What happens to my super if I move overseas?

About one million Australians are said to live and work overseas and if you’re thinking of joining them you might need to check what happens to your super, if you have any.

What rules apply depend on whether you’re a permanent or temporary resident in Australia.

Can I take my super with me if I move overseas?

Generally, if you’re an Australian citizen or permanent resident and you move overseas to live and work, you can’t take any money you have in Australian super with you. The money stays in Australia, invested in whatever super options you’re signed up for.

There is one Kiwi exception, but we’ll come to that later.

The Australian Taxation Office (ATO) says it doesn’t matter how long you intend to stay overseas, temporarily or permanently – the same super rules apply as if you’d stayed at home.

“This means you can’t access your super until you reach preservation age and retire or satisfy another condition of release,” says the ATO.

What do I do with my super if I move overseas?

Given you generally can’t access your super, the ATO says you need to keep a regular check on how its going. You’ll want to make sure your super is performing well and hopefully growing –  not underperforming.

If you have multiple super accounts it might be wise to consider consolidating them into one, if that’s possible, to reduce the amount of fees and charges you’ll be paying. You can do this via the myGov website if you have an account. Make sure you check first so you don’t lose out on any benefits from a fund you choose to leave.

Ubank has some good advice too on what to do with your super if you’re heading overseas and worried any fees and charges may eat away at your fund.

“Before you go, do a review of your fund’s fees and charges and how they’re calculated (percentage or flat rate),” it says.

“If the numbers don’t add up, shop around and find a fund that’s more sympathetic to this unique time in your life.”

Compare super funds

If you only have a small amount in your Australian super account, then the ATO says you need to tell your super provider that you are heading overseas (and make sure it has your correct contact details). That will hopefully prevent the fund being handed over to the ATO as an inactive low balance account.

You should also check with your Australian super provider what else may happen if it considers your account to become inactive. For example, UniSuper says if it doesn’t receive a contribution to your account within at least 16 months then you will lose any insurance cover you had.

If you are paying for some insurance with your super provider it might be wise to check to see if that cover still applies if you’re overseas. If not, you could make a saving here.

What happens to my Australian super If I move overseas?

Your Australian super should hopefully continue to grow, based on what investment options you’ve chosen, to build a nest egg for when you decide to retire.

You can still make contributions to your Australian super while you’re overseas, though there are limits to how much you can add each year.

AMP says there are other things you need to consider if you want to make voluntary contributions to your Australian super if you’re heading overseas.

“You will, however, need to look into the tax effectiveness of making contributions to your Australian superfund, which will depend on your individual circumstances and any rules that may apply in the country you’re moving to,” it says.

If you’re working overseas for an Australian employer then it must make any statutory super guarantee contributions.

Australia has agreements with certain countries to make sure you don’t get caught by what’s called ‘double superannuation coverage’. That’s where if you work overseas for an Australian employer, it doesn’t have to pay any super guarantee contributions (or equivalent) in both Australia and the country where you are working.

You can check online with the ATO which countries have these bilateral social security agreements with Australia. Your employer may need to apply for a certificate of coverage for you to show to any overseas authority that your Australian employer is making the super contributions.

It’s a good idea to check all this with your employer before you head overseas.

If you’re working overseas but not for an Australian employer you will have to work out what super requirements apply in the country where you are working. Your overseas employer will have no obligation to feed into your Australian super fund.

Can I transfer my super if I move to New Zealand?

New Zealand is the one exception where you may be able to transfer your Australian super fund to a KiwiSaver scheme, that country’s voluntary super system, thanks to a trans-Tasman agreement between the two countries.

This only applies if you intend to emigrate to New Zealand on a permanent basis. There are a number of conditions you need to meet before you are able to transfer your money.

For example, you need to be in a participating Australian Prudential Regulation Authority-regulated super fund, you’ll need proof of a New Zealand address and you’ll need to have a KiwiSaver scheme set up.

You’ll also need a New Zealand Inland Revenue Department (IRD) number.

There are several KiwiSaver schemes to choose from so you’ll need to find one that suits your needs.

Read more: What is KiwiSaver and how does it work?

You’ll need to check what fees and charges may apply for any transfer from both your Australian super provider and chosen KiwiSaver scheme.

There are no limits to how much you can transfer between an Australian super fund and a KiwiSaver scheme, but the ATO says you must transfer the lot. The amount transferred will not be taxed.

It could be a good idea to consider some independent financial advice before transferring any Australian super to a KiwiSaver scheme. You may be better off keeping your money in Australia, especially if you think there is a chance you may return to Australia.

What happens to my super if I am a temporary resident?

If you are in Australia on a temporary resident visa and are planning to leave the country, you may be able to claim any Australian super you earned here.

You can apply for what is known as a Departing Australia Superannuation Payment.

The amount you get back may be subject to different tax rates, depending on what visa you hold and how you are classified as a temporary worker in Australia.

You can find out more in Canstar’s article that explains how the payment works.

Compare super funds

Cover image source: DisobeyArt/Shutterstock.com