Brokers see it every week: self-employed clients with solid businesses and healthy cashflow wanting to invest through their SMSF. The only problem is, they don’t have a history of consistent super contributions.
It’s a common sticking point. Most lenders look for evidence of regular contributions before progressing an SMSF loan. Without it, deals can stall early. Even when the client is in a strong financial position, the lack of a clear contribution pattern can make it difficult to move forward.
The core challenge
SMSF lending across the industry is conservative by design. Serviceability is typically assessed on fund income, including contributions, rental income and investment returns, with a strong focus on consistent contribution history.
That often means demonstrating regular contributions over time. It’s a structure that works well for PAYG clients, where super is paid consistently, but it doesn’t always reflect how self-employed clients operate.
For many self-employed borrowers, income isn’t paid in a steady cycle. Contributions might be made as lump sums, timed around cash flow, or structured to maximise available caps. The result is a contribution history that looks inconsistent on paper, even when the client has strong income and clear capacity to contribute.
This is where SMSF lending can come unstuck. The scenario makes sense, the client is financially sound, but the contribution pattern doesn’t meet policy requirements, making it harder to move forward.
As David Clarke, our Credit Development Manager points out, “this isn’t a rare exception. It’s one of the most common issues brokers face in SMSF lending for self-employed clients.”
A more practical way to assess SMSF contributions
The MA Money team saw the lack of consistent historical contributions becoming a barrier for self-employed clients seeking. It was creating a gap between how these clients actually earn and how SMSF lending is assessed.
So we’ve updated our approach. MA Money now accepts future super contributions as part of SMSF servicing, where those contributions are within legislative caps and supported by a qualified adviser.
The borrower will need to provide a letter from their accountant or financial planner containing confirmation that they have the capacity to make the proposed contributions. They won’t need to provide a long history of regular contributions any more.
This change reflects the reality of how self-employed clients actually operate. As with any SMSF loan, future contributions still need to be reasonable and sustainable. The difference is brokers now have a clearer way to present that upfront and keep the deal moving.
Why it matters for brokers
This change opens up more SMSF lending opportunities that would have previously been difficult to place. Deals that may once have stalled early can now move forward with ease.
It also gives brokers a more practical way to structure these scenarios. Bringing in an accountant or financial planner early helps align contributions, making it easier to present a complete and credible application.
The result is more confidence across the process. Brokers can approach SMSF lending conversations with a clearer pathway, knowing there’s a way to support clients whose income doesn’t follow a standard pattern. Put simply, it gives brokers more flexibility to work with self-employed clients and more ways to progress the right deals.
Backing brokers with more ways to say yes
At MA Money, our focus is simple. Give brokers more ways to find the right loan for their clients and make the process easier along the way.
That means looking at where deals are getting stuck and finding practical ways to move them forward. It’s how we support more scenarios, work with more types of income, and help you place more deals with confidence.
Information for broker use only. This article does not constitute financial, tax or legal advice and does not take into account personal objectives, financial situation or needs. You should seek independent advice from a licensed professional before making any financial decisions. Applications for credit are subject to eligibility and lending criteria. Fees, charges, T&Cs apply (available on request). MA Money Financial Services Pty Ltd ACN 639 174 315 Australian Credit Licence 522267.
