Lisa To

Lisa heads our Estate & Probate, Tax for Individuals and Business Succession Groups. She provides clear advice across tax law, superannuation and trusts to reach her clients’ goals. With a strong understanding of the constant changes in revenue law and the super industry, she finds the best opportunities for her clients based on practical experience.

Lisa thrives on cutting through the complexity of tax, trust and superannuation law to get the results her clients need. Her passion for influencing legal policy means she is engaged with evolving legal issues, from new developments in state taxes to examining the ATO’s current auditing focus.

 

What Lisa’s clients say

“I'm a Chartered Accountant who finds it difficult to find a responsive and experienced lawyer, particularly in complex tax and commercial law areas. Lisa has been a great win for our company providing quality advice, cost effectively and in a timely fashion. She is easy to communicate to and great to deal with. I would have no hesitation in recommending her to others.” – David Gurney, Managing Director of Signum Business Advisers.

“Lisa is an excellent strategist and forward thinker. Give Lisa a goal and she will devise a strategy, implement the strategy and attain the goal.” – Cynthia Cherian, Senior Legal Counsel, BMF Group

 

Qualifications/Memberships

• Masters of Laws (University of Sydney)

• Bachelor of Commerce and Bachelor of Law

• Chartered Tax Adviser with the Tax Institute

• SMSF Specialist Advisor with the SMSF Association

• Law Society of NSW and Revenue NSW Liaison Committee

• Former Treasurer and Executive Committee Member (2014 to 2020) and current subcommittee member of Women Lawyers Association of NSW

• Australian Institute of Management

 

A word from Lisa

“Clients are often referred to me by their accountants or professional advisers relating to interaction of complex and very stressful tax, SMSF, revenue and business succession issues. I am extremely satisfied helping our clients achieve a favourable tax position but, what excites me every day, is giving our clients peace of mind so they can focus on their core business, enjoy time with their loved ones and facilitate their legacy and contribution to community.”

 

Career highlights

• Winner of the Lawyers Weekly Taxation Partner of the Year award 2024 & 2022. 

• Saving an SMSF trustee more than $12 million in penalties and costs after rectification with the ATO.

• Successfully negotiating with the NSW Office of State Revenue for payroll tax contractor exemptions on behalf of prominent real estate franchises.

• Advising on R&D tax incentives, promoter penalties and submissions to ATO.

• Delivering significant tax and duty savings on the restructure for sale of shares of over $70 million to a foreign-owned listed company.

• Reducing GST assessment of $600,000 to nil for a partner on sale of property.

• Advising Australian residents on the tax implications of international entities under CFC, transferor trust provisions and the repatriation of foreign investment entities to Australia including disclosures made under the ATO’s tax amnesty, Project Do It.

 

Specific areas of focus

Tax and Revenue Disputes

• All stages of tax disputes and reviews including audits, risk reviews, objections, ruling applications and settlements with ATO and state revenue authorities.

• Taxation debt negotiation, payment arrangements and enforcement proceedings.

• Complaints to Inspector of General of Taxation and Tax Practitioner’s Board.

Federal and State Tax Advice

• Tax and duty implications of property and commercial transactions including investment structures, property development, employment law related taxes and corporate reorganisation.

• Capital Gains Tax (CGT) rollovers, exemptions and concessions.

• Tax Sharing Agreements and Indirect Sharing Agreements.

• Payroll tax grouping, exclusion and audits.

• Land Tax exemptions, concessions and surcharges.

• GST advice.

Superannuation

• SMSF establishment, successor fund and control.

• Contribution and pension strategies.

• Rectification solutions and SIS Act compliance.

• SMSF borrowing arrangements and unit trust structures.

• CGT and duty concessions and exemptions including family law settlements. 

Business Succession and Estate Planning

• Trust law and tax law advice relating to deceased estates and estate planning.

• Wealth protection solutions.

• Family trust, family businesses and SMSF succession.

• Wills including testamentary trusts for blended families and vulnerable beneficiaries.

• Not for Profit, charitable, Private Ancillary Funds and disability trusts.