Sometimes the most valuable opportunities are also the quietest.

For 2025–26, the concessional contribution cap is $30,000.

For many Australians, this is one of the most significant financial planning opportunities available right now — and it’s hiding in plain sight.

Why superannuation matters more than ever

The 2026 Federal Budget proposed major changes to Family Protection Trusts, capital gains tax and property investment strategies.

Through most of this reform, superannuation remained largely untouched.

Think of super as one of the most protected and tax-effective environments available for building long-term wealth. Concessional tax treatment on contributions, generally lower tax on investment earnings and favourable retirement income rules continue to make super an attractive wealth-building structure.

As the landscape outside changes, the case for directing more wealth inside super may have strengthened for many Australians.

Three strategies worth reviewing

For employees, salary sacrifice arrangements allow pre-tax income to be directed straight into super — reducing taxable income while growing your retirement savings.

For business owners and self-employed individuals, personal deductible contributions may provide an immediate tax deduction while accelerating wealth into a tax-effective environment.

And for those who haven’t maximised contributions in recent years, carry-forward concessional contribution rules may allow substantially larger contributions than the annual cap — potentially catching up years of unused capacity in one go.

The right strategy depends on your situation

Not every strategy suits every client.

Age, total superannuation balance, cash flow requirements and retirement timeline all affect what’s possible.

What we can say is this: 30 June is approaching, and the window to act this financial year won’t stay open.

If you haven’t reviewed your super contribution strategy recently, now is the ideal time to start that conversation.

Want to talk through what this means for your situation? We’re always only one call away.

Book a conversation with the Lighthouse team → hello@lha.au · 02 9055 1330

If you own investment property, shares or business assets, the proposed capital gains tax changes announced in the 2026 Federal Budget are worth understanding.

Not to panic about. To plan around.

What’s proposed

From 1 July 2027, the Government proposes replacing the familiar 50% CGT discount with two new mechanisms:

• Cost base indexation (adjusting the cost base for inflation)
• A 30% minimum effective tax rate on post-commencement gains

Existing assets held before 1 July 2027 are expected to receive transitional treatment.

That means any gain on a long-held asset may need to be split — the portion earned before the transition date, and the portion earned after.

The valuation question

Here’s where it gets practical.

If gains need to be split at the transition date, the dividing line is value.

What was the asset worth on or around 1 July 2027?

Current proposals contemplate formal valuations or approved apportionment methods. But whatever methodology ultimately applies, having solid evidence of market value around the transition period is likely to matter.

Investors and business owners with significant assets should keep a close eye on the proposed CGT reforms. Depending on the final legislation, obtaining a valuation before any transition date may become an important tax planning opportunity.

This is not yet law

We want to be clear: these reforms are proposals, not legislation.

Much can change before any of this becomes law. Some measures may be amended, delayed or never proceed at all.

What we don’t recommend is making rushed decisions based on Budget headlines.

What we do recommend is staying informed, reviewing your long-term strategy, and being positioned to act if and when legislation arrives.

That’s what thoughtful planning looks like.

Want to talk through what this means for your situation? We’re always only one call away.

Book a conversation with the Lighthouse team → hello@lha.au · 02 9055 1330

The 2026 Federal Budget made a lot of noise.

Capital gains tax reform. Negative gearing restrictions. New rules for Family Protection Trusts.

But sometimes the most important signal is the one that doesn’t make the front page.

Complying superannuation funds — including Self-Managed Super Funds — largely escaped the reform agenda.

That’s worth paying attention to.

What changed — and what didn’t

The Budget proposes significant changes to how Family Protection Trust distributions are taxed from July 2028. Traditional income-splitting strategies may become less effective. Negative gearing restrictions apply to certain property acquisitions going forward. And the CGT discount framework faces a proposed overhaul from July 2027.

Through most of this, the SMSF environment remains largely intact.

Low tax rates in accumulation. Tax-free income in pension phase. Greater control over investment strategy. Stronger asset protection in certain circumstances.

The walls around superannuation remain strong.

