Nominate your beneficiaries

Superannuation is one of your biggest investments and it can have a substantial impact on your financial future. It's important to remember that it can also have a major impact on the future of your family and loved ones in the event of your death.

Super does not automatically form part of your estate

Your estate includes your assets, which are distributed according to your Will after you die. These assets are in your name, and generally you can instruct the executor of your Will to distribute your assets however you wish.

Your super is managed by the Trustee of your super fund. This means it will be treated separately to your estate. So, you can instruct the Trustee of your super fund on who you wish to receive your super death benefits after you die.

Your super death benefit is made up of your super account balance plus any applicable insurance benefits (i.e. payments from any insurance cover held within your super account). You can instruct your Trustee by nominating your beneficiaries.

Why is it important to nominate a beneficiary in my BT super account?

Nominating a beneficiary or several beneficiaries helps you to have a say as to where your super money goes when you’re no longer around. You can also nominate how much of your death benefit each beneficiary receives.

If you don’t nominate a beneficiary, the Trustee may be required to pay your death benefit to your Legal Personal Representative. If you don’t have a Legal Personal Representative, your death benefit may be paid to one or more of your dependants determined by your Trustee.

Who can I nominate in my BT super account?

You can nominate your Legal Personal Representative (the administrator of your estate or executor of your will) or a dependant.

Superannuation law defines a dependant as:

• your spouse or de-facto spouse*
• your children (including adopted or stepchildren, children of same-sex relationships)
• a person who is financially dependent on you, and
• a person who you have an interdependency relationship with at the time of your death.

*Your spouse includes:

• another person (whether of the same or a difference sex) with who you are in a relationship with that is registered under a law of a State or Territory, and
• another person who you aren’t legally married to but live with on a genuine domestic basis and in a relationship as a couple.
   

How do I nominate or update my beneficiaries in my BT super account?

You can nominate or update your beneficiaries at any time. Just log into your BT super account or contact us.

To find out about the nominations you already have in place, please check your last super account statement, log into your BT super account or contact us.

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