How much does SMSF Australia charge for annual SMSF accounting?

SMSF Australia offers three fixed-fee annual packages: Basic Fund at $1,300+GST (listed shares, managed funds, ETFs, term deposits), Complex Fund at $1,600+GST (adds direct property up to 2, cryptocurrency, precious metals), and Very Complex Fund from $2,000+GST (unlisted assets, private loans, derivatives, NFTs, 3+ properties). All packages include the independent SMSF audit at no additional cost.

Is the SMSF audit included in the annual fee?

Yes. The independent SMSF audit is included in all three annual fee packages — Basic, Complex, and Very Complex. It is not charged as a separate add-on.

Can SMSF Australia service my fund if I am not in the same state?

Yes. SMSF Australia operates nationally across all Australian states and territories. All client meetings and services are conducted via Zoom — there is no requirement to be near a physical office.

How much does it cost to set up an SMSF with SMSF Australia?

The SMSF setup fee is $2,000+GST, which covers corporate trustee establishment (ASIC fee $636), SMSF trust deed ($400), Class Super first-year licence ($250), ABN and TFN applications, investment strategy preparation, and rollover coordination.

Does SMSF Australia provide financial advice?

No. SMSF Australia does not provide financial planning or investment advice. Services are limited to SMSF accounting, tax, audit, compliance, and legal matters.

Invest in Gold in an SMSF in 2026

There are many ways you can choose to Invest in Gold in an SMSF in 2026 as well as other precious metals such as silver, platinum or palladium. Gold in particular has always been used in portfolios as a hedge against inflation, allowing for diversification and a backstop away from fiat currencies. As SMSF accountants we do not give financial advice as to whether or not you should or shouldn’t buy gold, but we do provide compliance advice about how to buy your chosen assets compliantly. This article explores how gold works within a Self Managed Super Fund, and the tax offices rules around how precious metals may be kept, stored and valued within an SMSF which does add a compliance burden in some cases.

Can an SMSF Invest in Gold?

When looking at the question can an SMSF Invest in gold it is important to distinguish between the various types of gold investments available. As a general rule, yes, an SMSF can definitely invest in gold, but the ATO distinguishes between bullion as opposed to gold coins. Gold coins, commemorative coins and gold jewellery are treated as collectable assets which means they cannot be stored at the residence of a member unlike gold bars/bullion which is treated as a standard investible asset and can be stored at a residence.

Types of Gold an SMSF Can Invest In

There are many ways to get exposure to gold within a Self-Managed Super Fund including:

Physical Gold Bullion – buying bars of gold from a reputable dealer such as The Perth Mint
Gold ETFs are available from many different exchanges such as betashares and purchased via your share platform such as Commsec or bell potter
For those wanting to expand away from the actual asset itself to the mining side of things there are larger gold miners such as Newmont Corporation (NEM on ASX).

***Keep in mind we do not advise for or against any of these different options and recommend clients who are unsure what asset suits them best to get advice from a licensed financial planner.

Investment Strategy & Gold

As with any investment within your fund it is important to review your SMSF Investment Strategy to ensure that it allows the particular type of investment in the percentage quantities that you are planning to invest. This investment strategy is written by the trustees themselves and can allow or block any investment (subject to the rules under the SIS Act) and can be easily updated by the trustees. This document is reviewed by the auditor for both its existence and that it matches the actual investments made, but keep in mind the auditor does not comment on whether it is good or bad, right or wrong but merely that it is compliant.

If you are unsure if your SMSF investment strategy is compliant with your chosen assets then reach out to your SMSF accountant for a compliance review and, if necessary, assistance with a fresh template for you to complete to better mirror your actual choices as an investor.

Sole Purpose Test & Early Access

All investments made by a self managed super fund must pass the Sole Purpose Test, meaning in simple terms that the asset is purchased for the sole reason of supporting members with retirement. This is generally not a risk with ETFs, mining company shares and the like but can be with physical gold, especially collectable gold such as coins or jewellery. The most common breaches that we see are where gold jewellery is purchased by the SMSF and then held at a member’s home or when photos are found with members wearing the items which are an automatic contravention by the fund.

Auditors are very firm on verifying the existence of the gold at the end of each year. There have been a number of cases where trustees have sold the gold for cash and thus effectively stolen from the fund while pretending the gold still exists and is still stored at their address. Refusing to provide photos of the gold (next to a current newspaper), confirmation of its storage address or other evidence of its existence will immediately red flag with the auditor for this reason.

Annual Valuation Requirements

All assets must be valued each 30^th June, for most gold assets this is quite easy although with collectables such as jewellery this may require an independent valuation from an appropriately qualified valuer.

Tax Treatment of Gold in an SMSF

When you sell your gold it will be subject to Capital Gains Tax within the SMSF. If you have been holding the asset for under 12 months this will be at the standard 15% rate provided the fund is in accumulation phase. If you have held it for more than 12 months, then SMSFs are entitled to a 1/3 Capital Gains Tax Discount (less than the 50% available to individuals or trusts). Keep in mind if your fund is in pension phase then the entire gain may be tax free subject to various caps.