Important disclosure

QSuper superannuation
Originally founded in 1913 to provide retirement savings options for Queensland government employees, QSuper is now part of Australian Retirement Trust, one of Australia’s largest super funds, and members have come first for over 100 years. QSuper is part of a profit-for-members fund which does not have shareholders.
The Trustee credits the long-term performance of its superannuation products to its unique investment approach, with options for members to manage their own investments or let the Trustee handle it for them. The Trustee also believes in keeping its fees low and transparent to help keep its members satisfied.
In order to open a QSuper account, one of the following conditions must be met:
- Be employed by the Queensland Government or QSuper default employer
- Be a spouse of an existing QSuper member
- Be a child (under the age of 25) of an existing QSuper member
- Retired and aged from 60 up to your 80th birthday for a QSuper Lifetime Pension.
A spouse includes someone you are legally married to or in a de facto relationship with (including same sex partners). A child includes adopted children, step-children, and the children of your spouse.
If you do not meet the eligibility criteria above to open a QSuper account, you can still join Australian Retirement Trust, which is open to all Australians.
QSuper superannuation rates
Product QSuper - Accumulation Account | Past 5-year return 5.96 % p.a | FYTD return 0.96 % p.a | Company | Calc fees on 50k $390 | Features Advisory services Death insurance Income protection Online access Term deposits Variety of options | SuperRatings awards ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() | Go to site | Balanced | QSuper is part of Australian Retirement Trust. Eligibility and conditions apply. Refer to qsuper.qld.gov.au/our-products/can-i-join-qsuper |
Product QSuper Lifetime | Past 5-year return 5.84 % p.a | FYTD return 0.89 % p.a | Company | Calc fees on 50k $425 | Features Advisory services Death insurance Income protection Online access Term deposits Variety of options | SuperRatings awards ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() | Go to site | Outlook | QSuper is part of Australian Retirement Trust. Eligibility and conditions apply. Refer to qsuper.qld.gov.au/our-products/can-i-join-qsuper |
Learn more about superannuation
What is a superannuation fund?
A superannuation fund is an institution that is legally allowed to hold and invest your superannuation. There are more than 200 different superannuation funds in Australia. They come in five different types:
- Retail funds
- Industry funds
- Public sector funds
- Corporate funds
- Self-managed super funds
Retail funds are usually run by banks or investment companies.
Industry funds were originally designed for workers from a particular industry, but are now open to anyone.
Public sector funds were originally designed for people working for federal or state government departments. Most are still reserved for government employees.
Corporate funds are arranged by employers for their employees.
Self-managed super funds are private superannuation funds that allow people to directly invest their money.
How do I set up an SMSF?
Setting up an SMSF takes more work than registering with an ordinary superannuation fund.
An SMSF is a type of trust, so if you want to create an SMSF, you first have to create a trust.
To create a trust, you will need trustees, who must sign a trustee declaration. You will also need identifiable beneficiaries and assets for the fund – although these can be as little as a few dollars.
You will also need to create a trust deed, which is a document that lays out the rules of your SMSF. The trust deed must be prepared by a qualified professional and signed by all trustees.
To qualify as an Australian superannuation fund, the SMSF must meet these three criteria:
- The fund must be established in Australia – or at least one of its assets must be located in Australia
- The central management and control of the fund must ordinarily be in Australia
- The fund must have active members who are Australian residents and who hold at least 50 per cent of the fund’s assets – or it must have no active members
Once your SMSF is established and all trustees have signed a trustee declaration, you have 60 days to apply for an Australian Business Number (ABN).
When completing the ABN application, you should ask for a tax file number for your fund. You should also ask for the fund to be regulated by the Australian Taxation Office – otherwise it won’t receive tax concessions.
Your next step is to open a bank account in your fund’s name. This account must be kept separated from the accounts held by the trustees and any related employers.
Your SMSF will also need an electronic service address, so it can receive contributions.
Finally, you will need to create an investment strategy, which explains how your fund will invest its money, and an exit strategy, which explains how and why it would ever close.
Please note that you can pay an adviser to set up your SMSF. You might also want to take the Self-Managed Superannuation Fund Trustee Education Program, which is a free program that has been created by CPA Australia and Chartered Accountants Australia & New Zealand.
What is an SMSF?
An SMSF is a self-managed superannuation fund. SMSFs have to follow the same rules and restrictions as ordinary superannuation funds.
SMSFs allow Australians to directly invest their superannuation, rather than let ordinary funds manage their money for them.
SMSFs are regulated by the Australian Taxation Office (ATO). They can have up to four members. All members must be trustees (or directors if there is a corporate trustee).
Unlike with ordinary funds, SMSF members are responsible for meeting compliance obligations.
How long after divorce can you claim superannuation?
You or your partner could be forced to surrender part of your superannuation if you divorce, just like with other assets.
