Aware Super Superannuation Background

Aware Super Superannuation

The table below shows Aware Super superannuation products on Canstar’s database. Change the filter to suit your requirements.

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$497 Glossary
12.9% Glossary
High Growth (Lifecycle investment) Glossary
8.5% Glossary
High Growth (Lifecycle investment) Glossary

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The initial results in the table above are sorted by Star Rating (High-Low) , then 5 year return (High-Low) , then Provider Name (Alphabetical) . Additional filters may have been applied, see top of table for details.

About Aware Super

Aware Super is a ‘profit-for-members’ industry super fund with more than 1.1 million members and an asset pool of more than $150 billion, making it one of Australia’s largest superannuation funds. Its membership is open to all.

Aware Super also offers to their members insurance products and financial advice.

What superannuation products does Aware Super offer?

Aware Super offers a range of superannuation products and services. This includes an account where contributions are not restricted, and so is open for anyone to join:

  • Future Saver: This accumulation account allows members to choose between the MySuper LifeCycle investment approach (which is the default account, discussed below), or to select from 15 investment options.

There are also other accounts where there are certain rules around contributions, which means they might not be available to everyone, or could be only for those people who are in the retirement phase:

  • Tailored Super Plan
  • Retirement Income
  • Defined Benefit
  • Lifetime Pension
  • Flexible Income Plan
  • Transition to Retirement Pension
  • Personal Retirement Plan
  • Allocated Pension Fund
  • Term Allocated Pension Plan
  • Guaranteed Income
  • Term Allocated Pension

Aware Super introduced a range of changes to their accounts and investment profiles in May 2023, such as changing the name of some products.

If you choose Aware Super’s default option, and do not choose your own investment options, you’ll be enrolled in the Future Saver account and your funds will be invested according to Aware’s MySuper Lifecycle strategy. Aware states that this is “a strategy to suit your age of life”, reducing the risk (and the chance of balance changes) the closer you come to retirement.

There are three ‘Lifecycle phases’:

  • Growth phase – members 55 and younger: 100% of the balance is invested in a High Growth option.
  • Manage phase – members aged from 56 to 65: Balance is swapped to Balanced and then Conservative Balanced over a period of time.
  • Enjoy phase – members 65 and older: 100% invested in Conservative Balanced option

If you don’t choose an investment option and you have a Future Saver account, your funds will be invested according to the ‘Lifecycle’ strategy, as stated above.

If you do want more control over the way your funds are invested, Aware Super offers a range of different options that you could choose, including:

  • High Growth Socially Conscious –  “excludes investments in companies operating in sectors recognised for having a highly adverse environmental or social impact”, according to Aware.
  • High Growth – “ strong bias towards capital growth.”.
  • High Growth Indexed – “low-cost diversified option” that “invests only in liquid assets” such as shares, fixed income and cash.
  • Balanced Socially Conscious – same as High Growth Socially Conscious, but “growth/defensive split of 75%/25%”.
  • Balanced – “ a bias towards capital growth”.
  • Balanced Indexed – “low-cost diversified option” that “invests only in liquid asset classes”.
  • Conservative Balanced – “slight bias towards capital growth”.
  • Conservative – “slight bias towards defensive assets”.
  • Defensive – “growth/defensive split of 25%/75% that invests mostly in income generating assets”.
  • International Shares
  • Australian Shares
  • Property
  • Bonds
  • Term Deposit – “a fixed rate of return for a specified term”.
  • Cash.

Read the fund’s PDS for more detailed information.

What type of insurance products does Aware Super offer?

Aware Super offers insurance products including Income Protection, Death (including terminal illness) and Total and Permanent Disablement (TPD) cover.

The fund states that these products may not be automatically included with your membership. Aware Super’s insurance products follow an ‘aged-based design’, which means that cover for death and TPD changes depending on your age, generally increasing until age 41 and then decreasing until age 69. It’s a good idea to check to see if this would offer you enough cover at a particular age. (This change was introduced on 1 May, 2023.)

There are two pre-packaged insurance options available:

  • Basic Cover: death and TPD cover, equal to the ‘aged based cover scale’.
  • Basic Plus Cover: Double the Basic Cover, plus the ability to choose a fixed amount of cover or the ‘aged based’ cover. You can also add on Income Protection insurance (for a fee). Waiting and benefit periods apply.

