How these instructions will help you to complete the SMSF annual return.
Who needs to complete an SMSF annual return?
Your super fund must lodge a Self-managed superannuation fund annual return 2023 if it was either:
- a self-managed superannuation fund on 30 June 2023
- a self-managed superannuation fund that was wound up during 2022–23.
Only self-managed superannuation funds (SMSFs) can use the Self-managed superannuation fund annual return 2023.
Super funds that are not SMSFs at the end of 2022–23 must use the Fund income tax return 2023 and, where required, report contributions and member account balances separately.
Your SMSF must lodge an SMSF annual return even if it does not have a tax liability.
Information you report in your annual return does not affect your member’s transfer balance account. You must report transfer balance cap events such as your member starting or commuting a retirement phase income stream separately, see Event-based reporting for SMSFs.
Get the publication
The Self-managed superannuation fund annual return instructions 2023 are not available in print.
You can create and save a PDF copy (PDF, 1.10 MB) from this webpage – select the PDF icon in the right-hand corner of this page, then select Save as PDF.
These instructions will help you complete the Self-managed superannuation fund annual return 2023 (SMSF annual return). However, they are not a guide to income tax or superannuation law. Seek help from us or a recognised tax adviser if these instructions do not fully cover your circumstances.
Get the form
To get the Self-managed superannuation fund annual return 2023, there are 2 ways:
- Download Self-managed superannuation fund annual return 2023 (NAT 71226, PDF, 437 KB)
- Order a copy through the ATO Publication Ordering service – search by typing in the NAT number '71226' or the form name 'Self-managed superannuation fund annual return'.
How to use these SMSF annual return instructions
The SMSF annual return is more than an income tax return. It has 11 sections. You must complete at least 6 Sections A, C, D, (F and/or G), H and K. Complete the other sections only if they apply to your SMSF.
Work through these SMSF annual return instructions from the start (section A) to the finish (section K).
- You must answer all mandatory items.
- You must answer all items which apply to your SMSF.
Leave the answer box blank for all other items. If you leave the answer box blank, you will have specified a zero amount or that the item is not applicable to you.
Read the instructions for each item to find out:
- whether you need to complete the item
- the information you must provide.
If a question does not apply to your SMSF, move on to the next item.
Privacy
The ATO is authorised to ask for information on the Self-managed superannuation funds annual return 2023 by the Taxation Administration Act 1953, the Superannuation Industry (Supervision) Act 1993, the Income Tax Assessment Act 1936 (ITAA 1936) and the Income Tax Assessment Act 1997 (ITAA 1997). We use this information to help us administer the superannuation and taxation laws and for statistical purposes. If you do not provide this information, there may be a delay in processing your annual return.
Where authorised by law to do so, we may give the information in the annual return to other government agencies, including assistance agencies such as Services Australia, regulatory bodies such as the Australian Securities & Investments Commission and the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority, law enforcement agencies and the Australian Bureau of Statistics.
We are able to request tax file numbers (TFNs). We use TFNs to identify the SMSF and members in our records. It is not an offence not to provide a TFN. However, if you do not provide a TFN, there may be a delay in processing your annual return.
If you are the person authorised to sign the annual return, we collect some personal information about you on the annual return such as your name and contact details. That information allows us to contact you if we require more information on what you have provided on this annual return.
We also provide taxpayer information to treaty partners overseas under international tax agreements with many other countries.
Our privacy policy contains important information about your privacy, including information about how you can access and seek correction of information we hold about you, how you may complain about a breach of the Australian Privacy Principles and how we will deal with any privacy complaint.
You can contact us, if you have any questions:
- see How you can enquire or complain about a suspected breach
- phone, 13 28 61
- mail, GPO Box 9990 in the capital city of your state or territory.
The Australian Business Register's privacy policy
The Australian Business Register (ABR) is authorised by the A New Tax System (Australian Business Number) Act 1999 and other taxation laws to collect certain information relating to your SMSF. Business details supplied on your annual return may be used to update the information held in the ABR in relation to your SMSF. This may include cancelling the ABN if your SMSF is no longer entitled to be registered in the ABR.
Where authorised by law, selected information in the ABR may be made publicly available and some may be passed on to other Commonwealth, state, territory and local government agencies. These agencies may use ABR information for purposes authorised by their legislation or for carrying out other functions of their agency. Examples of possible uses include registration, reporting, compliance, validation and updating of databases.
You can find details of agencies that regularly receive information from the ABRExternal Link or you can phone us on 13 92 26 between 8:00 am and 6:00 pm Monday to Friday to have a list of the agencies sent to you.
For more information about privacy, the information we collect and how it may be used, see the ABR Privacy statementExternal Link.
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