PAY ATTENTION
There is much confusion around superannuation. No one knows what to believe, yet everyone must make decisions. The government’s direction on super appears to continually change. Occasionally, there is a clear directional signal, but the reaction from the public (who own the asset) is minimal or absent.
Everyone with a super account must understand that super is a personal asset, which means the responsibility for how well (or poorly) it performs as a wealth creation asset is down to them.
Ineffective management of your super asset can result in around 20% to 40% less income in retirement.
KEY DECISIONS
There are four key areas that impact super outcomes:
- Choice of Product
- Fees and Costs
- Contribution Strategy
- Investment Strategy
If you are to optimise your super asset these four areas require regular review and updates made at appropriate times.
Some additional points to note are:
- You must set super goals because you cannot manage what you do not measure.
- Use the measure of projected income in retirement to compare different super options.
- Monitor your progress regularly against defined short and medium-term milestones.
- Update your super strategy as your circumstances and market conditions evolve.
- Obtain appropriate information from a trusted source to make informed decisions.
- Periodically reset long-term goals and targets as (if managed effectively) results can trend above initial forecasts.
INFORMATION AND ADVICE
You may be wondering how to accumulate and maintain the financial knowledge needed to appropriately compare current options offered by the financial services market to optimise super as it requires a specialised skill set and analysis of up-to-date of relevant information.
The SuperWiser client portal fulfils this purpose specifically. It provides access to the information necessary to make informed, strategic decisions and advice around optimally managing your super as a personal wealth creation asset.
JUSTIFIED IMPORTANCE
For anyone unsure of the importance of super, a brief review of its history provides some perspective.
- Compulsory super started in 1992
- Initially, the employer contribution rate was 3% (as of 1 July 2024 is 11.5% and will increase to 12% on 1 July 2025).
- Due to the low employer contribution rate in the nineties, it took around 20 years for an employee to accumulate $100,000.
- If managed effectively, the significant increase in employer contribution rate nowadays means most employees in their 30s and 40s (currently) should accumulate an asset worth over $1m (in today’s dollars) by the time they retire.
- Individuals who manage their super ineffectively risk substantially under-realising its optimal value.
HELP IS AVAILABLE
Not knowing what to do with your super and when to do it results in missed opportunities, mistakes, and sub-optimal retirement outcomes.
Optimising your super asset requires effective management, which means setting goals, monitoring progress against milestone targets, and making timely, well-informed strategic decisions as required.
Use SuperWiser to complete a free super review. You can then make informed decisions and consider the cost benefit of obtaining formal super optimisation advice.
Create your secure SuperWiser account using your email address and then follow the instructions on screen.
Alternatively, call 1800 467 467 to discuss your options.
