AustralianSuper delivers long-term returns of 9.6%

Nick Bendel-15/09/2019- 2 min read

SuperRatings has named AustralianSuper as the top-performing superannuation fund over the past decade.

AustralianSuper’s ‘balanced’ option delivered an average annual return of 9.6 per cent in the 10 years to 31 July 2019, according to the SuperRatings SR50 Balanced (60-76) Index.

The SuperRatings index had Hostplus at number two, with its balanced option averaging 9.5 per cent, and UniSuper at number three, with its balanced option averaging 9.4 per cent.

The index as a whole averaged 8.3 per cent per annum over the decade.

SuperRatings defines balanced options as funds with exposure to growth-style assets of between 60 and 76 per cent. Returns are net of investment fees, tax and implicit asset-based administration fees.

SuperRatings SR50 Balanced (60-76) Index for 10 years to July 2019

Fund	Average annual return
AustralianSuper	9.6%
Hostplus	9.5%
UniSuper	9.4%
Cbus	9.2%
CareSuper	9.1%
QSuper	9.1%
Mercy Super	9.0%
HESTA	8.9%
VicSuper	8.9%
TelstraSuper	8.9%

Data accurate as at 4th September 2019. Figures subject to change.

How AustralianSuper invests

AustralianSuper has two investment objectives for its balanced option:

Outperform the return of the median balanced fund (after fees and taxes)
Deliver an average annual return, over the medium to long term, that is 4 percentage points higher than the inflation rate (which is currently at 1.6 per cent)

Members’ superannuation is divided between eight different asset classes. The breakdown, as of 30 June, was:

Asset class	Allocation (share)
International shares	33.9%
Australian shares	22.7%
Fixed interest	13.6%
Infrastructure	11.7%
Direct property	7.2%
Cash	4.8%
Private equity	3.8%
Credit	2.4%

Data accurate as at 4th September 2019. Figures subject to change.

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Nick Bendel

Property Personal Finance Writer

A property and personal finance writer, Nick Bendel covers property, loans, credit cards, superannuation, and other bank products. Nick has previously written for The Adviser, Mortgage Business, Lifehacker, Business Insider, Yahoo Finance, and InvestorDaily, and loves getting elbow-deep in the latest ABS, APRA and RBA data.

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The superannuation rate, or guarantee rate, is the percentage of your salary that your employer must pay into your superannuation fund. The superannuation guarantee has been set at 9.5 per cent since the 2014-15 financial year. It is scheduled to rise to 10.0 per cent in 2021-22, 10.5 per cent in 2022-23, 11.0 per cent in 2023-24, 11.5 per cent in 2024-25 and 12.0 per cent in 2025-26.

Superannuation in Australia is currently 9.5 per cent – which means that your employer must pay you superannuation equivalent to 9.5 per cent of your salary.

The ‘superannuation guarantee’, as it is known, has been at 9.5 per cent since the 2014-15 financial year. It is scheduled to rise to 10.0 per cent in 2021-22, 10.5 per cent in 2022-23, 11.0 per cent in 2023-24, 11.5 per cent in 2024-25 and 12.0 per cent in 2025-26.

Opening a superannuation account is simple. When you start a job, your employer will give you what’s called a ‘superannuation standard choice form’. Here’s what you need to complete the form:

The name of your preferred superannuation fund
The fund’s address
The fund’s Australian business number (ABN)
The fund’s superannuation product identification number (SPIN)
The fund’s phone number
A letter from the fund trustee confirming that the fund is a complying fund; or written evidence from the fund stating it will accept contributions from your new employer; or details about how your employer can make contributions to the fund

You might want to provide your tax file number as well – while it’s not a legal obligation, it will ensure your contributions will be taxed at the (lower) superannuation rate.

Superannuation is calculated at the rate of 9.5 per cent of your ‘ordinary-time earnings’. (For most people, ordinary-time earnings are their gross annual salary or wages.) So if you had a salary of $50,000, your superannuation would be 9.5 per cent of that, or $4,750. This would be paid on top of your salary.

As the Australian Taxation Office explains, some items are excluded from ordinary-time earnings. They include:

Overtime work paid at overtime rates
Expense allowances that are fully expended
Expenses that are reimbursed
Unfair dismissal payments
Workers’ compensation payments
Parental leave
Jury duty
Defence reserve service
Unused annual leave when employment is terminated
Unused long service leave when employment is terminated
Unused sick leave when employment is terminated

Although the superannuation guarantee is currently at 9.5 per cent, it is scheduled to rise to 10.0 per cent in 2021-22, 10.5 per cent in 2022-23, 11.0 per cent in 2023-24, 11.5 per cent in 2024-25 and 12.0 per cent in 2025-26.

Some superannuation funds will allow you to transfer your insurance cover, without interruption, if you switch. However, others won’t. So it’s important you check before changing funds.

