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SMSF Property Investment Calculator

Also known as a Buy Property With Super Calculator or SMSF loan calculator — model an SMSF LRBA scenario and see loan size, cash needed, monthly repayment, liquidity buffer, Year-1 cashflow and equity.

Test a proposed property purchase inside your super fund with a simplified, indicative model. Estimate loan & LVR, cash needed from the SMSF, Year-1 after-tax cashflow and fund liquidity. General information only; not personal advice.

Want a broker to check lender policy and structure? Speak with an SMSF mortgage broker. We coordinate with your accountant and adviser.

Start my SMSF scenario How to use
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Rate Challenge — SMSF Property & LRBA Calculator

Indicative only; simplified SMSF model. Assumes Australian resident fund and basic LRBA structure. Always confirm with your accountant, adviser and SMSF deed.
Fund profile
Property & settlement
LRBA loan settings
Rent & property expenses
Contributions & fund cashflow
Stress test (optional)
Status: Ready

General information only. This calculator does not test trust deed rules, contribution caps, in-house asset limits, related-party restrictions or ATO LRBA guidance for your fund.

Your SMSF results

Indicative loan & LVR

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Monthly LRBA repayment (Year-1)

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Cash needed from SMSF (deposit + costs)

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Liquidity after settlement

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Year-1 property cashflow (after fund tax)

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Coverage ratio (contrib + property)

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Property equity at horizon

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Want a broker to sanity-check these results?

Send your details and we’ll review lender policy fit and buffers with your accountant/adviser in mind. Your calculator summary is included automatically.

Call 0407 908 024

Important: Indicative only. This is not financial advice, tax advice or legal advice. Numbers are simplified and rounded. Rules, rates and lender policies change.

Input guides

Fund profile — starting point for the strategy

The fund balance is the total value of your SMSF before buying this property. Liquid assets are the cash and near-cash allocations that could realistically support deposit, costs and future repayments. The buffer percentage is a simple rule-of-thumb target for how much liquidity you want left after settlement.

Property & LRBA — what you’re trying to buy

Choose residential or commercial SMSF property and enter the contract price. The calculator estimates a LRBA loan based on price minus SMSF deposit, applies an interest rate and term, and shows an indicative LVR and Year-1 repayments. Actual lender limits differ by fund, members and property type.

Cash & liquidity — keeping the fund resilient

Liquid assets are reduced by deposit and settlement costs, then compared to your starting fund balance. The liquidity tile highlights how much buffer remains in dollars and as a percentage, and whether that sits above or below your target.

Contributions — fuel for the LRBA strategy

We compare net contributions plus after-tax property cashflow to Year-1 repayments as a basic coverage measure. Caps still need to be checked for each member.

Fund tax setting — accumulation vs pension

SMSFs in accumulation often pay 15% tax on income; pure pension phase may be 0% on eligible balances. Rather than hard-coding complex rules, this calculator lets you choose a single effective rate for rental income so you can model a blended outcome with your adviser.

Risk & stress testing

The stress test nudges the LRBA rate higher and rent/vacancy in an unfavourable direction, then re-runs the coverage and equity numbers. It’s a “what if?” tool, not a prediction engine.

How we read your SMSF property scenario

The calculator focuses on seven signposts: LRBA loan and LVR, Year-1 repayment, cash needed from the fund, liquidity buffer after settlement, Year-1 after-tax cashflow, a coverage ratio using contributions and property cashflow versus repayments, and projected equity at your chosen horizon.

How to use this SMSF calculator

Open detailed step-by-step instructions

Work top to bottom. Start with the SMSF balance and liquid assets, then the property price and LRBA settings. Add rent/expenses and contributions. Press Show my SMSF results to see the summary tiles and plain-English explanation.

  1. Fund profile: Enter total fund balance, liquid assets and a target liquidity buffer.
  2. Property & settlement: Choose state and property type, set purchase price and SMSF deposit.
  3. LRBA loan: Choose LRBA interest rate, term, interest-only years and horizon.
  4. Rent & expenses: Add rent, vacancy, management and fixed expenses.
  5. Contributions: Enter total concessional/non-concessional contributions and any pension payments.
  6. Stress test (optional): Turn on stress test and adjust shocks to test resilience.

