Super fund checklist¶

This lesson pulls the whole module together into one place. Whether you are an employee sorting out your own super or an employer paying it for your team, here is a short checklist of the steps that matter.

Use it as a quick reference. Each point links back to the fuller lesson if you want the detail behind it.

In one line

Employees: know your fund and keep it in one place. Employers: offer choice, request a stapled fund if none is chosen, and check the fund details before you pay.

Why this matters¶

Super only works well when it goes to the right place. For employees, that means one fund you keep track of instead of several you forget. For employers, it means meeting your duties and paying into the correct fund so your team's super is not delayed or misdirected. A short checklist helps both sides get it right.

What you will learn¶

The super fund steps for an employee
The super fund steps for an employer
Where to go to consolidate accounts and verify fund details

Understanding the concept¶

The steps below are drawn from the earlier lessons in this module. Nothing here is new — it is a way to run through the whole topic in a minute.

If you are an employee¶

Know your fund. Have your fund's name and your member details handy, so you can give them to a new employer without opening a new account.
Give your employer your chosen fund. When you start a job, tell your employer which fund to pay into, usually on the standard choice form.
Check for lost super and extra accounts. Log in to ATO online services through myGov to see any accounts you have — including any the ATO is holding for you.
Consider combining accounts. The ATO says putting your super in one account means one set of fees and less to track. You can combine accounts through myGov.
Check your insurance first. Moneysmart warns that closing a fund can mean losing insurance cover. Check what cover you might lose before you consolidate.

If you are an employer¶

Offer choice. Give eligible new starters the chance to nominate a fund, usually with a standard choice form, and do not recommend a fund to them.
Request a stapled fund if none is chosen. The ATO says that if a new employee does not choose a fund, you request their stapled fund details from the ATO before paying, so their existing account follows them.
Verify the fund details before paying. Make sure you have the correct fund and member details for each employee, so their super goes to the right place.

For accountants & bookkeepers

For employers, the ATO sequences the fund decision: chosen fund first, then a stapled fund request where no valid choice is made, then the employer default only if the ATO returns no stapled fund. The stapled-fund request is made after the employment relationship is established in ATO systems. For individuals, remind clients that consolidation is member-initiated in ATO online services and that the insurance check belongs before the transfer, not after — see the sibling lessons for each step.

Example¶

Priya runs a small business and has just hired Sam. Priya offers Sam a standard choice form and is careful not to suggest a fund. Sam already has super but is not sure of the account details, so Sam does not fill in the form straight away. Because Sam has not chosen a fund yet, Priya requests Sam's stapled fund details from the ATO and checks them before paying, so Sam's super goes to the right account.

Meanwhile Sam, who has a couple of old accounts, logs in through myGov to see them all, checks the insurance on each, and combines them into one fund. Both sides have worked through their side of the checklist.

Common mistakes¶

Employees: starting a job without your fund details, so a new account opens by default.
Employees: consolidating without checking the insurance you might lose.
Employers: recommending a fund — the ATO says the choice is the employee's.
Employers: paying before verifying the fund details, so super lands in the wrong place.

How this works in myaccountant¶

In the app — for employees, myaccountant stores your chosen super fund against your record, so your super is directed to one place. For employers, myaccountant holds each employee's fund details and pays their super to that fund when you process super, so it is worth checking those details are correct first. myaccountant is not a super fund and does not combine accounts — that is done through ATO online services in myGov.

Key points¶

Employees: know your fund, give it to your employer, and keep super in one place.
Employees: check for lost super and extra accounts through myGov.
Employees: check your insurance before combining accounts.
Employers: offer choice and never recommend a fund.
Employers: request a stapled fund from the ATO if the employee does not choose one.
Employers: verify the fund details before paying super.

Learn next¶

General information only — not tax, super or financial advice.

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