Accounting & Tax
Superannuation
SMSF and employer superannuation advisory.
Accounting & Tax
Technically precise, commercially grounded tax and accounting advisory.
Overview
How we help.
Superannuation is one of the most heavily regulated and technically complex areas of Australian tax. For SMSF trustees, the rules around contributions, investments, in-house assets and pensions create numerous compliance traps. For employers, superannuation guarantee and single touch payroll obligations carry real exposure if mismanaged.
Corson Fiske advises SMSF trustees, employers and individuals on the full range of superannuation matters. Our work spans establishment and ongoing compliance, contribution strategy, pension planning, complex transactions and ATO dispute resolution.
We work particularly closely with high-net-worth individuals and family offices whose SMSF structures form part of broader wealth and succession planning.
Capabilities
- SMSF establishment and structuring
- Annual compliance and ATO reporting
- Contribution strategy and caps management
- Pension and benefit planning
- In-house asset and related-party rules
- SMSF audit coordination and issue resolution
- Employer superannuation guarantee compliance
- ATO ruling and dispute matters
Client Situations
When clients engage us.
The issues that bring clients through our door tend to fall into familiar patterns.
An SMSF is being established
A new SMSF is being set up and trustees need structuring, compliance and investment framework advice.
A contribution cap has been exceeded
An excess contribution issue needs to be resolved with the ATO.
A pension strategy needs planning
Transition to retirement or full pension phase needs to be structured optimally.
Employer SG compliance is being reviewed
The business needs to review and correct historical superannuation compliance.
The business is preparing for investment or sale
A transaction is approaching and the finance function, reporting and tax positions all need to be in order before diligence commences.
The finance team needs senior capability it does not have
The in-house team is competent at compliance but lacks the senior advisory capability the board expects on commercial matters.
Outcomes
What you can expect.
- SMSF structures that withstand audit and ATO scrutiny
- Contribution strategies that maximise allowable concessions
- Pension arrangements aligned to overall wealth plans
- Resolved compliance matters with minimised penalties
Industries we focus on
Our practice has particular depth in technology and SaaS, software and AI, NDIS providers, manufacturing, professional services, transport and logistics, wholesale and distribution, and industrial businesses.
Client Success
Outcomes from recent engagements.
Indicative results from engagements within this practice area. Client details have been anonymised; outcomes reflect actual matters completed by the firm.
$8.2M
R&D Claim Sustained
AusIndustry review defence
Defended an $8.2M R&D Tax Incentive claim through an AusIndustry review, sustaining the full amount with no adjustment.
SaaS business
$1.4M
DPN Exposure Resolved
ATO negotiation
Negotiated a structured payment arrangement with the ATO that preserved company trading and eliminated director personal exposure under Director Penalty Notices.
Construction group
3× growth
Through CFO Advisory
CFO advisory engagement
Delivered partner-level CFO advisory through a three-year growth phase, supporting the business from $6M to $18M revenue.
Professional services
Why Corson Fiske
Experience where it counts.
Clients engage Corson Fiske because they need advice they can act on — delivered by senior practitioners who understand both the technical detail and the commercial consequences. Every engagement is led by a partner with direct experience in accounting, tax and compliance matters.
Our integrated structure means tax, legal, accounting and advisory questions are resolved within a single firm. For clients operating across Australia, Asia, New Zealand or Asia, our office network in Sydney, Melbourne, Perth, Singapore and Auckland provides consistent advice across jurisdictions.
Our Approach
A refined four-phase method for every engagement.
Corson Fiske applies the same disciplined framework to every matter, regardless of scale. The phases below are not a marketing device — they are the actual structure our partners use to move clients from uncertainty to resolution.
Phase One
01
Understand
A confidential partner-led briefing to establish the facts, commercial drivers, timing pressures and stakeholder dynamics.
- Confidential scoping conversation
- Document and data review
- Stakeholder mapping
- Initial risk identification
Phase Two
02
Analyse
Structured technical and commercial analysis of every realistic option, with a clear view of risks, costs and likely outcomes.
- Technical legal and tax analysis
- Commercial modelling
- Risk-weighted options assessment
- Precedent and market benchmarking
Phase Three
03
Recommend
A written partner recommendation in plain English — not a list of caveats. We stand behind our advice and explain our reasoning.
- Clear written recommendation
- Implementation sequencing
- Stakeholder communication plan
- Contingency and fallback positions
Phase Four
04
Execute
Hands-on delivery of the agreed plan with partner oversight, regular milestone reporting and clear handback at completion.
- Implementation leadership
- Stakeholder engagement
- Milestone tracking and reporting
- Completion review and handback
Key Considerations
What clients need to know.
Engaging external advisors on any significant matter raises practical questions about scope, timing, cost and outcomes. We believe in being straightforward about each of these from the first conversation.
How engagements typically begin
Every engagement starts with a confidential initial conversation — usually 30 to 60 minutes — in which we listen to the situation, ask the questions needed to understand it properly, and share a view on whether and how we can help. There is no charge for this conversation and no obligation to proceed.
How we scope and price work
We prefer fixed-fee or capped-fee arrangements wherever the scope allows. Where the scope is genuinely uncertain — as in contested matters — we agree hourly rates upfront and provide regular fee updates against defined phases. We do not bill for internal discussions, file opening or routine administration.
Who you will work with
Every engagement is led by a partner with direct experience in the matter type. That partner remains your primary point of contact throughout. Specialist colleagues join the team where their expertise is required, but you will never be passed from person to person or find the partner you hired is no longer on the file.
How we handle confidentiality and privilege
All engagements are subject to strict confidentiality. Where legal advice is being delivered, it is provided through our incorporated legal practice and attracts legal professional privilege. We take document security, information handling and communications discipline seriously on every matter.
Get the right advice from Corson Fiske.
Confidential, no-obligation initial consultations with a partner who specialises in accounting, tax and compliance matters.