You can file a claim for division of property – including superannuation – as soon as you divorce. However, the claim has to be filed within one year of the divorce.
Your superannuation could be affected even if you’re in a de facto relationship – that is, living together as a couple without being officially married.
In that case, the claim has to be filed within two years of the date of separation.
Either way, the first thing to consider is whether you’re a member of a standard, APRA-regulated superannuation fund or if you’re a member of a self-managed superannuation fund (SMSF), because different rules apply.
Standard superannuation funds
If your relationship breaks down, your superannuation savings might be divided by court order or by agreement.
The rules of the superannuation fund will dictate whether this transfer happens immediately, or in the future when the person who has to make the transfer is allowed to access the rest of their superannuation (i.e. at or near retirement).
Click here for more information.
SMSFs
If your relationship breaks down, you must continue to observe the trust deed of your SMSF.
So if you and your partner are both members of the same SMSF, neither party is allowed to use the fund to inflict ‘punishment’ – such as by excluding the other party from the decision-making process or refusing their request to roll their money into another superannuation fund.
This no-punishment rule applies even if the two parties are involved in legal proceedings.
Click here for more information.
Financial consequences
Superannuation funds often charge a fee for splitting accounts after a relationship breakdown.
Splitting superannuation can also impact the size of your total super balance and how your super is taxed.
Click here for more information.
How do you create a superannuation account?
Before you create a superannuation account, you’ll need to check if you’re allowed to choose your own fund. Most Australians can, but this option doesn’t apply to some workers who are covered by industrial agreements or who are members of defined benefits funds.
Assuming you are able to choose your own fund, the next step should be research, because there are more than 200 different superannuation funds in Australia.
Once you’ve decided on your preferred superannuation fund, head to that provider’s website, where you should be able to fill in an online application or download the appropriate forms. You’ll need your tax file number (assuming you don’t want to be charged a higher tax rate), your contact details and your employer’s details (if you’re employed).
How can I keep track of my superannuation?
Most funds will allow you to access your superannuation account online. Another option is to manage your superannuation through myGov, which is a government portal through which you can access a range of services, including Medicare, Centrelink, aged care and child support.
How much superannuation should I have?
The amount of superannuation you need to have at retirement is based on how much money you would expect to spend each week during your retirement. That, in turn, depends on whether you expect to lead a modest retirement or a comfortable retirement.
The Association of Superannuation Funds of Australia (ASFA) estimates you would need the following amount per week:
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 |
How do you set up superannuation?
Before you set up a superannuation account, you’ll need to check if you’re allowed to choose your own fund. Most Australians can, but this option doesn’t apply to some workers who are covered by industrial agreements or who are members of defined benefits funds.
Assuming you are able to choose your own fund, the next step should be research, because there are more than 200 different superannuation funds in Australia.
Once you’ve decided on your preferred superannuation fund, head to that provider’s website, where you should be able to fill in an online application or download the appropriate forms. You’ll need your tax file number (assuming you don’t want to be charged a higher tax rate), your contact details and your employer’s details (if you’re employed).
Can I take money out of my superannuation fund?
Superannuation is designed to provide Australians with money in their retirement. The government has strict rules around when people can take that money out of their fund because it wants to prevent people eroding their savings before they reach retirement.
As a general rule, you can only take money out of your superannuation fund when you reach:
- Age 65
- Your ‘preservation age’ and retire
- Your preservation age and begin a ‘transition to retirement’ while still working
That said, you can take money out of your superannuation fund early based on one of these seven special conditions:
- Compassionate grounds
- Severe financial hardship
- Temporary incapacity
- Permanent incapacity
- Superannuation inheritance
- Superannuation balance under $200
- Temporary resident departing Australia
How much superannuation should I have at age 40?
The amount of superannuation you should have at age 40 is based on how much money you need to have at retirement. That, in turn, is based on how much money you expect to spend each week during your retirement. That, in turn, depends on whether you expect to lead a modest retirement or a comfortable retirement.
The Association of Superannuation Funds of Australia (ASFA) estimates you would need the following amount per week:
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 |
What is the superannuation rate?
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.
How is superannuation calculated?
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.
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.
How do I change my superannuation fund?
Changing superannuation funds is a common and straightforward process. You can do it through your MyGov account or by filling out a rollover form and sending it to your new fund. You’ll also have to provide proof of identity.
Am I entitled to superannuation if I'm a casual employee?
As a casual employee, you’re 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
What is MySuper?
MySuper accounts are basic, low-fee accounts. If you don’t nominate a superannuation fund, your employer must choose one for you that offers a MySuper account.
MySuper accounts offer two investment options:
- Single diversified investment strategy
Your fund assigns you a risk strategy and investment profile, which remain unchanged throughout your working life.
- Lifecycle investment strategy
Your fund assigns you an investment strategy based on your age, and then changes it as you get older. Younger workers are given strategies that emphasise growth assets