With only weeks left until 30 June 2026, it’s crunch time for SMSF trustees. Our SMSF EOFY 2026 checklist highlights what you should be looking at prior to 30 June 2026.
At Grow SMSF we’ve been helping thousands of trustees navigate EOFY for over 20 years. We’ve seen the same mistakes repeat every single year — and we’ve also seen the massive tax wins that come from getting the timing and the details right.
This isn’t just another checklist. Below are the actions that actually move the needle, plus the three things we see clients and advisers consistently overlook.
1. Lodge Your 2025 Annual Return — Right Now
This one is non-negotiable and fortunately 95% of trustees who work with Grow have this under control.
As of December 2025, around 93,000 funds still had overdue returns. From 1 July 2026 Payday Super kicks in. If your SMSF isn’t showing as “Complying” on the Super Fund Lookup register, employers won’t be able to pay your super. Payroll teams get very grumpy when that happens.
Our advice: If you’re in the small minority of SMSF Trustees who’ve not yet provided their 2025 SMSF information to their accountant – please do it immediately. The due date for lodgement for existing SMSFs (not first year lodgers) is 15 May 2026. Extensions may be available for a little extra time to lodge – but don’t delay.
(We’ve written a full guide on what Payday Super means for SMSFs here: Payday Super SMSF Guide)
2. Take Your Minimum Pension — Or Lose the Tax Exemption for the Whole Year
This is the single biggest “oh no” moment we see every EOFY.
Example: A client needed to take a $50,000 minimum pension. They only withdrew $40,000. Result? The pension was deemed to have stopped on 1 July of that year. ECPI dropped to zero for the entire year. They paid tax on investment income and capital gains the SMSF should have received tax-free.
Rule of thumb: If you’ve already taken at least the minimum, you’re done. If not, make sure the full amount leaves the fund by close of business 30 June (Tuesday this year — no excuses). Cheques are a last resort. Better to use a promissory note or simply transfer earlier. Always take slightly more than is needed.
3. Review Your Investment Portfolio and Crystalise Losses (Especially Before Division 296)
This is one of the most under-utilised strategies we see.
With the Division 296 tax coming in (the proposed 15% tax on earnings above $3 million), there’s a grandfathering opportunity. Any unrealised gains built up before 30 June 2026 can potentially be protected via the Cost Base Election.
What we tell our clients: Go through your portfolio now. Sell any underperforming assets to lock in capital losses. Just remember to avoid wash sales. It’s simple housekeeping that can save serious tax later.
We explain the full Division 296 Cost Base Election strategy here: Division 296 Tax Explained
4. Contribution Splitting — Still Massively Underused
If you want to split concessional contributions to your spouse relating to the 2025 financial year, this must be done by 30 June 2026. If you plan to split for the current 2026 financial year, the split is processed on 1 July 2026, after your SMSF EOFY 2026 (can be completed when your 2026 SMSF accounts are completed but it won’t show in your member statements until the 2027 as the split occurs after the end of the financial year).
Why bother? Because almost every important threshold (Transfer Balance Cap, $500k catch-up concessional limit, $3m Division 296 threshold) is calculated at the individual member level.
If one spouse has a much higher balance, splitting contributions can even things up and create extra tax-free pension space for the family unit.
More information: Contributions splitting
5. Do a Quick Platform Housekeeping Check
This is the extra step most advisers skip — and it can save you both time and money.
Ask yourself:
- Are you still happy with your share brokerage platform? New low-cost brokers have launched in the last few years.
- Do you hold US or global shares? Interactive Brokers can slash FX fees dramatically.
- Are your cash accounts still competitive?
- Any old or legacy accounts you can close?
A quick 5-minute review often uncovers easy wins.
6. Crypto Holders — Clean Up Your Balance Sheet
If you hold crypto in your SMSF:
- Sell down any “dust” (tiny leftover balances) before 30 June. It makes the accountant’s and auditor’s job much easier. Platforms like Swyftx have simple tools to handle this (Swyftx – Dusting)
- If you self-custody Bitcoin (common with long-term holders), make sure your seed phrase backups and multi-sig setup follow best practice. Your family needs to be able to access it if something happens to you.
7. Timing Rules for 30 June 2026
- 30 June falls on a Tuesday this year — perfect.
- Get any contributions or transfers into the fund by Monday 29 June at the latest.
- Pension payments must leave the account by close of business 30 June.
8. Planning Ahead for 2026–27 (The Smart Move)
The concessional cap rises to $32,500 and the Transfer Balance Cap increases to $2.1 million from 1 July 2026.
If you’re planning a large non-concessional contribution (say $500k+), the maths can favour waiting:
- Option A: $360k bring-forward now → then wait until 2028–29 for more.
- Option B: $120k now + $390k ($130k × 3) from 1 July 2026 onwards = $510k in a short window.
Sometimes patience pays off.
9. Blended Families & Reversionary Pensions
If you’re in a blended family or have complex estate planning needs, get specific advice on reversionary pensions. Each situation is different and the wrong nomination can create years of headaches for your loved ones.
Final Word
The SMSF EOFY 2026 doesn’t have to be stressful. A few smart moves in the next few weeks can save you thousands in tax and set your SMSF up beautifully for the new financial year.
At Grow SMSF we specialise in making complex super simple. We work with thousands of trustees every year and there’s very little we haven’t seen.
Ready to get your SMSF sorted before 30 June? Reach out to our team via the Contact Us page on growsmsf.com.au — we’d love to help you tick everything off with confidence.
Thank you for reading our article on SMSF EOFY 2026.