If the numbers look workable, the next step is lender policy modelling plus SMSF structuring checks with your accountant and adviser.

Speak with a broker about your SMSF scenario

Share a few details and we’ll get in touch to talk through SMSF lending options and how your fund, accountant and lender can work together.

Call 0407 908 024

By submitting this form you agree we may contact you about SMSF and loan options. This is general information only; we’ll work alongside your accountant and licensed adviser on strategy and compliance.

Glossary

SMSF
A Self-Managed Super Fund where members are also trustees or directors of a corporate trustee. SMSFs must comply with super and tax law and their own trust deed.
LRBA
A Limited Recourse Borrowing Arrangement used by SMSFs to acquire a single acquirable asset via a holding trust. Recourse is generally limited to the asset securing the loan.
Business real property
Property used wholly and exclusively in a business. SMSFs have specific rules allowing them to hold and lease certain business real property to related parties on arm’s-length terms.
Liquidity
The portion of the SMSF held in cash and near-cash assets. Adequate liquidity helps meet pensions, tax, expenses and loan repayments without forced asset sales.
Coverage ratio
A simple measure of whether estimated contributions and property cashflow are sufficient to meet Year-1 repayments. A ratio well above 1× is generally more comfortable than one close to or below 1×.
Concessional contributions
Generally pre-tax employer and salary-sacrifice contributions taxed inside the fund. Caps apply per member and breaching them can create additional tax outcomes.
Non-concessional contributions
After-tax contributions that do not generate a tax deduction. Higher caps may apply where members trigger the bring-forward rules. Complex rules apply — always check with an adviser.
Accumulation vs pension
Accumulation phase usually pays 15% tax on income; eligible pension balances may receive 0% on earnings. Many SMSFs have both, leading to a blended effective tax rate on rental income.
In-house assets
Assets that involve related parties beyond strict limits. SMSF property and LRBA structures must be designed carefully so they don’t create an in-house asset breach.

SMSF property & LRBA FAQs

Can any SMSF use this calculator?
Yes, you can use it for a quick sense check, but it doesn’t know your deed, investment strategy, member ages or contribution history. Treat it as a conversation starter with your accountant and SMSF adviser rather than a green light to proceed.
Does this replace formal SMSF advice?
No. The calculator doesn’t provide financial product advice or tax advice. It uses simplified assumptions and can’t test compliance issues such as contribution caps, in-house asset rules or related-party leases. You still need tailored advice before implementing any strategy.
How accurate are the loan and LVR figures?
The LRBA loan amount is modelled as purchase price minus SMSF cash. Real-world approvals depend on lender policies, fund structure, member profiles and property type. We refine these in a lender-specific quote.
Why does the calculator care about liquidity?
Because a heavily geared SMSF with little cash is more exposed to rent gaps, unexpected expenses or pension payments. The liquidity view is designed to prompt a buffer discussion, not enforce one “correct” percentage.
Are contribution caps and bring-forward rules included?
No. The calculator assumes the contributions you enter are allowable and can be sustained. Caps, bring-forward rules and non-arm’s-length income risk need a separate review with your accountant or licensed adviser.
Can I model related-party leases?
You can enter rent and expenses, but the calculator doesn’t test whether terms are commercial or compliant. Use it to sense-check cashflow while you confirm documentation and market rent with your adviser.
What happens at the end of the planning horizon?
The horizon is just a snapshot of projected value, LRBA balance and equity. It’s not a forced sale date. In practice you may refinance, pay down, hold longer, or sell depending on strategy.
How do I go from this calculator to an SMSF loan?
If the numbers look workable, the next step is a detailed discussion with your accountant and adviser. We can then check options from SMSF-friendly lenders and prepare a full credit quote with current rates and fees.
Want a broker to sense-check your SMSF LRBA options? We’ll talk through lenders and what fits your fund.
Start my SMSF comparison Call 0407 908 024
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