There's no legal minimum SMSF balance required to buy an investment property, but best practices recommend around $200,000. While the amount of money needed isn't set in stone, having a large enough deposit in place covers the initial fees and operating costs that accompany running the SMSF and property.
There's no minimum balance required to set up an SMSF, but it usually becomes cost-effective once you have a balance of $250,000 or more. You will need to pay the annual supervisory levy to the ATO and arrange for an accountant to prepare the financial statements and tax return, and conduct an independent audit.
The amount you can borrow in an SMSF loan will depend on your financial situation as well as your lender and their policies. Some specialty lenders offer SMSF loans from $100,000 ranging up to $4,000,000. You might need to maintain a minimum amount within your SMSF after the property sale.
Self-managed super fund property rules
You can only buy property through your SMSF if you comply with the rules. The property must: meet the 'sole purpose test' of solely providing retirement benefits to fund members. not be acquired from a related party of a member.
Yes, you are allowed to use your superannuation to buy an investment property using the First Home Super Saver scheme as this is currently the only scheme purposely designed so you can use your super to buy a house.
This research highlights that SMSFs with a low complexity can begin to become cost-effective at $100,000.
It says that the median return for a growth fund, which it defines as a super fund with 61% to 80% invested in growth assets, is -0.5%. Reflecting the high volatility, it expects the range of returns to be from -6.0% to +3.0%.
SMSF set-up with a Corporate Trustee – $1,300. Monthly charge, Basic (Cash investment option) – $49 per month. Monthly charge, Advanced (any provider and investment option) – $89 per month. Monthly charge, Simple Fund 360 Online Access – $30 per month.
An SMSF might be the right choice for you, if:
There are many costs involved with setting up and managing an SMSF, and you generally need a balance over $200,000 for SMSFs to be cost-effective compared to a standard super fund. This isn't a set rule, but it's a good guideline to consider.
For a simple and straightforward SMSF, you can typically expect to pay around $1,800 + GST. A SMSF with more complexity will likely see you pay up to $4,500 + GST per year. On top of this, you need to factor in the annual ATO SMSF Levy of $259.
This estimates how much money you'll need, depending on your lifestyle. ASFA estimates that the lump sum needed at retirement to support a comfortable lifestyle is $640,000 for a couple and $545,000 for a single person. This assumes a partial Age Pension.
Pre-planning helps
A good place to start is the ASFA Retirement Standard, March quarter 2022. ASFA estimates people who want a comfortable retirement need $640,000 for a couple, and $545,000 for a single person when they leave work, assuming they also receive a partial age pension from the federal government.
Anyone under 65 can contribute to super. It does not matter if you are employed, self-employed, not working or retired. Your spouse and/or employer can also make contributions on your behalf.
Yes, you can! The average monthly Social Security Income check-in 2021 is $1,543 per person. In the tables below, we'll use an annuity with a lifetime income rider coupled with SSI to give you a better idea of the income you could receive from $500,000 in savings.
According to a 2019 report by the Association of Superannuation Funds of Australia Limited (ASFA), Australians aged between 60-64 are retiring with a median balance of $154,452 for men, and $122,848 for women1.
But if you can supplement your retirement income with other savings or sources of income, then $6,000 a month could be a good starting point for a comfortable retirement.
You expect to withdraw 4% each year, starting with a $24,000 withdrawal in Year One. Your money earns a 5% annual rate of return while inflation stays at 2.9%. Based on those numbers, $600,000 would be enough to last you 30 years in retirement.
The survey, on the whole, found that Americans have grown their personal savings by 10% from $65,900 in 2020 to $73,100 in 2021. What's more, the average retirement savings have increased by a reasonable 13%, from $87,500 to $98,800.
“If you're earning A$150,000 a year or A$120,000 a year before you retire, then you might need A$70,000 or A$80,000 in retirement. But if you were earning A$50,000 beforehand, then you probably need A$35,000 to A$40,000 in retirement.”
Investing in Property Through an SMSF
Your property must solely provide retirement income to fund members. You cannot buy the property from a member's relatives. Members of the fund or their relatives cannot live on the property. The property cannot be rented to any member of the fund or their relatives.
Currently, an SMSF must be audited annually, and the trustees of an SMSF must appoint an approved auditor at least 45 days before their fund's annual return to the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) is due.