The ATO has commenced its audit campaign of SMSFs and announced concerns relating to ‘Auditor Independence' where the auditor is also the tax agent of the SMSF. Furthermore, the ATO has said:
"where an SMSF approved auditor is also involved in preparing the fund's accounts and completing the fund's tax return, there is an increased risk that breaches will remain unreported and/or be overlooked."
Auditor independence is one of the greatest challenges facing tax practitioners. We believe that it is now only a matter of time before the ATO becomes more actively involved and starts enforcing auditor independence.
C.A. Network Pty Ltd ("CAN"), a wholly owned subsidiary of the NTAA, has entered into an Australia-wide agreement with Baumgartner Partners.
Under the agreement, Baumgartner Partners has agreed to provide SMSF audits to NTAA members and their clients for as little as $495.
The fee for the audit will depend on the category of SMSF and this usually depends on the type of investments the fund makes.
|
Category |
Type of Investments |
Fee (GST incl.) |
|
Green |
Listed company shares, widely held trusts, term deposits |
$495 |
|
Amber |
Non-standard investments such as related party transactions, golf club memberships, real estate and artwork |
$795 |
|
Red |
You don't want to audit it. We will. |
Fee on application |
Importantly, there is NO limit to the number of investments or transactions the fund has undertaken for these prices to apply.
The fees in the table above apply regardless of the fund's size or number of investments.
As such, the vast majority of SMSFs will pay only $495 for their audit.
Download the SMSF Audits Order Form at the bottom of this page, fill out the details and fax it to us on 1300 306 351.