Fees & costs
Fees & costs
We keep our costs competitive and are driven by strong long-term growth on your investment, to maximise your super balance. It’s the overall benefit to you that counts.
Total fees and costs
The total fees and costs applied to your super account include administration fees, investment fees and costs, and transaction costs.^ Fees and costs shown below are applicable from 1 July 2024.
See specific super and pension account fee details below.
Reason for administration fees and costs
The administration fees cover CareSuper’s operating costs and the general cost of managing your super account.
*You pay these fees monthly or on withdrawal
Fees are calculated and deducted directly from your super account.
**Additional administration costs paid from fund assets.
Fees are not deducted from your super account.
Reason for fees and costs
These fees represent the internal fees and external costs (including custodial, asset consulting and investment manager fees) of professionally managing the investments in your super account. Our size and scale enables us to keep these fees competitive.
We actively manage your investments to take advantage when markets rise and to protect your capital during volatility. See our investment philosophy to learn more.
Fees are calculated annually as a percentage of the money invested in each option.
These fees are not deducted from your super account but taken out from investment returns and reflected in the daily unit prices for each option.
Investment costs
The amounts shown are estimates** only based on the investment costs for the last financial year, applicable from 1 July 2024 *Rounded to two decimal places.
| Investment option | Investment fee and costs | Transaction cost | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Capital Guaranteed | 0.29% | 0.01% | 0.30% |
| Capital Stable | 0.44% | 0.03% | 0.47% |
| Conservative Balanced | 0.49% | 0.02% | 0.51% |
| Balanced | 0.66% | 0.05% | 0.71% |
| Sustainable Balanced | 0.66% | 0.04% | 0.70% |
| Alternative Growth | 0.63% | 0.04% | 0.67% |
| Growth | 0.65% | 0.06% | 0.71% |
| Cash | 0.07% | 0.00% | 0.07% |
| Direct Property | 0.58% | 0.00% | 0.58% |
| Fixed Interest | 0.26% | 0.01% | 0.27% |
| Australian Shares | 0.41% | 0.09% | 0.50% |
| Overseas Shares | 0.38% | 0.05% | 0.43% |
Buy–sell spreads
Applies when money goes into your account (e.g. employer and personal contributions), when money comes out of your account (e.g. rollovers to another fund), and when you switch in and out of an investment option. Buy-sell spreads are not deducted directly from your account but are factored into the unit prices of each investment option, and are subject to change. Details are outlined below.
The buy-sell spreads for each of our Managed and Asset class options are set out below.
| Investment option | Buy | Sell |
| Capital Guaranteed | Nil | Nil |
| Capital Stable | 0.03% | 0.03% |
| Conservative Balanced | 0.04% | 0.04% |
| Balanced | 0.05% | 0.05% |
| Sustainable Balanced | 0.05% | 0.05% |
| Alternative growth | 0.08% | 0.08% |
| Growth | 0.06% | 0.06% |
| Cash | Nil | Nil |
| Fixed Interest | Nil | Nil |
| Direct Property | 0.45% | 0.45% |
| Australian Shares | 0.06% | 0.06% |
| Overseas Shares | 0.07% | 0.07% |
Reason for administration fees and costs
The administration fees cover CareSuper’s operating costs and the general cost of managing your pension account.
*You pay these fees monthly or on withdrawal
Fees are calculated and deducted directly from your pension account.
**Additional administration costs paid from fund assets.
Fees are not deducted from your pension account.
Reason for fees and costs
These fees represent the internal fees and external costs (including custodial, asset consulting and investment manager fees) of professionally managing the investments in your pension account. Our size and scale enables us to keep these fees competitive.
We actively manage your investments to take advantage when markets rise and to protect your capital during volatility. See our investment philosophy to learn more.
Fees are calculated annually as a percentage of the money in each option.
These fees are not deducted from your account but taken out of the investment returns and reflected in the daily unit prices for each option.
Investment costs
The amounts shown are estimates** only based on the investment costs for the last financial year, applicable from 1 July 2024. *Rounded to two decimal places.
| Investment option | Investment fee and costs | Transaction cost | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Capital Guaranteed (Pension) | 0.30% | 0.02% | 0.32% |
| Capital Stable (Pension) | 0.45% | 0.03% | 0.48% |
| Conservative Balanced (Pension) | 0.50% | 0.03% | 0.53% |
| Balanced (Pension) | 0.67% | 0.04% | 0.71% |
| Sustainable Balanced (Pension) | 0.67% | 0.02% | 0.69% |
| Alternative Growth (Pension) | 0.64% | 0.02% | 0.66% |
| Growth (Pension) | 0.66% | 0.04% | 0.70% |
| Cash (Pension) | 0.07% | 0.00% | 0.07% |
| Direct Property (Pension) | 0.58% | 0.00% | 0.58% |
| Fixed Interest (Pension) | 0.26% | 0.01% | 0.27% |
| Australian Shares (Pension) | 0.41% | 0.07% | 0.48% |
| Overseas Shares (Pension) | 0.38% | 0.03% | 0.41% |
Buy–sell spreads
Applies when you transact in an investment option (eg by switching investment options or making a withdrawal from your pension account. Buy-sell spreads are not deducted directly from your account but are factored into the unit prices of each investment option, and are subject to change. Details are outlined below.
