Mary Simmons

Financial abuse, particularly elder abuse will come under the microscope at the SMSF Association’s National Conference being held at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre from February 19-21.

Association Head of Technical Mary Simmons said elder abuse, remains one of the most pressing yet underreported challenges in the superannuation sector, including SMSFs. With the Australian Human Rights Commission reporting that only one-third of older persons seek help when being abused, the time to foster greater awareness is now.

Recent findings from the Parliamentary Joint Committee (PJC) report on financial abuse underscore its importance.

“Relationships Australia has stated that one in six older Australians have reported experiencing elder abuse in one year, with financial abuse the third most common form of abuse.”

The NSW Ageing and Disability Commission has noted that financial abuse is increasing, driven by factors such as the expected $3.5 trillion intergenerational wealth transfer occurring over the next two decades, an ageing population, and economic pressures on younger generations.

National Conference is a unique platform to foster industry-wide collaboration to promote best practices across the sector. Our program is designed to provide attendees with actionable strategies to identify and address financial abuse, whilst maintaining the highest ethical and professional standards.”

“For all these importance reasons we have three eminent lawyers providing their valuable insights on elder abuse to raise greater awareness within the SMSF sector.”

The speakers are:

• Pitcher Partners’ Anne Hacker will address a specialist-only session on Ensuring continuity: Managing SMSFs amid capacity challenges. It will delve into what elder abuse looks like, how to look out for it and how to minimise the potential impact on clients.  For practitioners, it will highlight how to safeguard themselves against the risks of missing elder abuse and incapacity.
• HopgoodGanim Lawyers’ Rebecca Edwards will examine the topic Protecting the vulnerable: Elder assistance or abuse? It will focus on the delicate balance of ensuring the elder’s best interests while navigating complex family relationships. It will explore strategies for assessing capacity, identifying signs of undue influence or financial abuse, and ensuring that any help provided by family members remains within ethical and legal boundaries.
• Merthyr Law’s Kieran Hoare will tell SMSF war stories from the death bed, looking at challenges associated with death bed withdrawals, particularly the abuse of enduring powers of attorney and the rising trend of ‘inheritance impatience’.

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Mary Simmons

With cross-disciplinary collaboration more essential than ever, the SMSF Association is excited to bring together top industry minds at its 2025 National Conference, being held at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre from February 19 -21.

The event, themed “Collaboration: Unleashing Collective Potential,” will highlight how professionals working together can deliver the best outcome for clients and their business.

SMSF Association’s Head of Technical, Mary Simmons, says: “With complex client needs across super, tax, estate planning and compliance, the SMSF sector thrives on the power of collective expertise.

“This year’s conference celebrates the unique blend of skills across accounting, auditing, legal and advisory professions, creating a space for SMSF professionals to work together to achieve outstanding client outcomes.”

Packed with in-depth technical sessions and practical workshops over two and a half days, the conference features a dynamic lineup of seasoned experts and fresh voices.

The high-profile plenaries promise valuable insights from renowned experts starting with SMSF Association CEO, Peter Burgess delivering his much anticipated, fast paced regulatory update.

Meg Heffron, Managing Director of Heffron Consulting Pty Ltd will open day two of the conference unpacking new strategic opportunities with SMSF Association Chairman Scott Hay-Bartlem closing the conference by reflecting on key lessons from recent court decisions.

Sessions are complimented by hands-on workshops offering a unique opportunity for SMSF professionals to engage deeply with real-world case studies and tackle the critical issues they encounter daily.

Each workshop is intentionally kept small to encourage active discussion and in-depth exploration of core topics, including contributions, non-arm’s length investments, pensions, auditing, death and aged care.

Beyond technical content, attendees will gain insights into building efficient, future-focused superannuation practices. Sessions cover cutting-edge topics such as harnessing AI, adapting to generational shifts and enhancing operational efficiency, all tailored to drive SMSF business growth.

The conference also provides numerous networking opportunities, connecting peers from across the country in an inspiring, collaborative environment. Simmons adds, “Our goal is to provide SMSF professionals with knowledge and connections that elevate their service offerings, enhance client outcomes and drive industry excellence.”