Yes, you can transfer money from overseas into your superannuation account – under certain conditions. First, you must provide your tax file number to your fund. Second, if you are aged between 65 and 74, you must have worked at least 40 hours within 30 consecutive days in a financial year. (Australians under 65 aren’t subject to a work test; Australians aged 75 and over cannot receive contributions to their superannuation account.)

Money transferred from overseas will generally count to both your concessional contributions limit and your non-concessional contributions limit. You will have to pay income tax on the applicable fund earnings component of any money transferred from overseas. You might also be liable for excess contributions tax.

No, your employer can’t touch the money that is paid into your superannuation account.

You can withdraw your superannuation when you meet the ‘conditions of release’. The conditions of release say you can claim your super when you reach:

Age 65
Your ‘preservation age’ and retire
Your preservation age and begin a ‘transition to retirement’ while still working

The preservation age – which is different to the pension age – is based on date of birth. Here are the six different categories:

Date of birth	Preservation age
Before 1 July 1960	55
1 July 1960 – 30 June 1961	56
1 July 1961 – 30 June 1962	57
1 July 1962 – 30 June 1963	58
1 July 1963 – 30 June 1964	59
From 1 July 1964	60

A transition to retirement allows you to continue working while accessing up to 10 per cent of the money in your superannuation account at the start of each financial year.

There are also seven special circumstances under which you can claim your superannuation:

Compassionate grounds
Severe financial hardship
Temporary incapacity
Permanent incapacity
Superannuation inheritance
Superannuation balance under $200
Temporary resident departing Australia

Superannuation accounts can be opened by Australians, permanent residents and temporary residents. You’re automatically entitled to superannuation if:

You’re over 18 and earn more than $450 before tax in a calendar month
You’re under 18, you work more than 30 hours per week and you earn more than $450 before tax in a calendar month

Accessing your superannuation is a simple administrative procedure – you just ask your fund to pay it. You can access your superannuation in three different ways:

Lump sum
Account-based pension
Part lump sum and part account-based pension

However, please note that your superannuation fund will only be able to make a payout if you meet the ‘conditions of release’. The conditions of release say you can claim your super when you reach:

Age 65
Your ‘preservation age’ and retire
Your preservation age and begin a ‘transition to retirement’ while still working

The preservation age has six different categories:

Date of birth	Preservation age
Before 1 July 1960	55
1 July 1960 – 30 June 1961	56
1 July 1961 – 30 June 1962	57
1 July 1962 – 30 June 1963	58
1 July 1963 – 30 June 1964	59
From 1 July 1964	60

There are also seven special circumstances under which you can claim your superannuation:

Compassionate grounds
Severe financial hardship
Temporary incapacity
Permanent incapacity
Superannuation inheritance
Superannuation balance under $200
Temporary resident departing Australia

Superannuation is calculated at the rate of 9.5 per cent of your gross salary and wages. So if you had a salary of $50,000, your superannuation would be 9.5 per cent of that, or $4,750. This would be paid on top of your salary.

According to the Association of Superannuation Funds of Australia (ASFA), here is how much you would be able to spend per week during retirement:

Lifestyle	Singles	Couples
Modest	$465	$668
Comfortable	$837	$1,150

Here is the superannuation balance you would need to fund that level of spending:

Lifestyle	Singles	Couples
Modest	$50,000	$35,000
Comfortable	$545,000	$640,000

These figures come from the March 2017 edition of the ASFA Retirement Standard.

The reason people on modest lifestyles need so much less money is because they qualify for a far bigger age pension.

Here is how ASFA defines retirement lifestyles:

Category	Comfortable	Modest	Age pension
Holidays	One annual holiday in Australia	One or two short breaks in Australia near where you live	Shorter breaks or day trips in your own city
Eating out	Regularly eat out at restaurants. Good range and quality of food	Infrequently eat out at restaurants. Cheaper and less food	Only club special meals or inexpensive takeaway
Car	Owning a reasonable car	Owning an older, less reliable car	No car – or, if you do, a struggle to afford the upkeep
Alcohol	Bottled wine	Casked wine	Homebrew beer or no alcohol
Clothing	Good clothes	Reasonable clothes	Basic clothes
Hair	Regular haircuts at a good hairdresser	Regular haircuts at a basic salon	Less frequent haircuts or getting a friend to do it
Leisure	A range of regular leisure activities	One paid leisure activity, infrequently	Free or low-cost leisure activities
Electronics	A range of electronic equipment	Not much scope to run an air conditioner	Less heating in winter
Maintenance	Replace kitchen and bathroom over 20 years	No budget for home improvements. Can do repairs, but can’t replace kitchen or bathroom	No budget to fix home problems like a leaky roof
Insurance	Private health insurance	Private health insurance	No private health insurance

Superannuation is not included when calculating your income tax. So if you have a salary of $50,000, your assessable income would be $50,000, not $50,000 plus superannuation.

That said, superannuation itself is taxed. It is generally taxed at 15 per cent, although if you earn less than $37,000, you will be reimbursed up to $500 of the tax you paid.

Your money will be invested in an investment option of your choosing.