| Investment option | Buy | Sell |
| Capital Stable | 0.03% | 0.03% |
| Conservative Balanced | 0.04% | 0.04% |
| Balanced | 0.05% | 0.05% |
| Sustainable Balanced | 0.05% | 0.05% |
| Alternative growth | 0.08% | 0.08% |
| Growth | 0.06% | 0.06% |
| Capital Guaranteed | Nil | Nil |
| Cash | Nil | Nil |
| Fixed Interest | Nil | Nil |
| Direct Property | 0.45% | 0.45% |
| Australian Shares | 0.06% | 0.06% |
| Overseas Shares | 0.07% | 0.07% |
Admin fee
$10 per month.
Activity fee
Activity fees may apply if you’re invested in the DIO. These could include the following types of fees.
Brokerage fee
Brokerage will either be added to the cost of your trade when you buy, or deducted from the sale proceeds when you sell, based on the trade amount.
Brokerage fee (including GST)
| Trade amount | Brokerage fee (including GST) |
| $0 - $20,000 | $22.00 |
| $20,001 - $10,000,000 | 0.11% |
Other potential DIO fees
Other fees may apply to your account, for example if you break a term deposit before maturity or request a tax calculation. Specific fees may also apply if you choose to invest in exchange-traded funds (ETFs) or listed investment companies (LICs). Learn more in Fees and other costs or your product disclosure statement.
Fees (or ‘premiums’) to cover any insurance cover you have with us as a super member. These fees are deducted from your account each month. See more about our insurance offering here or refer to your Insurance Guide.
You can get financial advice1 about super-related topics over the phone or through MemberOnline as part of your membership at no extra cost.
If you’re after a comprehensive financial plan, you can book a call-back with one of our financial planners. The initial obligation-free consultation is at no extra cost and if you decide to go ahead with comprehensive advice, your planner will let you know what other fees apply.
If you require more complex advice, our planners may refer you to an external advice service provided by Australian Unity Personal Financial Services Limited.2
Lifetime account admin fee
0.15% p.a. of initial investment amount.
This fee is included in the calculation of your income payments (not deducted directly from your account or from your regular payments).
Fixed term account admin fee
Accounts with a residual capital value 100% (RCV100)
- 0.20% p.a. of your initial investment amount
Accounts with a residual capital value between 0% and 99% (RCV0-99)
- 0.20% p.a. of your reducing initial investment amount3
This fee is included in the calculation of your regular payments (not deducted directly from your account or from your regular payments).
See the Guaranteed Income PDS for more details.
For full details of our fees and costs, read your product disclosure statement.
* If your account balance is less than $6,000 at the end of the financial year or when you leave CareSuper, the total combined amount of administration fees, investment fees and indirect costs charged to you is capped at 3% of the account balance. The total of these fees cannot exceed 3% of your account balance and the excess will be refunded to you.
**These investment fees are indicative only, based on the latest information available. The fees and costs for subsequent years will vary depending on the actual fees and costs incurred by the Trustee in managing the investment option.
^ Additional fees, such as advice fees for personal advice, or insurance fees, may apply. Percentages are of your account balance.
^^ Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future performance. Comparisons modelled by SuperRatings as at 30 June 2023, commissioned by CareSuper. Assumes a starting balance of $50,000 and initial salary of $50,000 and considers historical earnings and fees – excluding contributions, entry, exit and adviser fees. Compares the average difference in net benefit performance of CareSuper’s Balanced option and the balanced options of funds tracked by SuperRatings including funds with a 15-year performance history. Outcomes vary between funds. See caresuper.com.au/assumptions for more details about modelling calculations and assumptions. This information is general advice only. You should consider your investment objectives, financial situation and needs and read the product disclosure statement before making an investment decision.
1. Financial advice obtained over the phone, or through MemberOnline, is provided by Mercer Financial Advice (Australia) Pty Ltd (MFAAPL) ABN 76 153 168 293, Australian Financial Services Licence #411766. Comprehensive advice is provided by one of our financial planners who are Authorised Representatives of Industry Funds Services Limited (IFS). IFS is responsible for any advice given to you by its Authorised Representatives. Industry Fund Services Limited ABN 54 007 016 195 AFSL 232514.
2. Complex personal financial advice is provided by Australian Unity Personal Financial Services Limited (ABN 26 098 725 145, AFSL 234459). If you choose to take up complex advice services, you may be charged fees by Australian Unity. Australian Unity will discuss any applicable fees directly with you prior to them being charged. CareSuper receives no financial incentives or commissions regarding this referral service.
3. The initial investment is reduced after each regular income payment by an amount calculated as: initial investment minus any residual capital value, divided by the total number of income payments in the investment term.