Enhancing the event’s rich discussions and networking, Craig Day returns with the much anticipated “Super Mastermind” quiz. After last year’s huge success, this lively, competitive plenary session offers a chance to claim the coveted Quizmaster title and trophy, marking a fun and unmissable highlight of the conference.

“We’re excited to offer attendees a space to learn from each other’s experiences, gain practical insights and advance their practices. With our sector constantly evolving, SMSF professionals need to keep pace, and this conference is designed to do just that.”

Early bird registration is now open. Given the popularity of previous sessions, workshops are expected to fill quickly, so attendees are encouraged to register early to secure their place.

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It will be a component of a National Conference agenda that is placing an increased emphasis on delivering targeted sessions in the Advice, Practice and Regulatory stream.

SMSF Association Head of Technical, Mary Simmons, says: “The Association is acutely aware of the need to keep SMSF practitioners abreast of the latest regulatory developments and essential practices for compliance within the superannuation sector.

“We also acknowledge the considerable pressures the ever-changing SMSF landscape places on our members and their teams and the impact this can have on mental wellbeing. It’s not just about technical knowledge and compliance; we are equally committed to offering resources, tools and activities at this year’s National Conference to promote a healthy work-life balance.

“The sessions have been structured in such a way that they will encourage professionals to ‘level up’ by examining and enhancing their current practices. The sessions will provide indispensable tools and insights for participants to assess the health and efficiency of their processes, practices, and teams.

“On the AI front, Netwealth General Manager Marketing, Andrew Braun, will discuss ‘Navigating the future: How AI is transforming the advice industry’, in which he will offer insights into how AI is reshaping the wealth management industry and discuss ways about how firms can be at the forefront of this technological revolution.

“Navwealth CEO Craig Banning, in his topic titled ‘Shaping tomorrow’s adviser: Disruption, AI and generational shifts’, will explain to delegates how they can integrate AI into their practices and address the need for advice practice models to evolve in response to new client expectations and generational changes.”

Simmons says staffing issues are always a hot topic for professional services firms, so Striver Founder & CEO Alistair Barr’s topic, “Talent triumph: How to attract, cultivate and retain top staff”, should attract plenty of interest as he explores strategies to leverage unique firm strengths to attract high calibre talent, tailor development programs, and promote a team culture that embraces inclusivity.

“Tangelo Advice Consulting Directors & Principal Consultants, Selin Ertac and Conrad Travers , will offer delegates a practical ‘Health Check’ for their firms aimed at identifying improvements to compliance, client satisfaction, risk management, and governance to boost business and align with top professional and ethical standards.

“We have also put cybersecurity on the agenda with The Cyber Collective Founder Fraser Jack examining the critical elements of cybersecurity and how to meet the expectations of regulators, clients, and the professional community while protecting sensitive client information.”

There has been overwhelming interest due to the success of workshops at previous National Conferences and the stellar program announced for 2024. Bookings for these sessions are open, so delegates are encouraged to secure a spot early.

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Mary Simmons

With all the conversations taking place around proposed changes to tax structures and the advancements in practice strategies, the SMSF sector is energised. It’s this bristling vibrancy that the SMSF Association is looking to ignite in its attendees at their 2024 National Conference, being held at the Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre from 21-23 February.

This year’s event will encourage all those working in the sector to embrace these professional opportunities and find new ways to Level Up. This overarching theme will be incorporated across the two and a half days, in technical sessions and workshops designed to elevate specialist superannuation advice and demonstrate how delegates can grow and excel professionally.

SMSF Association’s Head of Technical, Mary Simmons says: “The sector is constantly changing, as evidenced with the possibility of new tax on superannuation earnings exceeding $3 million, we need to ensure collectively that we are always learning to remain at the peak of our abilities, and at the forefront of the industry, so we are best equipped for these new conversations.”

“The SMSF Association’s national conferences have a long history of delivering high quality technical content and bringing together the brightest minds in the SMSF sector.”

“The networking opportunities and ability to share ideas and knowledge among industry peers adds significantly to the depth of learning and professional development.”