Insurance products offered by Aware Super are provided by TAL Life Limited. Read the ‘Insurance Handbook’ for more information.

Aware Super also offers insurance products tailored for specific employees, such as NSW Police and Ambulance officers.

Insurance policy cover and costs may also vary according to your ‘insurance category’, which are:

  • professional
  • low Risk
  • medium risk
  • high risk.

Learn more: Insurance through super – what are the options?

What type of financial advice services does Aware Super offer?

Aware super offers three tiers of financial advice:

  1. Super advice – this is free for members and is more general in nature, and restricted to superannuation, such as super investment options.
  2. Comprehensive advice – more tailored advice to help plan finances, such as retirement planning and investments outside super. Fees could range from $2,800 to $8,000. Available to everyone (even non-members).
  3. Specialist advice – covers personal insurance, aged care and estate planning advice. Fees could range from $660 to $6,000. Available to everyone (even non-members).

What fees does Aware Super charge?

The table at the top of the page displays the annual fee that applies to the Aware Super product when the balance is at $50,000. Different fees could apply to different amounts and could vary according to the choices you make around insurance and investment options.

Fees that are charged by Aware Super could include:

  • Account keeping fee: $52/year
  • Asset-based administration fee: 0.15% of your balance/year, capped at $750 per year
  • Investment fees: These depend on your investment choices and can be fees paid to investment managers “who exceed their performance targets”.
  • Transaction costs: Variable according to investment option, such as when selling or buying an investment.
  • Insurance premiums: varies according to many factors, including your age, the type of insurance you hold, and the amount of insurance cover.
  • Insurance administration fee: $1.85/month

How do you join Aware Super?

If you’ve read the PDS and other information about Aware Super, compared your options, and have decided to join the fund, you can join Aware Super by opening up an account via their website (or via the link in the table at the top of the page – Canstar may earn a fee for referrals).

You’ll need to provide certain information, such as your Tax File Number (TFN) and contact details.

If you want to make this the account into which your employer pays contributions, you’ll need to download and fill out the ‘Choice of Fund’ form, and then give that to your employer. You can also ask Aware Super to move the balance in any other super fund into your Aware Super account (called ‘consolidating funds’).

Explore further: How to Change Super Funds

Frequently asked questions about Aware Super

Yes, Aware Super offers two ‘Socially Conscious’ investment options, that are High Growth and Balanced. Aware Super states that these options: “invests in a range of asset classes including Australian and overseas shares, private equity, infrastructure and property investments, together with some defensive investments such as cash and credit income. This option excludes investments in companies operating in sectors recognised for having a highly adverse environmental or social impact.” The fund states that it is “tobacco free”, deciding “not to invest in companies involved in the manufacture of tobacco or cigarettes”.

Aware Super members can log into their online portal, or use the app, to manage their super, investment options, insurance and other benefits.

Aware Super began as First State Super in 1992, specialising in superannuation for NSW public sector employees and their families. In 2006, the fund opened its membership to the public, aiming to provide “competitive-fee, low-maintenance super for all Australians”. In 2011, after a merger with Health Super, Aware Super became one of Australia’s largest funds.

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About the authors

Amanda Horswill, Deputy Editor, Canstar

Amanda Horswill
A journalist for more than two decades, Amanda Horswill has reported on a galaxy of subjects, including property, lifestyle, hyper-local news, data journalism, the Arts and careers. She’s served as the Editor of Brisbane News, Deputy Features Editor for The Sunday Mail, Deputy Editor – Digital at Quest Community News, and a host of other senior positions at News Corp, prior to joining Australia’s biggest financial comparison website, Canstar. Amanda is fascinated with the ever-changing world of finance. A passionate believer in the motto “knowledge is power”, she strives to translate the news into practical information that will help readers make informed decisions about their future. While at Canstar, her work has been regularly referenced by publishers such as the Sydney Morning Herald , The Age, The New Daily and Yahoo Finance. Amanda holds a Bachelor of Arts (Journalism, Media Studies and Production, and Public Relations) and a Graduate Certificate in Editing and Publishing, from the University of Southern Queensland. Follow her on LinkedIn and Canstar on Facebook. Meet the Canstar Editorial Team. Have a media enquiry, and interested in featuring Amanda as a financial expert and commentator? Contact Canstar’s Media Team today.

