2024 ‘super’ resolutions!
As one year ends and a new one begins, it’s a great time to review and reset—here’s how to do that with your super in three easy steps.
By Emma Barrett - 3 min read
A little about Emma
Emma is the Director, Member Services for Russell Investments. She is responsible for the development and delivery of the member proposition, focusing on encouraging members to engage with their super so that they achieve better retirement outcomes.
The end of the year is always a great time to reflect on the months gone by and plan for what might lie ahead. It’s a time to make resolutions, to act and to change for the better. This holds true for all aspects of our lives—including our superannuation.
But before we move on, it’s useful to pause and take stock. When thinking about super, it’s worth recapping the basics, such as:
What is super?
Put simply, super is your money. It’s compulsory, tax-effective savings. In general, your employer must contribute 11% of your wages into your super fund (rising to 11.5% from July 1, 2024), where it stays and builds up until you retire.
What is super for?
The aim of super is to ensure you save for your retirement. The idea is that when you retire, your accumulated super savings will provide you with an income in retirement, alongside government support.
Many Australians will find that by retirement, superannuation is their largest asset—or perhaps second largest after their home—so it’s well worth resolving to take an interest in your super.
Resolutions for your super in three simple steps
New year’s resolutions always begin with the best of intentions, but they can be difficult to keep unless they’re straightforward and achievable.
With that in mind, you might want to look for some quick wins. To get you started, here are three simple super resolutions you can easily keep.
| 1 | Read your member statement  |
Annual member statements are usually sent out from September onwards, so if you didn’t read it in detail when you received it, now is the time to do so. Your member statement is a key source of information about your account. It maps out the details of your super, insurance and investments, including its performance over the year. It’s a great place to get a snapshot of your current position. You would have received an email notification to let you know your member statement is available in your online account, or you would have received it directly in the mail. |
| 2 | Read your communications |
Your member statement gives you an annual snapshot of your super account. But things may change throughout the year. Often, before any changes are put into action, we will communicate with you about what’s going to happen. It’s always important to read these communications to make sure you have a clear understanding of upcoming changes. For example, most members1 were sent an important notice recently about changes to our investment menu that will come into effect on 14 December 2023. These changes may better meet your needs, or they may not—but you’ll never know unless you read the notice. Our communications can also help you to better understand what services are available to you as a member, or you can use them as timely reminders and prompts on when you need to take action as they contain useful and practical information (like your Zest! emails!). |
| 3 | Log into your account  |
The communications your fund sends you will help you understand where you’re at and what’s available. But one of the easiest ways to find out more about your super and interact with your fund is to log into your account.
If you have any issues, just give us a call. Once you’ve logged in, you can view more information about your super—and knowledge is power when it comes to planning ahead. Your online account also allows you to transact and manage your super—and access tools to set a retirement income goal, track your progress, find your other super and easily combine your super accounts. Using these features could help you to take your new year’s resolutions to the next level when you’re ready. |
Starting small and simple with these three easy steps will help get you going. You can build momentum from there to set yourself up for a truly ‘super’ new year.
1. Excluding Defined Benefit members with no Member Investment Choice and Harwood Pension members.
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Issued by Total Risk Management Pty Ltd ABN 62 008 644 353, AFSL 238790 (TRM) as trustee of Russell Investments Master Trust ABN 89 384 753 567. Nationwide Super and Resource Super are Divisions of the Russell Investments Master Trust. The Product Disclosure Statement (‘PDS’), the Target Market Determinations and the Financial Services Guide can be obtained by phoning 1800 555 667 or by visiting russellinvestments.com.au or for Nationwide Super by phoning 1800 025 241 or visiting nationwidesuper.com.au. Any potential investor should consider the latest PDS in deciding whether to acquire, or to continue to hold, an investment in any Russell Investments product. Russell Investments Financial Solutions Pty Ltd ABN 84 010 799 041, AFSL 229850 (RIFS) is the provider of MyTracker and the financial product advice provided by GoalTracker Plus. General financial product advice is provided by RIFS or Link Advice Pty Ltd (Link Advice) ABN 36 105 811 836, AFSL 258145. Limited personal financial product advice is provided by Link Advice with the exception of GoalTracker Plus advice, which is provided by RIFS.
This communication provides general information only and has not been prepared having regard to your objectives, financial situation or needs. Before making an investment decision, you need to consider whether this information is appropriate to your objectives, financial situation and needs. If you'd like personal advice, we can refer you to the appropriate person. This information has been compiled from sources considered to be reliable but is not guaranteed. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future performance. To the extent permitted by law, no liability is accepted for any loss or damage as a result of reliance on this information. This material does not constitute professional advice or opinion and is not intended to be used as the basis for making an investment decision. This work is copyright 2023. Apart from any use permitted under the Copyright Act 1968, no part may be reproduced by any process, nor may any other exclusive right be exercised, without the permission of Russell Investments.