Get Super Smart and check your Superannuation Guarantee

The Association of Superannuation Funds of Australia (ASFA) is urging Australian workers to check their super guarantee (SG) payments are accurate and up to date.

ASFA CEO Dr Martin Fahy said a new report on unpaid SG payments, issued today by Industry Super Australian and Cbus, raised some serious concerns and highlights the need for employees to check their SG payments are being made and at the correct amount.

“If you think you are not receiving the SG you are entitled to, here are Super Guru’s steps for getting back on track:

1. Check your payslip
By law, your employer must include on your payslip the amount of the superannuation contribution made or that the employer is liable to make and the name of the fund to which the contribution was made.

Once you have found the section for SG contributions, you should check the amount you have been paid equates to 9.5 per cent of your gross (pre-tax) ordinary time earnings for the period of time covered by the payslip.

2. Speak to your employer
If after checking your super fund member statement, you cannot locate your SG contribution, you may wish to ask your employer if they have been making SG contributions for you and, if so, how much they have been paying and what account details they are using. Employers must make contributions at least quarterly, although some employers make contributions more frequently than that.

If your employer contributions have been going into a fund that you no longer use or check, you may wish to consolidate your super.

3. Contact your super fund
If you do not have your most recent member statement, you can contact your super fund to find out the timing and amount of your last super payment.

You can also create an account on the MyGov service to view details of all of your super funds, including any that you may have lost track of or forgotten about.

4. Lodge an enquiry with the ATO
If you have checked with your employer and super fund and are still not sure that your employer is paying you the correct superannuation contribution, you can lodge an unpaid super enquiry with the ATO.

You will need to provide your employer’s ABN and contact details, along with information on your current employment arrangement and details of the period of lost super. Once received, the ATO will investigate your case and provide you with updates via letter.

Dr Fahy said the loss of superannuation impacts more heavily on younger Australians, who are not only missing out on the immediate amount but also its potential growth over the years until retirement.

“Also affected are lower-income earners who will be reliant on their superannuation savings to supplement the age pension in retirement,” he said.

“Estimates show that for a 25 year old, a one-off loss of $4,000 in super could equate to a loss of more than $14,000 at retirement in today’s dollars. Australians who are facing more vulnerable circumstances and broken work patterns may endure multiple losses throughout their working life.

“It is important to know what you are entitled to when it comes to SG so you are not missing out on a large sum in retirement.”

*Super Guru is an independent website that helps you understand and maximise your superannuation. It is a site for Australians of all ages and stages of their life, whether you’re studying, working, have kids or retiring.

The website is not selling any product or service and doesn’t accept any advertising so remains non-biased.

Super Guru is an initiative of ASFA, a non-profit organisation that helps members of super funds achieve effective retirement outcomes, through research and advocacy.

Information on the site is put together by ASFA’s writers and industry-leading policy and research teams, who have decades of experience in superannuation, investment, financial services, self-managed super funds (SMSFs), taxation and regulation.

For more information, visit www.superguru.com.au

For further information, please contact:

Teresa Mullan, Media Manager, 0451 949 300.

About ASFA

ASFA is the peak policy, research and advocacy body for Australia’s superannuation industry. It is a not-for-profit, sector-neutral, and non-party political national organisation, which aims to advance effective retirement outcomes for members of funds through research, advocacy and the development of policy and industry best practice.