Australian Association of Practice Managers Ltd

Take control of your Superannuation

1. Take control of your super
    
2. If you're not happy with the return from your super investment, you can do something about it.
    
3. Take a look at the investment choices offered by your fund and see if another option, or combination of options, would suit your circumstances better than your current choice.
    
4. Most funds have default investments and, unless you choose another option, this is where your super will stay. Although default investments are designed to suit the majority of members, they may not be an exact fit for your individual retirement goals.
    
5. It's worth seeing if the other choices on offer might suit your investment goals better. Because the investment strategy you choose for your super has the potential to impact on your retirement income, it's important to choose one that's right for your circumstances.
    
6. Super is a long-term investment and your strategy generally shouldn't change in response to short-term market fluctuations, although it should be reviewed regularly to ensure it still meets your objectives.
    
7. What should you consider? 
    
   Do you understand the concept of risk and return and how comfortable you are with risk?
    
8. The key to choosing an investment strategy is deciding the return you want relative to how comfortable you are with the chance that the actual return will be different from the expected return.
    
9. If the idea of losing money keeps you awake at night then you may not be comfortable with higher risk investment options.
    
10. Or, you might be quite comfortable with the idea that pursuing higher long-term returns may result in low or negative returns in some years.
     
11. How many years do you have until retirement?
     
12. Short-term investors typically need their money within a few years and try to avoid the fluctuations that go with high-risk investments, as they don't have time to make up potential losses.
     
13. Long-term investors may have many years before they need to access their super and have time to recover short-term losses.
     
14. Even if you are close to retirement, if you plan to invest your super with a similar risk profile after retirement you may still wish to consider a long-term strategy.
     
15. Should you consult a financial planner?
     
16. A financial adviser can help you to determine your risk profile and preferred investment strategy.
     
17. HESTA ( http://www.hesta.com.au/ ) members have access to commission-free financial planning services. Call 1800 813 327 for more information.

H.E.S.T. Australia Limited ACN 006 818 695 AFSL No. 235249 RSE No. L0000109 Information provided is of a general nature. It does not take into account your objectives, financial situation or specific needs, so you should look at your own financial position and requirements before making a decision. You may wish to consult an adviser when doing this. Contact HESTA on 1800 813 327 for more information and a copy of the Fund's Product Disclosure Statement which should be considered when making a decision about HESTA. Investments can go up and down. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future performance.