SMSF Specialist Advisor (SSA) Exam study plan

Map the SSA accreditation syllabus into a one-page topic checklist covering advice process, compliance, and ethics

Define the regulatory framework governing SMSF advice, including trustee duties, adviser obligations, and licensing boundaries

Draft a glossary of 40 core SMSF terms and statutory references with plain-English definitions

Build a weekly study calendar allocating 7 hours across reading, practice questions, and review

Explain the sole-purpose test and how it constrains trustee investment decisions

Distinguish permitted investments from prohibited acquisitions, including in-house assets and related-party dealings

Summarise contribution acceptance rules, caps, and the work test conditions for members

Produce a decision tree for evaluating whether a proposed fund transaction is compliant

Outline the SMSF lifecycle from establishment and trust deed drafting through wind-up

Compare pension phase rules, minimum standards, and transition-to-retirement conditions

Analyse benefit payment options, lump sum versus income stream taxation, and preservation rules

Identify documentation required at each lifecycle stage and note common administrative failures

Apply the investment strategy and diversification obligations to a sample fund portfolio

Evaluate insurance arrangements inside superannuation and the trustee's duty to consider member needs

Explain the auditor's role, audit cycles, and the consequences of an audit contravention

Complete a timed 30-question practice set on compliance and administration topics

Break down the ethical standards and code of conduct expected of an SSA-accredited adviser

Identify conflicts of interest scenarios and the disclosure steps required to manage them

Practise applying an ethical decision framework to three ambiguous client situations

Draft client-facing language explaining fees, conflicts, and adviser capacity in plain terms

Structure a full statement of advice covering strategy, risks, and cost disclosure

Integrate estate planning considerations, binding death benefit nominations, and reversionary pensions

Reconcile tax planning across accumulation and pension phases within a single client scenario

Peer-review one drafted advice document against a compliance checklist

Consolidate weak areas identified from prior practice sets into a prioritised revision list

Complete two full-length timed practice exams under exam conditions

Analyse every incorrect answer to classify errors as knowledge gaps or misread questions

Memorise key thresholds, dates, and statutory references using spaced-repetition cards

Rehearse the highest-risk topics from the remediation list until recall is consistent

Complete one final timed practice exam and target a stable passing margin

Summarise the entire syllabus into a two-page pre-exam reference sheet

Confirm exam-day logistics, timing strategy, and question-allocation approach