What are the rules for children under 18 joining an SMSF?

SMSF Frequently Asked Questions
1

A child under 18 can be a member of a Self-Managed Superannuation Fund (SMSF), but there are strict conditions set by the Superannuation Industry (Supervision) Act 1993 (SIS Act) and the Australian Taxation Office (ATO). The main rules are:

:white_check_mark: Membership Rules

  1. Legal restriction on trusteeship

    • Members under 18 cannot act as trustees or directors of a corporate trustee.

    • Instead, a parent, guardian, or legal personal representative must act on their behalf until they turn 18.

  2. Fund structure requirements

    • The SMSF must still meet the basic trustee/member structure:

      • If the SMSF has individual trustees → each member must be a trustee, but for minors their parent/guardian steps in.

      • If the SMSF has a corporate trustee → each member must be a director, but for minors their parent/guardian becomes the director in their place.

  3. Number of members

    • The fund can have up to 6 members (since July 2021). A child counts towards this total.