Residency rules are the big risk for self-managed superannuation fund (SMSF) trustees who live overseas for an extended period. Super funds need to remain classified as an “Australian superannuation fund” to keep all the tax benefits we know and love.

There are three tests to meet here. The first one is pretty simple – the fund needs to have been established in Australia or hold investments here. Let’s assume existing SMSFs have already dealt with that one.