The CGT main residence exemption concessions are very useful

Probably the most overlooked reason for the housing affordability crisis in Australia at the moment is the capital gains tax (CGT) exemption for a person’s home itself.

But not this alone.

Rather, it is probably the exemption in conjunction with all the various concessions a person can use to access the exemption.

And these concessions can be extraordinarily useful depending on a person’s particular circumstances.

So, let’s run through a few of the main concessions:

The concession for changing houses. This applies if you buy a new home before you sell the old one. It allows you to treat both homes as your CGT-exempt home for a period of up to six months while you sell the old home. But there are important conditions that must be met in order to use it.

The concession for moving into a house. This allows you to treat your new home as your main residence for the entire period you own it even though you may not have moved into it straight away. However, it is subject to important limits and restrictions – and generally requires you to move in “as soon as it is practicable” to do so.

The absence concession. This is an extraordinarily useful concession that allows you to treat your home as your “CGT exempt main residence” even though you may not be living in it for a lengthy period. In the case that you rent it in your absence this period lasts for six years, and if your home is not rented it lasts indefinitely. However, it is likewise subject to important conditions before you can use it – including that the residence must have been your home on a bona-fide basis. (And the ATO does track such matters!)

The building or renovation concession. This allows you to treat vacant land as your CGT exempt home for a period of up to four years where you build a new home on it and move in as soon as it is completed and live in it as your home for a period of at least three months. This concession can also be used where you leave your existing home to do major renovations – or even in a knock-down, re-build situation.

Again, these and other concessions are extremely useful depending on your particular circumstances – and can actually be used to allow you to access a full (or at least partial) CGT main residence exemption in a way that was probably never originally envisaged.

And in the case of the absence concession, for example, it even allows you to negatively gear the property during the six-year period of absence that you rent it!

On the other hand, there are also some CGT rules that can expose your home to a partial CGT exemption in a number of circumstances.

For example, there is a rule that spouses (including de-facto spouses and same sex spouses) cannot each have a CGT exempt main residence on different residences for the same period that they are spouses. And this may apply in a variety of situations. However, it seems to be a rule that the ATO does not actively pursue – nevertheless it is there in the tax law.

Another rule that may limit your ability to claim a CGT exemption on your home is where you may subdivide some of it off and sell it or transfer it to another party (eg, typically on the subdivision and sale of part of a large backyard). And this rule may be highly relevant in the current housing market – especially given more flexible council regulations.

If you are considering buying or selling a home – or find yourself thinking that you may need to use any of these concessions – we can advise you on their applicability to your case and how you can use them most effectively.

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Could you be missing out on thousands in lost super?

By Brad Dickfos • December 18, 2025

Most of us keep a close eye on our bank accounts. But superannuation can be easier to lose track of, especially if you’ve changed jobs, moved house, changed your name, or simply set up a new fund and assumed everything followed you. That’s why the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) has issued a timely reminder. There is now $18.9 billion in lost and unclaimed super sitting across Australia. That’s up $1.1 billion since 2024 and spread across just under 7.3 million accounts. In other words, a lot of Australians have retirement savings that aren’t currently working for them and some of it could be yours. What “lost” or “unclaimed” super actually means Super doesn’t vanish, but it can go missing from your radar. It typically happens when an account becomes inactive and your super fund can’t contact you, or when you end up with multiple funds over the years. The ATO also holds certain amounts of super on behalf of individuals, for example, small inactive balances that have been transferred to the ATO, or other unclaimed amounts. The average amount of lost or unclaimed super is around $2,590 per person. That might not sound life-changing today, but over time it can grow into tens of thousands by retirement. A special note if you have an SMSF If you have an SMSF, this ATO update is particularly worth paying attention to. When you established your SMSF, you might have transferred most of your super across, but kept some behind, for example, to retain insurance cover through another fund. That means there could still be older super accounts from past jobs or retail/industry funds sitting in your name. The ATO is urging SMSF members to do a check, because a share of the $18.9 billion in lost and unclaimed super might be yours and could be rolled into your SMSF. One important practical tip is that if you locate lost super and want to move it into your SMSF, but your SMSF doesn’t show up as a transfer option in ATO online services, it’s often due to the fund’s compliance status. Take a moment to confirm your SMSF is listed as “complying” or “registered” on Super Fund Lookup. How to check for lost super (it only takes minutes) The ATO has made this super simple (pun intended!). You can: 1. Log in to myGov and go to ATO online services 2. Navigate to the Super section to view: Super held by the ATO Any lost or unclaimed accounts 3. Request a transfer to an eligible super account. Even if you don’t find anything, you’ll at least know everything is where it should be. Simple habits that help you stay on top of super Finding lost super is great but preventing it from happening at all is even better. A few easy habits can make a big difference: Keep your details up to date with your fund and the ATO so you stay contactable. Check whether you’ve got more than one account. Multiple accounts can mean multiple fees and duplicated insurance Consider consolidating if it suits your situation. Fewer accounts can mean lower fees and easier management but just be sure to check any insurance you might lose before rolling over Read your annual statement. It’s a quick way to confirm contributions, fees, returns, investment mix and beneficiaries. Why acting now matters Since 2022, the ATO has already reunited Australians with about $5.5 billion in previously unclaimed super. But there’s still nearly $19 billion waiting to be found. A few minutes today could translate into a healthier retirement balance later. It’s easy to put super in the “deal with it later” basket, but it’s still your hard-earned money. If you want a hand finding lost super, combining accounts, or moving money into your SMSF, reach out to us. We can guide you through the steps and make sure you’re able to claim any lost super without any hassles.