About MilitarySuper

MilitarySuper, the Military Superannuation and Benefits Scheme (MSBS) is a fund designed for eligible Australian Defence Force (ADF) personnel. It is a hybrid super fund – a combination of a defined benefit fund and an accumulation fund. The accumulation portions of a member’s benefit grows from contributions into the fund plus investment earnings after fees and costs. The defined benefit portion is determined by a formula. 

MilitarySuper provides resignation, redundancy, retirement, invalidity and death benefits for contributing members. 

For more information, see MilitarySuper PDS, MilitarySuper PDS Booklet – Death and Invalidity benefits and ADF medical transition.

Members who have a preserved MilitarySuper employer benefit and who re-join the ADF by way of the permanent forces or rendering continuous full-time reserve work, can re-join MilitarySuper and can also contribute, unless they previously opted out of MilitarySuper.

Re-joining members keep their current preserved benefit entitlement. The unfunded employer component continues to grow with the Consumer Price Index (CPI).

The funded (invested) productivity component grows according to investment performance of the MilitarySuper Balanced Option.

For the second period of service members will be entitled to an additional employer benefit. The previous period of membership is used to determine the Employer Benefit Multiple (EBM).

At the end of each period of service, the additional employer benefit is added to the existing preserved employer benefit. This happens automatically.

See Re-joining the Australian Defence Force.

MilitarySuper closed to new members on 1 July 2016. Only current contributing members can put money into their MilitarySuper super or receive employer contributions. 

Member benefit

Member contributions make up the Member benefit.  Members are generally required to make contributions fortnightly to their super at a rate between 5% and 10% of their super salary. If a member does not elect a percentage, their contributions will default to 5%.

Member contributions grow in line with investment performance until they reach their pension maximum benefit limit (PMBL). After that, the member won’t be able to make any further member contributions unless they leave and later re-enter service.

Employer benefit

The Employer benefit is a notional amount calculated as Final Average Salary (FAS) x Employer Benefit Multiple (EBM).

Ancillary benefit

This is an additional benefit that allows a member to grow their super by making voluntary contributions such as salary sacrifice and contributions paid from a member’s after-tax salary. Ancillary contributions are invested and grow with investment earnings. It also accepts transfer amounts from other super funds and Government contributions such as co-contributions and Low Income Super Tax Offsets (LISTO) contributions.

Members have the choice of investing their Member and Ancillary benefit across four investment options – Cash, Income Focused, Balanced and Aggressive. If they do not choose any investment option, their super will be invested in the Balanced (default) option. 

For more information including asset allocations, see and MilitarySuper PDS – Investment options and risk and the Investment options webpage.

MilitarySuper members do not pay any direct fees for administration, buy-sell spreads, or switching between investment options. There are indirect costs associated with investing in the funds, these are paid from the investment returns or assets related to the member’s investment option and will be reflected in the option’s earning rates.

For more information on fees, see MilitarySuper PDS –Your MilitarySuper fees and costs.

To change investment option, use the Member Investment Choice Form.

Salary sacrifice contributions (voluntary contributions from a member’s pre–tax salary) can be made in addition to the member’s regular fortnightly contributions. They will form part of the member’s Ancillary benefit.

Different rules apply to members claiming their benefits. These rules are based on factors such as the member’s age and the type of benefit they are claiming e.g. Retirement or Redundancy.

A member – contributing or preserved – can claim their benefit as a pension from age 55 if they are no longer in full-time service with the ADF. This means that contributing members will need to retire to claim.

Lump sums can be claimed after age 60 if the member has satisfied a condition of release.

This can change if a member is claiming for reasons other than age retirement, like redundancy or invalidity. See Accessing your benefit.

MilitarySuper does not offer a TTR to contributing members.

MilitarySuper pensions (other than invalidity pensions) are generally payable for life.

Invalidity pensions are based on a member’s fitness to return to work. As such, CSC may review a member’s invalidity pension up until age 55.

The value of preserved MilitarySuper benefit is maintained until it is claimed by the member, in accordance with changes in the Consumer Price Index (CPI) and investment performance (positive and negative).

The accumulation components are affected by fund earnings. The unfunded employer component will grow in line with upward movement in the CPI and the funded employer component are affected by fund earnings.

Investment returns are available at How we perform.

Death and Invalidity benefits are a feature of MilitarySuper membership – they are not considered a form of insurance. These benefits are provided at no cost to members. For more information see MilitarySuper PDS – Death and Invalidity benefits and ADF Medical Transition.

Members cannot nominate beneficiaries. Benefits are generally payable to a member’s eligible spouse and/or eligible children, as determined by scheme rules and legislation. If there are no eligible spouse or children, benefits may be payable to children otherwise considered ineligible or to the member’s estate.