Choosing a fund name

Choosing a name is one of the first official steps in establishing your SMSF — and it’s worth taking a moment to get it right.

Here are some helpful tips when selecting your fund name:

• You don’t need a unique name, but it can help speed up the ATO’s processing.
• A common name like “Smith Family Super Fund” may result in delays.
• Avoid punctuation, special characters, or starting with “The”, as these can interfere with government databases.
• The name will be publicly visible, so consider whether you want to use your surname.
• Including “Super” or “Fund” is optional, but many clients find it useful for clarity.

Check if your preferred name is already in use:
Search the Super Fund Lookup to avoid delays. Once you’ve decided, enter your preferred name in the form and we’ll take care of the rest.

Trustee structure

Picking the right trustee structure is a critical decision. Please read our article on the considerations of an individual vs corporate trustee structure before proceeding.

Please note, an SMSF may require a corporate trustee if:

• you have only one member and don’t want individual trustees, or
• there are more than 4 members and all will be involved in running the fund, and the SMSF is based in NSW, QLD, VIC, WA or ACT.

When ordering a company from HelloLedger, once you submit the application, we will:

• confirm the availability of your chosen company name, and
• provide consent documentation that must be signed by all future directors, secretaries and shareholders before we can proceed with establishing the fund.

We are unable to commence the company incorporation process until all signed consent documentation has been received.

If you have any questions about this process, please don't hesitate to contact leonie@helloledger.com.au.

New Company Details

If your SMSF will have a corporate trustee, you’ll need to register a new company unless you already have an existing company to use.

The company name must not be identical to an existing company and must comply with ASIC’s naming rules.

You can check name availability using ASIC’s online register before submitting your preferred company name.

Check company name availability

ASIC Agent & Registered Office

HelloLedger can act as your company’s ASIC agent and registered office. This means we can handle the ASIC registration process on your behalf and receive ASIC correspondence and reminders for you.

As your ASIC agent, HelloLedger can also:

• Forward you the annual ASIC company review fee for payment.
• Prepare and distribute the required company minutes and resolutions.
• Assist with updates to company details such as directors, addresses, or shareholders.

If you’d prefer to manage these responsibilities yourself, you’re welcome to nominate your own registered office and handle ASIC requirements directly.

The current cost for this service is $165 per annum.

Before completing member details:

• Please enter the details for all parties who will be involved in the fund as members, trustees, directors or secretaries.
• There can be no more than 6 members of an SMSF.
• For security reasons, please provide a unique email address for each member/trustee. Shared email addresses should not be used.

Member Roles

Tips on role selection:

• Members — these are the people who have super in the SMSF. There can be no more than 6 members and normally all members are also the trustees/directors.
• Directors / trustees — these people are officially in charge of the fund. Generally they are the same as the members. In some circumstances there may be a director of the company who is not a member of the fund. If there is only one member of the fund and it has individual trustees, there must be another person who is also a trustee.
• Shareholders — shareholders own the trustee company. Usually the members, directors and shareholders are all the same people and all of them have the same number of shares.
• Secretary — there are no specific rules about who must be the secretary of the company, but if the company has at least two directors, two secretaries would normally be appointed.

For more information, please see our Roles in an SMSF article.

GST Registration

Most SMSFs don’t need to register for GST, but there are some exceptions.

You’ll only be required to register your SMSF for GST if its annual GST turnover is $75,000 or more. For SMSFs, turnover generally means income from commercial activities, such as renting out commercial property or leasing business equipment or machinery.

If your SMSF only holds residential property, shares, crypto, cash, or other passive investments, it typically does not need to register for GST.

Before signing: Please make sure all information is correct before signing and submitting, as the SMSF setup will proceed based on the details provided.