“Whether you’re advising clients just starting out in their working careers, clients closer to retirement or who have retired, the program delivers strategies for optimising superannuation contributions and planning for a secure retirement.”

As the new tax on super balances above $3 million becomes an inevitable reality, the Association’s national conference emerges as an essential platform to unravel the intricate details and the impact on the superannuation industry.

“In addition to Meg Heffron’s plenary address on how to address the “doom and gloom” narrative, we have a dedicated workshop to unpack the detail, and using case studies to focus on the nuances of the new tax landscape and how it interacts with elements such as the client’s total super balance and their transfer balance cap.”

“Addressing the needs of high-net-worth individuals, the program features sessions which provide detailed modelling and actionable insights about opportunities and a workshop on wealth management strategies to explore how alternative investment structures can seamlessly complement SMSFs”, Simmons says.

SMSF Association Chair, Scott Hay-Bartlem, will close out the conference with a keynote address on the ramifications that this new tax could have on beneficiaries and estate planning.

We’ve also planned sessions to address the critical need for contingency planning – from navigating the initial death of a member, valid enduring powers of attorney to exercising trustee discretion responsibly and how best to manage rogue trustees.

Given the prominence of direct property holdings in SMSFs, the conference program also offers a range of sessions to explore different ways to structure property ownership, as well as insights into handling complex situations ranging from related party transactions to managing Limited Recourse Borrowing Arrangements (LRBAs) in a rising interest rate environment.

“We also have a compelling series of practice management sessions designed to boost business acumen and operational effectiveness.”

“Sessions will explore the future of the industry with a focus on generational shifts and disruptive technologies including the transformative role of artificial intelligence.

The opening morning of the conference will feature a thought leadership breakfast hosted by Class on the topic of “Holding up the mirror – what the SMSF sector does well and where it needs to level up” followed by the traditional legislative update keynote address by Association CEO Peter Burgess.

Early bird registrations are now open. Following the overwhelming success and popularity of the workshops at previous national conferences, bookings for these are open and we expect the workshops at next year’s conference to reach capacity, so we encourage delegates to register early.

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Peter Burgess

The SMSF Association has significantly boosted its Resource Library content for its Fellow, Specialist and Associate members.

Recordings of the 2020 and 2021 National Conference sessions, as well as presentations and technical papers from the 2020 and 2021 Technical Summits, have been added to the library for the exclusive benefit of members.

And, to further boost the Association’s technical support service capabilities, Fabian Bussoletti has been appointed Technical Manager. Fabian is an experienced SMSF expert and a former senior member of AMP’s well-regarded TapIn technical services team.

Association Deputy CEO Peter Burgess says: “Our Fellows, Specialist and Associate members now have access to all the recorded sessions from prior year National Conferences and Technical Summits, enabling them to revisit and re-live these outstanding sessions.

“Logistically, it has been an enormous exercise to increase our Resource Library content by about 40%. In total, 28 technical papers and 62 technical presentations have been added over the past month.

“But we firmly believe it has been a very worthwhile exercise with the National Conference and Technical Summit sessions complementing other material in the library such as go-to guides, technically speaking bulletins, and white label documents.

“If you are a Fellow, Specialist or Associate member and you haven’t visited the library recently, now is a good time to look. Access to this material is an important member benefit that is designed to support the ongoing development of our Fellow, Specialist and Associate members.”

Burgess says Bussoletti’s appointment adds considerable experience and depth to the technical team. “It’s no secret we would like to see more practitioners undertake the SSA® program in our quest to enhance the quality of SMSF advice. Together with Fabian, Mary Simmons and Tracey Scotchbrook, the Association boasts a formidable and experienced team of technical writers and experts.

“This appointment means we have the scale and capabilities to continue to invest in our SSA® program so that it remains the benchmark for SMSF practitioners. Considering Fabian’s extensive technical support experience, his appointment also enables us to enhance the level of SMSF technical support to members.

“The recent enhancements we have made to our SSA® program, the addition of past conference materials to our library and Fabian’s appointment underpin a renewed focus on the core components of our member value proposition – growing expertise, fostering connections and leading the sector.”

