Choice of Fund

What is Choice of Fund?

Many Australian employees are able to choose which fund their employer's Superannuation Guarantee (SG) contributions are paid into.

You do not have to choose your own superannuation fund. If you don't, your superannuation contributions will be paid into a fund chosen by your employer (known as the default fund).

While you can choose a fund at anytime, your employer has to accept only one choice from you in a 12 month period.

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Am I eligible and what do I need to do?

Eligibility depends on your employment conditions or arrangements.

You’ll be eligible to choose the fund for your future superannuation guarantee contributions unless:

• Your super is paid under a state award or industrial agreement.
• Your super is paid under a certified agreement or an Australian Workplace Agreement.
• You’re a federal or state public sector employee excluded from choice by law or special regulations.
• You’re in a particular type of ‘defined benefit’ fund or you’ve already reached a certain level of benefit in that fund.

If you are not sure what award or industrial agreement, if any, you are covered by, you can check with your employer or the WageNet website (for federal awards and agreements and links to information on state awards), or phone the workplace relations department in your state or territory.

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How do I make a choice?

Step one: determine if you are eligible.

Step two: decide which fund is right for you by comparing your options. Download this handy checklist to compare AUST(Q). Remember to make sure that the fund is a complying superannuation fund, like AUST(Q).

Step three: notify your employer of your choice.

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How do I notify my employer of my choice?

You have two options.

Option 1: You can complete the Standard Choice Form. Your employer should provide you with a Standard Choice form within 28 days of starting work.

You can download the form if your employer does not provide you with it:

• ATO Standard Choice Form with AUST(Q)'s details pre-populated.
• blank ATO Standard Choice Form.

Option 2: You can notify your employer in writing. If you would like to choose AUST(Q), download this letter to your employer.

For both options you will need to attach:

• A letter from the trustee stating that your choice is a complying fund.
• Written evidence from the fund they will accept contributions from your employer.
• Details about how your employer can make contributions to the fund.

Download this information about AUST(Q).

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More information

The following websites provide additional helpful information:

• The Government’s choice website
• Association of Superannuation Funds Australia (ASFA)
• Australian Tax Office (ATO)

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