This is part of series on the necessary changes to strategies and opportunities that have resulted from the pending 1 July 2017 changes which will see earnings on transition to retirement (TTR) pensions subject to 15% tax in the fund.

I know this has created concerns with many trustees and advisers around the question of should you access the relief and if so how to actually access the CGT relief provisions. People want to know what factors  they must take in to consideration.

Some of the concerns have been clarified by the ATO. One concern was that trustees would need to commute their TTR pensions and roll back into accumulation before 1 July to access the CGT relief provisions. Those relief provisions would allow the cost base of all or selected  eligible assets to be reset to the current market value on a date chosen by the trustees between now and 30 June. This CGT relief allows trustees to in effect, retain the tax-free status of unrealised capital gains accumulated prior to 30 June 2017.

The newly issued ATO issued Law Companion Guideline (LCG) 2016/8 has provided some excellent clarification. If your SMSF is operating as an unsegregated fund, the LCG states that member will not need to commute back to accumulation phase to be able to elect to reset the cost base of assets the wish to elect to apply the CGT relief.

It is intended that the same basis should be available for segregated funds, but the ATO has indicated is still reviewing options for how to make this work in practice. I will try to keep this blog updated with any guidance from the ATO on this matter but please make sure you adviser/administrator is on top of these matters. An SMSF that only has TTR or account-based pensions (and no accumulation phase) is automatically classified as a segregated fund. However if you put in a new contribution, as many are, this year then that money goes in to accumulation and the fund becomes automatically unsegregated. So look at your contribution intentions.

All is not lost as the fund would still have been segregated until that contribution was made and you may elect for that date to be the new CGT cost base valuation date.

Conversations need to start with YOUR advisers and administrators to check whether:

1. you should to continue a TTR pension after 1 July 2017 or to commute back to accumulation phase.
2. you may have already or can trigger a further condition of release such as  leaving any one employment position after age 60. To move from Accumulation or TTR to Account Based Pension

Why are TTR pensions still relevant and for whom

The tax advantages of a TTR pension will reduce when the earnings in the fund start to be taxed on 1 July, but advantages may still arise for members who:

• Are over age 60 and can draw tax-free income from the TTR
• Wish to start accessing super to top-up income or increase income to pay off debts
• Want to be able to nominate an automatic reversionary for estate planning purposes
• Can use salary sacrifice or personal deductions to contribute a higher net amount into super than they need to withdraw.

If the TTR pension is no longer required, care should be taken with the commutation and timing of the commutation to ensure the CGT relief provisions can be accessed on any assets they wish to claim the relief for.

Looking for an adviser that will keep you up to date and provide guidance and tips like in this blog? Then why now 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. Do it! make 2016 the year to get organised or it will be 2026 before you know it.

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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