Managing an SMSF could help women spot super underpayments
Women who choose to establish an SMSF are more engaged with their finances and would be potentially able to spot when contributions from their employer have not been made, said the head of education and content at a leading advice firm.
Lyn Formica from Heffron was commenting on data from the Industry Super Australia (ISA) that showed that around 1 million Australian women had been deprived of more than $1.3 billion in super contributions they are owed in a year.
The analysis from ISA revealed that in feminised industries like childcare, aged care, hospitality and personal services, about a quarter of female workers suffer super underpayments, costing them up to $40,000 from their retirement nest egg. For some women, this is the equivalent of almost 10 per cent of their savings.
“Unfortunately, when super contributions are underpaid, often the type of fund the woman belongs to doesn’t make much of a difference,” Ms Formica said.
“I suppose, however, that women who choose to establish an SMSF are perhaps more engaged with their finances and potentially better able to spot when contributions haven’t been made.
“That potentially puts them in a better position to ask questions of their employer, before the problem gets too entrenched.
“Not that that is necessarily going to guarantee the payments will then actually be made. Nor should anyone have to chase their employer to have their contributions made.”
The ISA analysis of the 2019–20 tax file shows that one in five women is underpaid, super costing women $10.8 billion over seven years.
Younger women on lower incomes are greatly impacted — almost 40 per cent of women in their 20s earning less than $25,000 were short-changed.
On average, this cohort missed out on $570 a year, while one in four women under 40 has been ripped off.
The report, Super Solution: How Payday Super will benefit women in retirement, found that a 90s-era law that allows super to be paid quarterly is contributing to the unpaid super scourge.
Modernising the law so that super is paid on payday will make it easier for workers to keep track of payments, drastically reducing the prevalence of unpaid super.
ISA modelling shows that a 30-year-old earning the age-based median wage could be $8,000 better off at retirement if paid super fortnightly instead of quarterly, because contributions would compound for longer if paid more frequently.
