SMSF learning hub
Learn how an SMSF works, one module at a time
By easySMSF, SMSF Specialist Team · Updated
Seventeen short modules covering the whole life of a fund — from choosing a trustee structure to paying a death benefit. Read them in order or dip into the one you need.
New FY kickoff — 50% off SMSF setup (limited time)
Limited-time new financial year offer — 50% off Individual and Corporate Trustee setup fees. Ends midnight AEST, 30 September 2026.
How to use the hub
Most trustees don't need to learn everything at once. The first four modules cover the decisions you make before the fund exists; the next five cover the annual cycle once it's running; the rest you'll come back to when a particular event happens — a property purchase, a first pension payment, a nomination that needs renewing.
Every module links to the deeper reference pages and, where relevant, to a downloadable factsheet you can print or hand to your accountant.
- 17 modules across setup, administration, investing and retirement
- Written for trustees, not accountants
- Linked to downloadable factsheets and calculators
- Updated as rates and thresholds change
Getting started
The decisions you make before the fund exists.
- 1. What an SMSF isHow a self-managed fund differs from a retail or industry fund.
- 2. Setting up a fundThe seven establishment steps and what each needs from you.
- 3. Trustee structureIndividual trustees versus a corporate trustee, and the cost difference.
- 4. What it costsProfessional fees, third-party charges and the annual levy.
Running the fund
Accounts, data and the annual cycle.
- 5. Bank accounts and data feedsWhy the fund's accounts matter and how the data reaches us.
- 6. AdministrationWhat we do each year and what stays with the trustees.
- 7. ComplianceThe obligations that keep a fund complying.
- 8. The annual auditWho audits an SMSF, what they test and why independence matters.
- 9. SuperStream and rolloversHow money moves in and out of the fund electronically.
Investing
What the fund can hold and how to document it.
- 10. Investments allowedThe complete asset list with the rule that applies to each.
- 11. Investment strategyThe written strategy every fund must have and review.
- 12. Property and LRBAsBuying property inside the fund, with or without borrowing.
- 13. CryptoSupported exchanges, custody in the fund's name and valuations.
- 14. Cash and term depositsWhere fund cash can sit and how to compare options.
Contributions, tax and retirement
Money in, money out, and what happens at the end.
Frequently asked questions
General advice warning
Figures shown are illustrative only and based on the inputs and assumptions you provide. They are general information, not personal financial product advice. Consider your objectives, financial situation and needs, and seek personal advice from a licensed financial adviser before acting. easySMSF does not hold an Australian Financial Services Licence (AFSL).