Stepping up for the National SMSF Conference

The Institute is hosting its first National SMSF Conference on 23-24 September in Sydney. It’s a timely event given the announcement of our new federal government. Presumably, the Cooper review now remains on the government’s agenda and with it, the recommendations that may impact on many SMSF service providers.

Change is not new to the superannuation industry and it’s fair to say there will be more. This event will help arm practitioners with the right information so they can prepare for any changes on the horizon.

If you remember, Jeremy Cooper reported that the accounting profession is best placed to deal with competencies in the SMSF accounting and administration space – this conference illustrates the Institute’s willingness to provide quality training events for its members and the broader SMSF community.

I’m particularly looking forward to the panel discussion at the end of Day One of the conference. The panel, made up of luminaries from the audit world, are holding a session titled, Auditor independence – where do you draw the line of independence? This is topical because of Cooper’s suggestion that “true independence” is required in the SMSF sector.

As I have said before, competencies and independence are important in any audit – not just in the SMSF sector. But while Cooper’s objective to achieve high levels of competencies and independence is to be supported, the question is, will his recommendations meet the desired objectives?

The panel discussion promises to shed some light on this. There will also be opportunities for delegates to ask questions, so I am interested to hear what others think!

Other highlights from the Conference include ATO presentations on issues of concern to the regulator as well as some insights into “auditing the auditor”. Updates on major areas of interest for SMSF service providers including borrowing, deeds, tax and practical uses for SMSFs will be invaluable. Importantly, everyone will have opportunities to network with others working in the SMSF world.

So come along, this is an opportunity not to be missed.