How Much Does an SMSF Accountant Cost?
If you run your own SMSF without a financial adviser, one of the first questions you will have is: what should this cost? The honest answer is that it depends on the level of service, the complexity of your fund and the quality of the work. But it should not be a mystery. We publish our pricing because you deserve to know what you are paying for before you commit.
All prices below are from-prices, exclusive of GST, for Non-Advised SMSFs, meaning funds that operate without a licensed financial adviser. Fees are reviewed annually in line with CPI.
If your fund is guided by a financial adviser, different pricing applies: SMSFcentral provides outsourced SMSF administration for advisers from $1,500 +GST per fund, with no AFSL and no channel conflict.
SMSF accounting fees 2026 at a glance
| Service | Fee (2026) | Who it suits |
|---|---|---|
| Tier 1 – annual tax return and financial statements | From $1,700 +GST per year | Trustees who manage their own transactions and need the annual compliance work done properly |
| Tier 2 – full service daily SMSF administration | From $2,500 +GST per year | Trustees who want the fund reconciled and monitored all year, not once at the end |
| SMSF administration for financial advisers | From $1,500 +GST per fund | Advisers outsourcing fund administration – no AFSL, no channel conflict |
All fees are from-prices and exclude GST. The independent SMSF audit fee is separate and invoiced to the fund by the auditor, as are ASIC corporate trustee fees and third-party costs. Fees are reviewed annually in line with CPI. What sits behind each tier is set out below.
Non-Advised SMSF service tiers
Tier 1: Annual Tax Return and Financial Statements
From $1,700 +GST per year
This tier covers the essential annual compliance work that every SMSF must complete. It is suited to trustees who manage their own transactions throughout the year and need a specialist to prepare the annual return, coordinate the audit and make sure everything meets ATO requirements.
| What is included | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Preparation of annual financial statements | These are the audited accounts of your fund: financial position, income, expenses, member balances and investment holdings. They are required by law and form the basis of the annual return. |
| SMSF Annual Return preparation and lodgement | This is the document lodged with the ATO that confirms your fund is compliant and calculates any tax payable. Late or incorrect lodgement can trigger ATO compliance action. |
| Audit coordination | Every SMSF must be audited by an independent approved SMSF auditor every year. We coordinate this process, supply the auditor with everything they need and manage any queries. |
| Enhanced compliance checks | Because you do not have a financial adviser providing oversight, we apply more detailed compliance review. We check contributions against caps, pension payments against minimums, and regulatory obligations against current rules. |
| Review of contribution caps and pension requirements | Breaching a contribution cap or missing a minimum pension payment has real tax consequences. This review catches problems before they become penalties. |
| Monitoring of regulatory obligations | Superannuation rules change regularly. We monitor relevant changes and make sure your fund’s reporting reflects current requirements. |
Tier 2: Full Service Daily SMSF Administration
From $2,500 +GST per year
The highest level of administrative and compliance support we offer. For trustees who want their fund fully managed from an operational perspective: transactions processed, documents managed, expenses paid, compliance monitored and the annual cycle handled, with minimal administrative burden on you.
| What is included | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Full daily administration and transaction processing | Every transaction processed and allocated as it occurs. |
| Mailhouse service | Fund correspondence managed on your behalf, both incoming and outgoing. |
| Payment of SMSF taxes | We pay SMSF invoices, ATO liabilities and other fund expenses from the fund’s bank account on your instruction, so you do not need to manage individual payments. |
| Enhanced compliance oversight | The most intensive compliance monitoring we offer. Contribution caps, pension requirements, regulatory changes and reporting obligations tracked throughout the year by a senior specialist. |
| Annual financial statements | Full audited financial statements. |
| SMSF Annual Return lodgement | Prepared and lodged with the ATO. |
| Audit coordination | Independent audit coordinated and completed. |
What sits behind the work
A pricing table tells you what you pay. It does not tell you what you are actually getting. Here is what a senior SMSF specialist is doing for your fund that you may never see:
- Transaction classification and allocation. Every deposit, withdrawal, dividend, distribution, interest payment, insurance premium and expense must be classified correctly, not just recorded. A contribution allocated to the wrong member, or an income receipt allocated to the wrong investment, creates a compliance issue that the auditor will find. Getting it right requires judgement, not just data entry.
- Contribution cap monitoring. Concessional and non-concessional contribution caps change. Carry-forward rules apply. Total superannuation balance affects cap eligibility. A senior specialist tracks this across the year so a breach is identified before it happens, not after.
- Pension payment compliance. If your fund is in pension phase, minimum payment requirements apply and they depend on the member’s age, the pension type and the account balance at the start of the year. Missing a minimum by even one dollar can trigger a deemed commutation with significant tax consequences. We track this quarterly.
- Investment strategy consistency. Your fund’s investment strategy must be reviewed and maintained, and actual investments must be consistent with it. This is an audit requirement. We flag inconsistencies before the auditor does.
