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Table of Contents

It’s never too late to start succession planning and seldom too early

Hallmark characteristics of a good family business have always been communication and planning. Inclusive, practical and non emotion driven discussions by the family around longer term planning is important for a successful business, whether a machinery dealership, or a broadacre grower. Undertaking a succession planning process in a formalised manner including all parties, some which are often forgotten, including spouses, children, lawyers, bankers and even consultants, has enormous benefits.

If you look at your own farming business – are you ready? If not, what plans are in place to get there? Start planning early and talk to a professional with the right attitude and skills, like us.

Interviews

Interviews with our Succession Specialists

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Our Specialists

Meet Our Succession Specialists

Dale Woodruff

Director

Lea Williams

Director

Ryan Naughton

Director

Brant Jansen

Director

Scott
Smith

Director

Simon
Northey

Director

Craig
Lane

Director

Eamonn Lanagan

Director

Neil
Hooper

Director
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Resources

Resources

Superannuation is an amazing tax concession. My tax specialisation is super, so call me biased, however I believe super is as good as, if not even better, than some of the primary production tax concessions available to our farmers. 

Succession planning has become much more personal and relationship-based than the traditional understanding of the transfer of assets.

G’day legends, this is another Beyond The Tax Return episode with Jared Ryan who knows a thing or two about planning.

I am often queried by clients “Who controls my SMSF if I die?” My answer is that you look to the rules of the SMSF, which are contained in the trust deed.

What does retirement from the family farm mean to you?This is a question often shrouded in doubt, differing views, and one not always answered with the luxury of time for our older generation of WA farmers.

SHOULD I pay our family farm member a wage or cash drawing? This was a popular question readers asked after reading Eamonn Lanagan’s Farm Weekly article “Pay up”.

G’day farmers and welcome to the inaugural harvest series for the Farms Advice Podcast. Here we will dive behind the scenes to see how Australia gets the crop off. 

We look at succession planning and how you can start it today to make it easier for you in the long run.

Pay Up!

19 Aug 2021

The decision by today’s younger generation to come home to the farm is not straight forward.

“G’day Brendan” says Scott the accountant to the second-generation farmer from Narembeen. “So Brendan, your father indicated you’re wanting to prepare a succession

Succession Planning – To some it’s a dirty word that conjures up feelings of fear and anxiety, for others it’s a conversation/process that can’t be talked about…

Dale Woodruff

Director

Dale is a Director of our Narrogin and Wagin offices who has been providing taxation and business services since 1993.

Dale joined Byfields over 27 years ago and worked in our Northam and Perth offices before establishing our offices in Narrogin and Wagin, where he provides taxation, accounting and succession advice to a diverse client base.

Dale grew up in the small farming community of Darkan, and has spent most of his life interacting with farmers and business owners in rural communities. He therefore understands the needs of regional people and the importance of good advice.

His areas of specialisation are the Small Business Capital Gains Tax (CGT) Concessions and the Family Farm Transfer Duty Exemption which are critical to the implementation of farm and business succession.

Dale is married to Jo-Anne and has three children, Emma, Ben & Thomas. His interests outside of work include fishing, golf, tennis and squash.

SERVICES DALE PROVIDES

  • Taxation planning
  • Business Taxation and Consultancy
  • Farm & Business Succession  
  • Small Business Capital Gains Tax (CGT Concessions)
  • Family Farm Transfer Duty Exemption

PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS

  • CPA Australia

QUALIFICATIONS

  • Bachelor of Commerce (Curtin University)
  • Certified Practising Accountant
  • Registered Tax Agent

Lea Williams

Director

Lea is a director in our Narrogin office, providing taxation and consulting advice to business and farming clients, to help them achieve their financial and personal goals.

Growing up on the family farm at Aldersyde, Lea started work in the Perth Byfields office in September 2004.

With over 16 years’ tax experience, now a Chartered Accountant, Lea relocated from Perth to open the Narrogin office in January 2007. Our office enables us to have strong relationships with our clients and the communities they live in.

Outside of Byfields, Lea lives in Brookton with her husband and two sons where they are active members of the community.

SERVICES LEA PROVIDES

  • Taxation planning
  • Business consultancy
  • Farm & business succession
  • Estate planning
  • Business valuations
  • Due diligence work
  • Business benchmarking
  • Advice regarding computer programs & better use of technology

PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS

  • Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand

QUALIFICATIONS

  • Bachelor of Commerce (Curtin University)
  • Chartered Accountant

Ryan Naughton

Director

Ryan is a director in our Northam office, a Certified Practising Accountant and provides taxation and business services to farmers and small businesses in the Wheatbelt.

While based in the Northam office, Ryan attends our Beverley office one day per week.

Ryan has a strong interest in succession planning and understanding that every families situation is different and that there is not a one size fits all approach that will work. There are some things that most successful succession plans have in common; communication, timing, compromise and knowledge.

Outside of Byfields, Ryan enjoys playing farmer on the small block he, his wife and 3 children call home as well as taking part in a few different sports (hockey, football and basketball).

SERVICES RYAN PROVIDES

  • Taxation planning
  • Business taxation and consultancy
  • Farm & business succession
  • Business entity restructuring

PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS

  • CPA Australia

QUALIFICATIONS

  • Bachelor of Commerce (Murdoch University)
  • Certified Practising Accountant
  • Registered Tax Agent

Brant Jansen

Director

Brant is a Certified Practising Accountant based in our Northam and York offices, providing taxation and business services to farmers and small businesses.

Brant is a member of CPA Australia and has been working in the industry for over 18 years.

Proactive in putting tax planning strategies into place, Brant looks at the bigger picture issues in your business. Big picture areas such as, your structure, succession, retirement planning, super, and wills. Brant is happy to meet you at your farm or business.