The question worth asking now

For families accumulating wealth, this Budget invites a genuine review.

Where is future investment growth going to happen?

If Family Protection Trusts face higher effective tax rates from 2028, and certain property strategies are restricted from 2026, the relative attractiveness of building more wealth inside the superannuation environment may have shifted.

The concessional contribution cap of $30,000 for 2025–26 creates additional opportunities. Combined with carry-forward contribution rules, some clients may be able to move substantially more into one of Australia’s most tax-effective structures before the end of this financial year.

This doesn’t mean moving everything into super

It doesn’t mean every investment property belongs inside an SMSF.
And it doesn’t mean unwinding structures that are still performing well.

What it does mean is that the relative value of superannuation has strengthened — and many families should take a fresh look at whether more of their future growth belongs behind those walls.

That’s a conversation worth having before the reform landscape changes further.

Want to talk through what this means for your situation? We’re always only one call away.

Book a conversation with the Lighthouse team → hello@lha.au · 02 9055 1330

Each financial year, the ATO updates key rates and thresholds.

They rarely make headlines. But they can make a real difference to your tax position if you know about them.

Motor vehicle deductions

The cents-per-kilometre rate increases to 88 cents per kilometre for 2025–26.
For employees and business owners using personal vehicles for work-related travel, this method provides a simpler way to claim — without the need to maintain a detailed logbook.

Electric vehicle owners should also be aware that the ATO’s home charging flat rate has been updated:

• 4.2 cents per km — applies to claims dated 1 April 2024 to 31 March 2026
• 5.47 cents per km — applies to all claims dated from 1 April 2026 onwards

If you charge your EV at home for work purposes, make sure you’re using the right rate for the period being claimed.

Working from home

The fixed-rate method remains available at 70 cents per hour for those working from home.

What’s important to understand is that the ATO continues to require records demonstrating actual hours worked from home — not estimates.

A contemporaneous record (a diary, a timesheet, even a recurring calendar entry) provides the strongest foundation if your claims are ever reviewed.

The most significant change: interest charges

From 1 July 2025, the General Interest Charge (GIC) and Shortfall Interest Charge (SIC) become non-deductible.

This is a meaningful change.

Previously, taxpayers could often claim deductions for interest charges on ATO debts. That concession has now been removed.

For businesses carrying ATO liabilities, the cost of delay has increased substantially. Early engagement and proactive cash-flow planning are more important than ever.

If you’re managing ATO debt, please reach out. We can help you navigate a path forward.

Want to talk through what this means for your situation? We’re always only one call away.

Book a conversation with the Lighthouse team → hello@lha.au · 02 9055 1330

Profitable years and loss years rarely arrive on a tidy schedule.

For companies navigating cyclical industries, heavy investment phases or unexpected disruptions, losses in one year after profitable prior years can feel deeply unfair from a tax perspective.

The return of company loss carry-back acknowledges that reality.

How it works

From 2026–27, eligible companies will again be able to offset current-year tax losses against tax paid in previous profitable years.

The result can be a direct cash refund from the ATO.

Rather than carrying losses forward and waiting years for them to become useful, companies may be able to access previously paid tax at a time when they need working capital most.

Who benefits most

Loss carry-back tends to be most valuable for:

• Businesses operating in cyclical industries (construction, hospitality, events, agriculture)
• Growth businesses investing heavily in expansion
• Companies that have recently pivoted or restructured
• Businesses navigating temporary economic disruption

If your company paid meaningful tax in earlier years and is currently experiencing losses, it’s worth understanding whether you qualify.

It doesn’t benefit everyone

Loss carry-back is not available to all business structures. It applies specifically to eligible companies, not trusts or individuals.

Eligibility conditions also apply.

But for those who qualify, it may be one of the most valuable concessions available in the current Budget cycle — and one that’s easy to overlook in all the discussion about larger structural reforms.

We’ll help you identify whether this is relevant to your situation.

Want to talk through what this means for your situation? We’re always only one call away.

Book a conversation with the Lighthouse team → hello@lha.au · 02 9055 1330