Make the most of your super

How you invest your super can make a difference to the outcome. Take Fiona's case. Fiona, 30, earns $50,000 a year and has a super balance of $20,000 in total, held in several different accounts. Look at how her outcomes are affected under three different scenarios.
Tax-efficient super strategies

Option 1
Fiona consolidates and invests conservatively
Option 2
Fiona invests for growth
Option 3
Fiona invests for growth and adds to her super
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In order to take better control and cut down on paperwork, Fiona consolidates her super into one account.

However, she then invests conservatively, earning a return of 5.5%. When she retires at 65, she has $164,387 in her super account. This represents a retirement income of $9,461 per year. That's just under a fifth of her current salary, and probably a mere fraction of the income she'll need in 35 years' time.

Consolidate your super.

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Fiona invests her employer contribution in growth assets, earning an 8.5% return. When she retires at 65, she will have $279,431 in her super account. Her retirement income will be $16,081 a year. That's about a third of her current salary. But she can do better.

Invest for growth.

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Fiona not only chooses to invest for growth (at 8.5% return), she contributes 6% of her pre-tax salary to her super on top of her employer contributions. If she follows this plan, she will retire at 65 with $456,446. This will give her a much more comfortable retirement income of $26,269 a year, just over half of her current income.

Top up your super.

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Three simple ways to maximise your super
Consolidating your super, investing in growth assets and making extra super contributions could help you get a bigger super payout when you retire.
Find out more about investment
Find a financial adviser using BT's Adviser Referral Program.
Learn about BT's super funds.