How long does setting up an SMSF take?

The online application takes about 10 minutes and document preparation begins once the required details are complete. Overall timing depends on third-party processing and your chosen bank, so it can vary between funds.

What do I need to set up an SMSF?

Each member's full legal name, date of birth, address, Tax File Number, and a director ID if you're using a corporate trustee. You'll also need to decide the fund's name, the trustee structure (corporate or individual), and where the fund will hold its bank account. The whole online application takes about 10 minutes.

What's actually included in an SMSF setup?

A current SMSF Association-reviewed trust deed, fund and trustee documentation, special-purpose company documents if you choose a corporate trustee, trustee declarations, member applications, an Investment Strategy template, and Electronic Service Address support for SuperStream contributions.

How much does it cost to set up an SMSF?

easySMSF charges a fixed setup fee for professional document preparation and setup support. A separate third-party company fee applies when a corporate trustee is selected and is passed on without markup. See the SMSF setup cost page for current pricing and inclusions.

Can I roll over my existing super into the new SMSF myself?

Yes. Once the fund and bank account are ready, you can request a rollover from your existing super fund through SuperStream. easySMSF prepares the rollover paperwork for each member as part of the setup.

Are SMSF setup costs tax deductible?

SMSF establishment costs, including the trust deed, company costs and initial setup work, are generally capital expenses and are not deductible to the fund. Ongoing administration, audit and professional fees may be deductible; confirm the treatment with your tax adviser.

How do you set up an SMSF loan (LRBA) to buy property?

An SMSF can only borrow under a Limited Recourse Borrowing Arrangement (LRBA). The structure is: (1) the SMSF identifies the property and signs a contract subject to finance, (2) a separate bare (holding) trust is established with a corporate bare trustee to legally hold the asset while the loan exists, (3) the SMSF applies to a lender that offers SMSF LRBA loans — typically Liberty, La Trobe, Granite, Firstmac or Thinktank for residential, plus several non-bank commercial lenders — and (4) the loan and bare trust settle on the same day as the property. easySMSF sets up the bare trust and corporate bare trustee as a fixed-fee add-on; the lender handles the loan approval.

What's the difference between a bare trust and the SMSF trust deed?

The SMSF trust deed governs the fund itself — members, contributions, benefits, investment powers. The bare (holding) trust is a separate, single-purpose trust that exists only to hold legal title to one LRBA asset until the loan is repaid. The SMSF is the beneficial owner from day one and receives all the rent and capital growth. You need a new bare trust for each LRBA property — they cannot be shared.

What deposit and serviceability do SMSF LRBA lenders require?

Residential SMSF lenders typically lend up to 70–80% LVR and require liquidity of 10% of the loan amount to remain in the fund after settlement. Commercial property is usually 65–75% LVR. Serviceability is assessed on rental income plus contracted SG contributions to the SMSF (often a percentage haircut), not on member personal income. Most lenders also require all members to give personal guarantees.

Can I refinance or change lenders on an existing SMSF loan?

Yes, but the new loan must also be a compliant LRBA — you cannot consolidate it with personal debt and you cannot increase the loan to fund improvements to the asset (only repairs and maintenance). The bare trust stays in place; only the lender and loan terms change. easySMSF can review the existing LRBA structure before you refinance to confirm it still complies with section 67A of the SIS Act.

Does easySMSF arrange the SMSF loan itself?

No — we set up the SMSF and the bare trust, and we work with specialist SMSF mortgage brokers who place the loan with the appropriate lender. Keeping the loan introduction separate keeps the structure compliant and ensures you get an SMSF-specific product rather than a vanilla investment loan that breaches LRBA rules.

Who is each SMSF setup fee payable to?

Our fixed professional fee covers trust deed, fund and trustee document preparation plus setup support. The $636 third-party company fee for a corporate trustee is separate and passed on without markup.

Are there any hidden or ongoing SMSF fees?

Setup is a one-off fixed fee and administration is a flat monthly fee that includes coordination of the independent audit. Additional third-party costs, including company fees where relevant, are itemised separately.

Do individual trustees pay the company fee?

No. Individual trustees do not use a trustee company, so the $636 company-establishment fee and annual company review fee do not apply. A corporate trustee can still be simpler when members change later.

SMSF setup

SMSF setup made easy — set up your self managed super fund online

Setting up an SMSF means choosing a trustee structure, preparing the trust and member documentation, drafting an investment strategy, opening a fund bank account and arranging an Electronic Service Address for SuperStream. easySMSF provides this professional setup support for a single fixed fee.

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.