Outside of Byfields, Brant enjoys the country lifestyle with his wife and two daughters, and has a passion for providing great proactive service to his client base.

SERVICES BRANT PROVIDES

  • Farm tax and consultancy
  • Business taxation and consultancy
  • Taxation planning
  • Succession and estate planning
  • Restructuring

PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS

  • CPA Australia

QUALIFICATIONS

  • Bachelor of Business (Edith Cowan University)
  • Certified Practising Accountant
  • Registered Tax Agent

Scott Smith

Director

Working in our Merredin office for 18 months Scott developed a strong passion for working in agriculture and with rural clients in WA. Now working from our Perth office, Scott is fortunate to be able to continue working in this industry, and enjoys assisting our rural clients.

Scott is a member of CPA Australia and has over 11 years of experience working in this industry. Scott is committed to helping his farming and rural clients proactively manage their tax and assist with the operation and structuring of their businesses.

Proud husband and father of two boys, Scott enjoys watching his kids play football, cricket and basketball.

SERVICES SCOTT PROVIDES

  • Farm and business taxation services
  • Business entity structure advice and restructuring
  • Asset ownership structure advice
  • Assisting with estate and succession planning

PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS

  • CPA Australia

QUALIFICATIONS

  • Bachelor of Commerce (Curtin University)
  • Certified Practising Accountant

Simon Northey

Director

Simon is the managing director of Byfields Business Advisers and continues to provide taxation and business services to farmers and small businesses.

One of Simon’s key motivators is helping clients to achieve their overall business/ financial goals and striving to make a genuine difference to their business lives. The other key motivator is working within the Director group to collectively drive the firm forward as a Premier accounting practice to serve the community for many years to come.

Simon joined Byfields in 1987, graduating from Curtin University, and started his career in the Northam office before moving to manage the Merredin office. He then relocated back to the Northam office in 1993, and forms part of the three director team out of that office.

Outside of Byfields, Simon enjoys the country way of life with his wife, has three children and is actively involved in local community groups.

SERVICES SIMON PROVIDES

  • Taxation planning
  • Business Taxation and Consultancy
  • Farm & Business Succession
  • Business Entity Restructuring

PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS

  • CPA Australia

QUALIFICATIONS

  • Bachelor of Business (Curtin University)
  • Certified Practising Accountant
  • Registered Tax Agent

Craig Lane

Director

Craig is a director based in the Perth office, and also regularly visiting Merredin.

Growing up on the family farm at North Burracoppin, Craig started work in the Byfields Merredin office in January 1997 after graduating from Curtin University in 1996. Craig advises a range of broad acre farming businesses in the Wheatbelt.

Craig is married to Nicola with young children Chloe and Josh, regularly hacks his way around a golf course, and is a keen follower of his beloved West Coast Eagles.

SERVICES CRAIG PROVIDES

  • Farm taxation advice
  • Succession Planning (including understanding of farm related personal issues)
  • Small business taxation advice
  • Estate Planning Assistance and Structural Advice

PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS

  • CPA Australia

QUALIFICATIONS

  • Bachelor of Commerce (Curtin University)
  • Certified Practising Accountant
  • Registered Tax Agent

Eamonn Lanagan

Director

Eamonn is a director in the Agribusiness section in the Perth Office.

He grew up on the family farm in Dumbleyung. From his time there he learned that he was of much more assistance not being part of the day to day operations.

Eamonn advises a broad range of agribusiness such as broad acre cropping and livestock, pastoralists and intensive livestock as well as many of the businesses which support them, such as country builders, chemical distributors and contractors.

Outside of Byfields, Eamonn is a keen golfer and still enjoys injuring himself playing football.

SERVICES EAMONN PROVIDES

  • Farm tax and consultancy
  • Taxation planning
  • Farm succession planning
  • Assisting with estate planning

PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS

  • CPA Australia
  • Tax Institute of Australia

QUALIFICATIONS

  • Bachelor of Commerce (Curtin University)
  • Certified Practising Accountant
  • Certified Tax Adviser

Neil Hooper

Director

Agriculture is an exciting and challenging industry to be involved in. Having grown up in a farming family in Merredin, Neil feels a real connection to agricultural businesses, and rural Australia in general. Working predominantly with broad acre farming clients from Geraldton in the north to Esperance in the south, Neil travels regularly from our Perth office to meet clients on their farms.

Working with dedicated and professional staff, Neil believes we can make a real difference to our client’s business, by working closely with farm consultants and other agriculture professionals to achieve the best outcomes for our clients.

Neil especially enjoys working in the succession planning field to achieve the best outcome for both the older and younger generation when transferring the farming entity to the next generation.

The number of accountants with good farming knowledge, and who have a genuine desire to be involved in the agriculture industry, is decreasing at a rapid rate at a time when good advice is needed more than ever.

Graduating university in 1988, Neil worked as an accountant in Perth until returning to Merredin in 1992 to join Byfields, from there transferring to Byfields Perth office in 2006.

Neil was managing partner of Byfields from 2001 to 2014.

Neil is married to Megan and they have four children. His interests include playing Masters football, gardening as well as being a passionate (but frustrated) Dockers supporter.

SERVICES NEIL PROVIDES

  • Tax planning
  • Succession Planning
  • Estate planning (working closely with lawyers experienced in the farming industry)
  • Business restructures

PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS

  • CPA Australia
  • Institute of Chartered Accountants in Australia
  • Australian Institute of Company Directors
  • Australian Association of Agricultural Consultants WA (associate member)

QUALIFICATIONS

  • Bachelor of Commerce (The University of Western Australia)
  • Certified Practising Accountant
  • Chartered Accountant
  • Registered Tax Agent