Beneficiaries in super

Nominating beneficiaries for your super

Specifying who your super should go to if you die could make a world of difference to your loved ones – because super is distributed differently to other financial assets. For example, even if you’ve set out your wishes in a will, your super fund still needs a valid beneficiary nomination in order to release your super the way you want. 

Who you can nominate

The law states that your super can only be paid out to a dependent or your legal representative (the executor or administrator of your estate).

Dependents can include your spouse or de facto partner, your children (biological, adopted and ex-nuptial), or someone with whom you have an interdependency relationship. 

You can also leave your super to a financial dependent, which may include someone who relies on you to meet daily living expenses such as rent, utilities and household outgoings. This also covers anyone who shares your major financial commitments such as mortgage repayments and loans. 

You can nominate multiple beneficiaries 

Your money can go to more than one person, as long as they are eligible beneficiaries. To split your benefit, you’d need to provide us with a percentage breakdown of how the money should be distributed to the people you would like to leave your money to.

Different types of beneficiaries in super

• Binding nomination: provided the nomination is valid, a binding nomination gives you peace of mind that we’re legally bound to pay your benefit out exactly as you request. This type of nomination can be permanent, or set to expire every three years. 
• Non-binding nomination: you tell us your preferences for how your money should be distributed, and although we’ll take that into account, we are not legally bound to follow your instructions. 

I want to nominate a binding beneficiary

What a beneficiary will receive

If you’ve completed a binding beneficiary nomination, your super will be paid out as a death benefit. This consists of your account balance and any death cover paid by the insurer, less any applicable fees and taxes. Your super will be temporarily reinvested in the Cash investment option to protect it against market fluctuations as soon as we receive a certified death certificate. 

Tell me more about making a beneficiary claim

Ready to make a nomination?

Simply download the form that applies to you.