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How to set up an SMSF in Australia: what SMSF establishment actually involves

An SMSF is a trust, so the first piece is the trust deed — a current, SMSF Association-reviewed deed that complies with the SIS Act and the SIS Regulations. Then comes the trustee structure decision: a single special-purpose Pty Ltd as corporate trustee, or up to six members acting as individual trustees. For most funds we recommend corporate trustee because it makes adding or removing members much cleaner over time.

Next come the fund and trustee records and, if you've chosen a corporate trustee, the documents for a special-purpose super company. easySMSF prepares this paperwork so it is complete and consistent before the trustees sign it. We also prepare the trustee declarations every member must sign within 21 days of becoming a trustee.

The final piece is the operational layer: opening a fund bank account (we work with Macquarie, ANZ, NAB, CBA, Westpac and others — typically same-day with Macquarie), setting up an Electronic Service Address so your employer can SuperStream contributions in, and drafting an Investment Strategy that satisfies regulation 4.09 of the SIS Regulations. Once those are in place the fund is operational and ready to receive rollovers and contributions.

Current SMSF Association-reviewed trust deed
Fund records prepared and checked before signing
Special-purpose company documents prepared for a corporate trustee
Trustee declarations and member applications
Investment Strategy template compliant with reg 4.09
Fund bank account — Macquarie, big four, and most second-tier lenders
Electronic Service Address (ESA) for SuperStream contributions
Rollover paperwork for each member's existing super

Compare costs at SMSF setup cost, see ongoing pricing, decide between corporate trustee or individual trustees. Ready to go? Start your application.

New to SMSFs? Start with What is an SMSF?, or browse all fourteen SMSF setup FAQs.

Already have a fund set up? See ongoing SMSF administration, what administration fees cover, or switch administrator to easySMSF.

Want to see how it plays out? Read the SMSF setup and audit case studies.

Moving an existing balance in? See the SMSF rollover guide covering the ESA, SuperStream and audit steps.

The SMSF setup process, step by step

The SMSF establishment process is the same whichever provider you use — what changes is how much of it you do yourself and how long each handover takes. Traditional administrators still run this on paper forms, posted documents and manual processing, which is why their setups drag out for weeks. easySMSF is fully digital: the application takes about ten minutes, documents are generated and signed electronically, and everything is submitted the same business day — so most funds are progressed efficiently. Here is how a self managed super fund set-up runs with easySMSF, from decision to first contribution.

Step 1
Decide the fund structure and members
Choose who the members will be (up to six) and whether the fund will use a corporate trustee — a special-purpose Pty Ltd — or individual trustees. Every member must also be a trustee or a director of the trustee company.
Step 2
Complete the online application
The self managed super fund set-up form takes about 10 minutes. You provide each member's full legal name, date of birth, address, Tax File Number and, for a corporate trustee, their director ID, plus the fund name you want.
Step 3
Trust deed and fund documentation prepared
easySMSF prepares a current SMSF Association-reviewed trust deed that complies with the SIS Act, along with trustee declarations, member applications and consents to act.
Step 4
Corporate trustee company documents prepared (if chosen)
Where you have chosen a corporate trustee, the paperwork for a special-purpose super company is prepared and checked. The registry charge is payable to the agency at its published rate and passed on at cost.
Step 5
Fund records checked
The fund and trustee records are prepared and checked for consistency before you review and sign them.
Step 6
Fund bank account and Electronic Service Address opened
Open the SMSF's own bank account in the fund's name — same-day with Macquarie, longer with the big four — and activate the Electronic Service Address so employer contributions can arrive by SuperStream.
Step 7
Investment strategy signed and rollovers requested
Sign the investment strategy prepared to satisfy regulation 4.09 of the SIS Regulations, then submit the rollover requests. Existing funds must transfer via SuperStream, usually within three business days.

How long does SMSF establishment take?

Your part is finished in about ten minutes, and our part — documents prepared, everything signed and submitted — is done the same business day because the process is digital end to end. With an old-fashioned administrator this same work sits in a manual queue and typically takes weeks. With easySMSF, the remaining timing depends on third-party processing and your chosen providers:

Stage	Typical time	Who controls it
Online application	10 minutes	You
Trust deed and fund documents	Same business day	easySMSF
Company establishment (corporate trustee)	Timing varies	Third party
External processing	Timing varies	Third party
Fund bank account	Same day to 2 weeks	Your bank
Rollover of existing super	About 3 business days	Your current fund

Digital document preparation removes paper handling and postage delays. External processing and bank account opening remain outside any administrator's control.

