ESTABLISHMENT DOCUMENTS
Establishment paperwork. Set up cleanly.
The documents that establish a self-managed superannuation fund (trust deed, member applications, PDS, trustee declarations) prepared, technically reviewed, and returned ready to execute.
WHO THIS IS FOR
Documents only, not the establishment engagement.
Most fund establishments we handle are part of a full establishment engagement. See SMSF Establishment for that. This page is for the document-only situation: you (or your client’s accountant or adviser) are running the establishment yourselves and want the documentation pack prepared by a specialist.
The decision to establish an SMSF is a personal-advice question. We don’t answer it. We prepare documents that record a decision the trustee has already made on advice. Speak to a licensed financial adviser before commissioning the establishment.
One thing worth being clear on: we’re a registered tax agent, not a law firm, and we don’t provide legal advice. The deeds and legal documents in our packs are prepared by WE. SMSF using legal documentation supplied by ACIS. Where a matter needs legal advice or bespoke drafting, we work alongside a specialist SMSF lawyer, or refer you to one.
WHAT’S INCLUDED
Every document the establishment needs.
01
Trust deed
A modern, compliant trust deed drafted to current legislation. Reviewed regularly against legislative change.
02
Member applications
Application forms for each founding member, including the trustee acknowledgements required under section 104A of the SIS Act.
03
Product Disclosure Statement (PDS)
A PDS prepared from the ACIS document library, recording the fund’s features and governance for member acknowledgement.
04
Trustee declarations
The ATO trustee declaration (NAT 71089) required under section 104A SIS Act for every trustee or director of a corporate trustee, signed within 21 days of appointment.
05
Trustee resolutions and minutes
The opening resolutions covering acceptance of office, banking arrangements, and adoption of the investment strategy.
06
Investment strategy framework
A starter framework that addresses the matters required under regulation 4.09 of the SIS Regulations. Editable to reflect the fund’s specific position.
FEES
Two ways to take it.
TIER 1
Documents only
$1,300 incl. GST
Trust deed, member applications, PDS, trustee declarations.
Does not include reviewing documents for correct execution. Does not include applying for the fund’s ABN or TFN.
TIER 2 · MOST CHOSEN
Documents + ATO registration
$1,500 incl. GST
Tier 1, plus full execution review and lodgement of the fund’s ABN and TFN applications.
Includes a professionally bound hard-copy set returned for your records.
ADD-ONS
Common companions to a fund establishment.
Corporate trustee setup
$1,089 incl. GST
Pty Ltd or SMSF Special Purpose company set up. ASIC registration completed. Constitution, share register, and consents prepared.
Excludes ASIC registration fee, payable separately to ASIC.
Investment strategy document
$121 incl. GST
A documented investment strategy addressing the matters required under SIS Regulations regulation 4.09: risk, return, diversification, liquidity, ability to discharge liabilities, insurance.
Trustees retain primary responsibility for the investment strategy under reg 4.09. We document; trustees decide.
HOW IT WORKS
What the process looks like.
STEP 1
Submit the establishment request form
Member details, trustee structure preference, fund name, intended commencement date.
STEP 2
We prepare the document pack
Trust deed, member applications, PDS, trustee declarations, opening resolutions, investment strategy.
STEP 3
You execute the documents
The trustees sign the deed and supporting documents. Tier 2 includes a return-execution review.
STEP 4
ATO registration
Tier 2: we lodge the ABN, TFN, and election to be regulated as an SMSF.
Typical turnaround: 5–10 working days from a complete request to a registered fund.
FREQUENTLY ASKED
Questions about establishment documents.
What’s the difference between Tier 1 and Tier 2?
Tier 1 is documents only. We prepare the deed and supporting documents and email them to you. You’re responsible for execution review (checking each signature, witness, and date is in order) and for lodging the ABN and TFN applications yourself.
Tier 2 is documents plus execution review plus ATO lodgement. After signing, you return the executed pack and we check execution before lodging the registration. Tier 2 is the right choice for trustees who haven’t established a fund before, or accountants who want belt-and-braces sign-off on execution.
Do I need a corporate trustee?
Section 17A of the SIS Act allows either individual trustees or a corporate trustee. The structural and cost differences are covered on the SMSF Establishment page. Whether a corporate trustee is right for your circumstances depends on factors specific to you. That’s a personal-advice question. Speak to a licensed financial adviser before deciding.
Is the trust deed reviewed regularly against legislative change?
Yes. The ACIS deed library we use is reviewed against legislative change and ATO guidance, and updated when changes warrant an upgrade (for example, where a deed clause becomes inconsistent with a SIS Act amendment). We don’t push trustees to upgrade their deed at every minor update, but where a change creates a meaningful gap, we’ll flag it and quote a deed amendment separately.
Why isn’t the bank account opening included?
Because the bank requires the trustees themselves to open the account in person or through verified-identity online channels. Administrators don’t have authority to open it on the trustees’ behalf. We provide guidance on which banks are SuperStream-friendly and walk through the BSB / account number registration with the ATO once it’s open.
Establishing a new SMSF?
A document-only pack, an ATO-registered pack, or the full establishment plus annual administration. Quoted on request.
Request an establishment pack