Super Fund Compare: Fees, Performance and More

Super fund fees can be a significant expense, with some funds charging up to 3.5% of your balance each year. This can add up quickly, especially if you're not paying attention.

The performance of a super fund can also have a big impact on your retirement savings. A fund that consistently underperforms can leave you with less money in the long run. For example, a fund that returns 5% per annum will grow your balance faster than one that returns 3% per annum.

It's essential to compare fees and performance across different super funds to make an informed decision. You can use online tools to compare fees, but it's also a good idea to read reviews and ask friends or family members for recommendations.

When comparing super funds, it's essential to consider the top performers in each category. The Top 10 options are based on the respective SuperRatings index constituents for each category.

Super fund rankings can be overwhelming, but focusing on the top performers can help you make a more informed decision. The SuperRatings index is a widely recognized benchmark for evaluating super fund performance.

If you're looking for a low-cost option, you might be interested in the top 10 lists for each category. These lists provide a clear snapshot of the top performers in each area, making it easier to compare and contrast different funds.

By examining the top 10 lists, you can identify the super funds that consistently deliver strong returns. The top 10 options are based on the respective SuperRatings index constituents for each category.

If you're looking for a super fund that excludes investments in coal, the Comprehensive option is the most strict, excluding all companies expanding the coal sector or relying on scenarios consistent with the failure of the Paris Agreement.

Some super funds, like those with a Minimal policy, exclude investments in companies deriving 75% or more revenue from thermal coal mining. This means they won't invest in companies like Whitehaven Coal or New Hope.

The Reduced exposure option is a bit more nuanced, with super funds publicly disclosing details of a policy that reduces exposure to some companies deriving revenue from coal operations. This could be a good option for those who want to phase out coal exposure over time.

Here's a comparison of the different coal exclusion policies:

If you're looking to minimize fees on your superannuation account, it's worth taking a closer look at the options available.

The lowest average fees payable on a $50,000 account balance for public offer funds can be found in the table below.

Hostplus is another option worth considering, with one of the lowest administration fees out of any MySuper product.

When comparing super funds, it's essential to understand the different table categories that exist. A comprehensive super fund option excludes investments in companies that are expanding the coal sector or relying on scenarios consistent with the failure of the Paris Agreement.

There are several categories to consider, each with its own level of coal exclusion. The most restrictive category is the Comprehensive option, which excludes investments in companies like Whitehaven Coal, New Hope, AGL, BHP, or South32.

The Some category excludes investments in companies deriving 33% or more revenue from thermal coal mining and coal power generation. This means that companies like Whitehaven Coal, New Hope, or AGL are not included in this option.

The Minimal category excludes investments in companies deriving 75% or more revenue from thermal coal mining. This means that companies like Whitehaven Coal or New Hope are not included in this option.

Other categories include Reduced exposure, which has publicly disclosed details of a policy that reduces exposure to some companies deriving revenue from coal operations, and Future commitment, which intends to phase out thermal coal exposure by or before 2030.

Here's a summary of the different table categories:

Similar categories exist for oil and gas, with the Comprehensive option excluding investments in companies expanding the oil and gas sector or relying on scenarios consistent with the failure of the Paris Agreement. The Some category excludes investments in companies deriving 50% or more revenue from oil and gas production.

Our analysis covers the default investment options of Australia's largest 30 super funds by assets under management, according to APRA's June 2022 fund-level superannuation statistics. We've also included state-regulated funds and ethical super funds that are outside the top 30 funds.

These funds were selected based on their asset size, with mergers between super funds being treated as a single entity unless they had clearly separate default options with different investments. This approach ensures that our analysis is comprehensive and accurate.

We excluded HUB24, Netwealth, and Macquarie from our study, as they don't have default investment options comparable to the rest of the funds captured in the study.

Our data was sourced from each fund's website, with portfolio holdings disclosures collected as at 31 December 2022. This date is crucial, as it provides a snapshot of each fund's investments at a specific point in time.

We filtered the portfolio holdings disclosures for listed equities and extracted all the investments whose security identifiers matched companies in the Climate Wreckers Index.