you follow a ruling’s advice, and that ruling is later found to have not applied the law correctly, that you’re protected from having to repay any tax that would have otherwise been owed, as well as interest and penalties.

If a private ruling affects one of your earlier tax assessments, the Tax Office will not automatically amend it unless you make a point of submitting a written request for an amendment.

But just because you apply for a private ruling doesn’t mean you are going to get one. The Tax Office can refuse if it thinks a ruling would prejudice or restrict the law, if you are being audited over the same issue, or if it deems your application to be ‘frivolous’ or ‘vexatious’.

Are you looking for an advisor that will keep you up to date and provide guidance and tips like in this blog? Then why not contact me at our Castle Hill or Windsor office in Northwest Sydney to arrange a one on one consultation. Just click the Schedule Now button up on the left to find the appointment options.

Liam Shorte B.Bus SSA™ AFP

Financial Planner & SMSF Specialist Advisor™

Tel: 02　98941844, Mobile: 0413 936 299

PO Box 6002 BHBC, Baulkham Hills NSW 2153

5/15 Terminus St. Castle Hill NSW 2154

Corporate Authorised Representative of Viridian Select Pty Ltd ABN 41 621 447 345, AFSL 51572

This information has been prepared without taking account of your objectives, financial situation or needs. Because of this you should, before acting on this information, consider its appropriateness, having regard to your objectives, financial situation and needs. This website provides an overview or summary only and it should not be considered a comprehensive statement on any matter or relied upon as such.