Commenting on his appointment, Bussoletti said he was excited to be joining the Association’s technical team. “I have always been impressed by the work the Association does to promote professionalism and higher education standards in the SMSF sector, and I look forward to working with the team and Association members.”

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John Maroney

The 2021-22 Federal Budget has given the SMSF Association’s Technical Summit a cutting edge as delegates will get the opportunity to hear the ramifications of one of the most significant budgets ever handed down for the SMSF sector.

The two-day Technical Summit is being held live on the Gold Coast from 21-22 July. It is only available to 500 of the Association’s Fellow and Specialist Members.

SMSF Association CEO John Maroney says: “Measures to reform the residency rules for SMSFs, remove the work test for non-concessional contributions for individuals aged 67 to 74 and lower the eligibility age to make downsizer contributions will impact on many SMSFs, so it’s critical SMSF specialists are fully aware of what these changes will mean for their clients.”

Deputy CEO/Director of Policy & Education, Peter Burgess, will fully air these Budget measures in his always compelling Technical Update, and other speakers will also examine what these changes mean in their specific areas of expertise.

Burgess says: “Aside from the Budget update, this Technical Summit will cover a broad range of technical sessions delivered by an outstanding line-up of speakers.

“There will be 90-minute workshops on property development, succession planning, death benefits and the FASEA code of ethics and shorter technical sessions on contributions, cryptocurrency, pensions, gearing, and auditor independence.

Maroney says delegates will also have the opportunity to hear Jeremy Gordon, a leading authority on UK pension transfers.  “Gordon will provide an update on the latest changes to the UK pension transfer rules, discussing the often overlooked and misunderstood issue about how SMSF trustees should be handling UK sourced pension money that has already been transferred.

“Another compelling workshop session will be behavioural finance expert Simon Russell discussing how SMSF professionals can use their knowledge of behavioural finance to better understand and influence their clients.”

Other speakers include Craig Day, Head of Technical Services, Colonial First State, Mary Simmons, Technical Manager, SMSF Association, Bryan Ashenden, Head of Financial Literacy & Advocacy, BT, while industry veteran Meg Heffron, Managing Director, Heffron, will close off the Technical Summit with the topic, “SMSFs Looking forward: Where to from here?”

For those unable to attend, there will be an on-demand option. It will be a shorter version of the Technical Summit and be released a week after the live event.

Registrations now open.

See the program.

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John Maroney

Advisers attending this year’s round of Technical Day events in the five mainland capital cities will get an important update on what the result of the last federal election means for self-managed super funds (SMSFs).

SMSF Association CEO, John Maroney, says Jenneke Mills, Manager, MLC Technical Services, one of the five key speakers at each Technical Day, will give advisers “fresh insights” into what the election result is likely to mean for their clients and businesses.

“This was an election where SMSFs were very much in the limelight, so it will be fascinating to get from Jenneke her considered views on what the likely upshot will be for the SMSF sector of a Coalition victory.”

Other key addresses at the Technical Day will be delivered by Louise Biti, Director, Aged Care Step, who will look at the issue of “Incapacity in all its shapes and forms, while Craig Day, Executive Manager – First Tech, Colonial First State, will use a workshop to examine “the importance of keeping SMSF investments at arm’s length”.

The two-hour workshop in the morning session, to be run by the Association’s Head of Education and Technical, Peter Hogan, and Senior Technical Manager, Mary Simmons, will allow attendees to role play how to manage a client’s affairs when retirement and estate planning affairs are disrupted.

Maroney says: “The feedback we have got in the past in that advisers really appreciate the hands-on role facilitated by these workshops, especially when provided by independent experts. I’m confident that Peter and Mary, as well Louise and Craig, will offer highly inter-active sessions that will actively engage them.”

The first Technical Day will start in Brisbane on 23 July, before moving to Perth (25 July), Melbourne (30 July), Adelaide (31 July) and ending in Sydney on 1 August.

Registrations are now open with the Early Bird offer available until 5 July. To register: https://www.smsfassociation.com/smsf-tech-day/

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