- Regulatory change monitoring. Division 296, contribution cap indexation, transfer balance cap indexation, NALI/NALE changes, reporting obligations. The rules shift regularly. Your fund’s compliance framework must reflect current law, not last year’s.
- Audit preparation. A clean audit depends on clean records. We prepare the full audit file: financial statements, supporting schedules, bank reconciliations, contribution records, pension payment evidence, investment valuations, minutes and resolutions. This lets the auditor work efficiently and the fund passes without qualification.
This is the craft of SMSF administration. It is the difference between a fund that is compliant by design and one that scrambles to fix problems after the auditor finds them.
What you do not get from a $990 provider
Some SMSF administrators advertise headline fees as low as $990 or even less. That price point is possible, but only by stripping out the work that protects your fund. Here is what typically sits behind a $990 fee:
- No named contact. Your fund is processed by whichever staff member is available, often offshore. You cannot call and speak to someone who knows your fund.
- Year-end reconstruction. Transactions are not processed throughout the year. They are batch-processed at year-end, which means compliance issues are discovered late, sometimes after a breach has already occurred.
- Minimal compliance oversight. Contribution caps and pension minimums are checked once a year, not monitored throughout. If a problem is caught, it is often too late to correct.
- Limited complex-event capability. Property purchases, LRBA documentation, death benefit payments, legacy pensions, Division 296. These require senior technical expertise. A $990 provider typically cannot handle them in-house, or charges substantial additional fees when they arise.
- Template-driven, not fund-specific. Every fund is different. A $990 model relies on standardised processing that works for simple funds but misses the nuances of complex ones.
We are not the cheapest SMSF administrator. We are a specialist firm led by senior people who do this work every day. If your fund is simple and you are comfortable with a basic service, a budget provider may be fine. If your fund has any complexity (property, pension phase, Division 296 exposure, multiple members, business real property) the cost of getting it wrong is far higher than the fee difference.
Additional services
| Service | Fee (+GST) | What this covers |
|---|---|---|
| SMSF Establishment including Corporate Trustee Company | $1,800 | Full establishment of a new SMSF, including incorporation of a corporate trustee company, trust deed preparation, ATO registration and structural setup. |
| Trust Deed Review and Upgrade | $300 | Review and update of your SMSF trust deed to reflect current superannuation legislation. A current deed is essential before starting a pension, making certain contributions, or changing trustees. |
| Change of Trustee Documentation | $1,200 | All documentation required when a trustee changes: resolutions, ATO updates, ASIC updates and compliance records. Correct documentation is critical to maintain fund validity and asset ownership. |
| Assistance Updating Assets to New Trustee | From $800 | Updating asset ownership records following a trustee change. We liaise with banks, brokers and institutions so that legal ownership reflects the new trustee structure. |
| Bare Trust Establishment including Corporate Trustee Company | $2,600 | Establishment of a bare trust structure for limited recourse borrowing arrangements, including incorporation of a corporate trustee. |
| Bare Trust Establishment using Existing Company as Trustee | $1,800 | Establishment of a bare trust structure where an existing company is appointed as trustee. |
Annual fee reviews
Fees are reviewed annually and adjusted in line with CPI. Any changes to scope or pricing are discussed with you in advance. There are no surprise invoices.
FAQs: Trustee pricing
Why are Non-Advised SMSF fees higher than Advised SMSF fees?
When a financial adviser is involved, they provide a layer of strategic oversight. They monitor contributions against advice, review the investment strategy and flag issues. Without that layer, we apply enhanced compliance monitoring: more frequent checks, proactive cap tracking and detailed regulatory review throughout the year. The higher fee reflects this additional work, not a surcharge.
What is not included in the base fee?
The independent SMSF audit fee is separate. The auditor invoices the fund directly. ASIC fees for corporate trustee annual review and any third-party costs (title searches, valuation reports) are also separate. Additional services listed above are priced separately when required.
Do fees include GST?
No. All prices are exclusive of GST. GST is added at invoicing.
How are fees paid?
Fees are typically invoiced directly to the fund. Payment arrangements can be discussed during onboarding.
Can fees be paid from the fund?
Yes. SMSF administration fees are a legitimate fund expense and can be paid from the fund’s bank account. On our Full Service tier, we handle these payments on your behalf.
Is there a minimum contract period?
Engagements run for a 12-month period, aligned to the financial year because the work covers a full compliance period.
What if my fund is more complex than a standard fund?
Complex funds (those with property, LRBA, multiple pension members, Division 296 exposure, business real property or unusual structures) may attract a scope adjustment above the from-price. We will always discuss this with you before onboarding and confirm the fee in writing.
Get a quote
For a quote based on your specific fund structure, contact us:
- Call 02 8412 0086
- Email [email protected]
- Book a discovery call
All fees are exclusive of GST and indicative only. Services provided are tax, compliance and administration only. SMSFcentral does not provide financial product or investment advice. Credentials.