Who should — and shouldn't — set up an SMSF

An SMSF suits some people and genuinely doesn't suit others. Before you start, check:

Balance. There is no legal minimum, but lower balances can be uncompetitive against a pooled fund once fixed costs are counted. Run your own numbers on the SMSF cost calculator before deciding.
Residency. The fund must meet the SIS Act residency tests. Members who move overseas long term can cause the fund to fail them, which has serious tax consequences.
Eligibility. Certain legal, bankruptcy and super-law restrictions can prevent a person acting as trustee or corporate trustee director.
Time and appetite. Trustees remain personally responsible for the fund's compliance even when administration is outsourced. If you don't want to make investment decisions, a pooled fund is the better answer.
Insurance. Check the cover you hold inside your existing fund before you roll out of it. Replacing group cover individually can be more expensive or unavailable.

This is general information about how SMSFs work, not personal financial product advice. Whether an SMSF is right for you depends on your circumstances.

Corporate trustee vs individual trustees

Consideration	Corporate trustee	Individual trustees
Set-up cost	Higher — includes a separate third-party company fee	Lower — no company is required
Ongoing cost	Annual company review fee	No company review fee
Adding or removing a member	Change the directors — fund assets stay in the company's name	Every asset must be retitled into the new trustees' names
Single-member fund	Allowed with one director	Requires a second individual trustee who is not an employee
Borrowing (LRBA)	Preferred, and required by most SMSF lenders	Often not accepted
Penalties	Administrative penalties apply once to the company	Apply to each trustee individually

Most new funds we establish use a corporate trustee. Read the detail on the corporate trustee page.

What SMSF setup costs in the first year

Setup is one line in a bigger number. Here is the first-year cost of an easySMSF fund: our fixed professional fees plus the third-party company charge for a corporate trustee, which is payable to the registry at its published rate and passed on at cost.

Cost	Individual trustees	Corporate trustee
SMSF setupOur one-off professional fee	$449.50	$849.50
Company establishmentThird-party charge for a corporate trustee, passed on at cost	—	$636
Ongoing administration$139 per month, independent audit coordinated	$1,668	$1,668
ATO supervisory levyFixed annual charge payable by every SMSF	$259	$259
First-year total	$2,376.50	$3,412.50

From year two the setup fee drops away, so an individual-trustee fund runs at $1,668 a year before third-party, investment and bank costs. Compare that against a percentage-based fund on the SMSF cost calculator, or see the full breakdown at SMSF setup costs.

Ways to set up an SMSF, compared

There are three realistic routes to an established fund. They differ in price, in how much of the work lands on you, and — most of all — in how long the whole thing takes, because only a digital provider removes the manual processing and paper shuffling that stretches a traditional setup across weeks.

Route	Typical professional fee	Time to operating fund	What you do yourself
Do it yourself	Deed only, typically $150–$400	2–6 weeks	Everything: deed, applications, declarations, strategy, bank account, ESA
Traditional accounting firm	Commonly $1,000–$2,500, often hourly	2–4 weeks — manual, paper-based processing	Meetings, document signing, bank account, chasing progress
easySMSF, online and fixed fee	$449.50 individual / $849.50 corporate	A few days — fully digital, submitted same business day	A 10-minute form, sign digitally, open the bank account

Third-party ranges above are indicative market pricing, not quotes. Our own fee is fixed and quoted before you start — see pricing.

What you'll need before you start

Full legal name, date of birth and residential address for every member
Each member's Tax File Number
A director ID for every director, if you're using a corporate trustee
The fund name you want to use
Details of the super funds you plan to roll over from — fund name and member number
A rough investment plan for the strategy document: asset classes, liquidity and insurance intentions
Photo ID for the bank account application

You don't need a trust deed, company documents or any registration forms in advance — those are prepared as part of the setup.

Fee transparency

What SMSF setup costs

Our fixed professional fee and third-party company costs are itemised separately, so you can see what you are paying before work starts.

easySMSF professional fee

Payable to easySMSF. Fixed and quoted up front — no percentage-of-balance fees, no success fees, no exit fees.

Setup — individual trusteesOne-off: $449.50 $899
Setup — corporate trusteeOne-off; third-party company fee separate: $849.50 $1,699
Ongoing administrationPer month, independent audit coordinated: $139 /mo

Covers preparing your trust deed and fund documentation and, for a corporate trustee, the special-purpose company documents, trustee declarations, the investment strategy template and your rollover paperwork.

Third-party company costs

These amounts are separate from easySMSF's professional fee and carry no markup.

Fund setup processingNo separate third-party fee: $0
Company establishment (corporate trustee only)$636 third-party fee, passed on at cost: $636
Annual company reviewCharged yearly for a special-purpose super company: Published third-party rate

Individual trustees pay no $636 company-establishment fee, because no company is involved. The independent audit fee is included in your ongoing administration price — see audit fees.

Full breakdown on the SMSF setup cost page and ongoing pricing. $636 ASIC company fee payable to ASIC at cost.

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).

Frequently asked questions

Ready to set up your SMSF?

Fixed monthly fee, audit included, fully paperless.

General advice warning