Your investment options
Take the time to really understand your investment options.
Everyone’s financial situation is different. That’s why it’s so important to understand how investment may impact your superannuation.
Fund rules differ
Select your fund to view the details
- CSS
- DFRDB
- MilitarySuper
- PSS
Is your super invested?
All contributions paid to the accumulation* portion of your CSS account are invested.
CSS offers two investment options: Default (Balanced) and Cash Option.
*The accumulation portion of your account can include:
- your member component (basic and supplementary contributions, plus interest)
- the productivity component (fortnightly contributions from your employer, plus interest)
- amounts transferred from other super funds
- government co-contributions
- low income superannuation tax offset.
Your investment options
CSS members can switch components of their super between the default and cash investment options.
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Default Balanced
The 'Balanced' option offered aims to balance savings between higher-growth opportunities and capital-preserving assets, while managing downside risk, with the goal of achieving a comfortable retirement for the longer term and a greater diversification of risk than most peers.
- Return objective: CPI +3.5% per year after fees and tax, over 10 years.
- Investment horizon (i.e. anticipated time to retirement): 10 years
- Life stage (general guidelines): Middle to late stage of working life, or pre-retirement.
- Estimated number of negative annual returns over a 20-year period: 4 to less than 6
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Cash
Our ‘Cash’ option focuses on preserving capital, so it’s expected to have lower risk and lower return compared to other options.
- Return objective: Bloomberg AusBond bank index rate of return, net of fees.
- Investment horizon (i.e. anticipated time to retirement): 1 year
- Life stage (general guidelines): Retired.
- Estimated number of negative annual returns over a 20-year period: Less than 0.5
Choosing your investment option
The decisions you make now about your super can help you reach your retirement goals. Take the time to understand your options, taking your personal objectives, financial situation and needs into account.
For example, you should consider the:
- impact investment performance has on your account
- amount of time your money will be invested before you need it for retirement
- level of risk and fluctuation in the value of your investment that you can tolerate.
Until you make a choice to switch your investment option, your super balance and contributions will be invested in the Balanced option.
Making a switch
You can switch your entire accumulation component, as long as it’s greater than $1,000. Switches can only be made once a month, and no more than twice in a calendar year.
To switch:
- log into the CSC Navigator; or
- download, complete and return an Investment choice form.