Joshua Sale, Group Manager, Research & Ratings

Joshua Sale

As Canstar’s Ratings Manager, Josh Sale is responsible for the methodology and delivery of Canstar’s Superannuation Star Ratings and Awards. With tertiary qualifications in economics and finance, Josh has worked behind the scenes for the last five years to develop Star Ratings and Awards that help connect consumers with the right super fund for them.

He believes that for many Australians, superannuation is arguably the most important financial product they will ever have, as the fees you’re paying and your fund’s performance could be the difference between a comfortable retirement and struggling to pay the bills.

When it comes to his own super, the phrase ‘set and forget’ is not in Josh’s vocabulary. Not only does he check his super balance monthly, he maintains spreadsheets with projections to ensure he’s on track for retirement. He is passionate about helping others to actively monitor their super and make sure they are on track for the best retirement possible.

As one of Canstar’s spokespeople, Josh has been interviewed on a wide range of personal finance topics by media outlets such as the Australian Financial Review, news.com.au and Money Magazine.

You can follow Josh on LinkedIn, and Canstar on Twitter and Facebook.


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For those that love the detail

This advice is general and has not taken into account your objectives, financial situation or needs. Consider whether this advice is right for you.

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The Superannuation Star Ratings were awarded in March 2024. The results don’t include every provider in the market and we may not compare all features relevant to you. Current fees and performance information are displayed and may be different to what was rated. You can find a description of the initial sort order below the table. You can use the sort buttons at the top of each column to re-order the display. Learn more about our Superannuation Star Rating Methodology. The rating shown is only one factor to take into account when considering products. Check current product details and investment options with the product issuer. If you are unsure about any terms used in the comparison table please refer to the glossary.

What is a Target Market Determination?

A Target Market Determination (‘TMD’) is a document that explains which people particular financial products may be suitable for (the target market) and sets out any conditions around how financial products can be distributed to consumers.

Why do product issuers provide Target Market Determinations?

From 5 October 2021, TMDs are compulsory for most financial products.

Issuers and distributors of financial products must take reasonable steps that are likely to result in financial products reaching consumers in the target market defined by the product issuer.

We recommend that you consider the TMD before making a purchase decision. Contact the product issuer directly for a copy of the TMD.

Any advice on this page is general and has not taken into account your objectives, financial situation or needs. Consider whether this general financial advice is right for your personal circumstances. You may need financial advice from a qualified adviser. Canstar is not providing a recommendation for your individual circumstances. It’s important you check product information directly with the provider. Consider the Product Disclosure Statement and Target Market Determination (TMD), before making a purchase decision. Contact the product issuer directly for a copy of the TMD. For more information, read our Detailed Disclosure.

The age group you selected is used to provide the results in the table, including fee, performance and asset allocation based on the investment profile in the Canstar Superannuation Star Ratings methodology. Consider your own level of risk comfort when you review the asset allocation as your preference may not match the profile shown. Some providers use different age groups for their investment profiles which may result in you being offered or eligible for a different product to what is displayed in the table. See here for more details.

Australian Retirement Trust Super Savings’ allocation of funds for investors aged 55-99 differs from Canstar’s methodology – see details here. The Australian Retirement Trust Super Savings (formerly Sunsuper for Life) product may appear in the table multiple times. While you will not be offered any single investment option, this is to take into account the different combinations of investment options Australian Retirement Trust may apply to your account based on your age. For more detail in relation to the Australian Retirement Trust Super Savings (formerly Sunsuper for Life) product please refer to the PDS issued by Australian Retirement Trust for this product.

Investment profiles applied initially may change over time in line with an investor’s age. See the provider’s Product Disclosure Statement and in particular applicable age groups for more information about how providers determine their investment profiles.

The performance and fee information shown in the table is for the investment option used by Canstar in rating of the superannuation product. Performance information shown is for the historical periods up to 29/02/2024 and investment options noted in the table information. Performance figures shown reflect net investment performance, i.e. net of investment tax, investment management fees and the applicable administration fees based on an account balance of $50,000. To learn more about performance information, click here. Performance data may not be available for some products. This is indicated in the tables by a note referring the user to the product provider, or by no performance information being shown.

Please note that all information about performance returns is historical. Past performance should not be relied upon as an indicator of future performance; unit prices and the value of your investment may fall as well as rise.