One more reason to choose CFS for retirement Kelly Power on the Epic Retirement Tick and what it means for advisers

The Tick was developed by the Epic Retirement Institute together with Chant West, and Chant West carries out the independent assessment. It looks at how well super funds support members as they approach retirement and once they're in it. 

What I like about it is that it looks at retirement as a whole. It's not just about returns and fees. It also looks at investments, income products, advice, education, tools and service. A fund has to meet at least 14 of the 20 criteria to receive the Tick. 

We're one of only eight funds in the country to receive the Tick this year. That's something the whole business can be proud of. 

It's also independent recognition of something we've worked hard on. Our goal is to be Australia's first choice in retirement, and this shows we're making real progress. 

Retirement isn't one decision. It's a series of connected ones about income, investments, lifestyle and peace of mind, often made over many years. Bringing those decisions together into a plan that works for each client is what great advice does.

Our job is to support that process at every stage. Pension Bonus, lifetime income solutions, our retirement calculators and education are designed to work together and give advisers the tools and flexibility to build the right strategy for each client. The Tick looks at retirement as a whole too, so it's good to see that approach recognised.

Advisers know better than anyone that a good retirement outcome comes from many things working together. That's where the value of advice really shows. 

Our job is to support that work. The Tick gives advisers an independent proof point they can use when retirement comes up with clients. It shows that the platform that supports them in delivering their advice, is investing across the whole retirement journey. 

Chant West independently assesses funds against 20 criteria. They cover the products, services and support that matter as people approach retirement and once they're in it. A fund has to meet at least 14 of them to receive the Tick.

The criteria fall into a few key areas, and we've invested in each of them:

• Investments and income: Lifetime income solutions and Pension Bonus, which is applied automatically when members move from super to pension.
• Advice: Supporting advisers with the solutions, tools and technical expertise to build the right retirement strategy for each client.
• Tools and education: Retirement and income drawdown calculators, plus our Insights & Learn hub.
• Service: Strong performance from our contact centre and administration teams, and low complaint volumes.

This year's assessment also added cyber security and complaints handling. Those are signs that trust and security matter just as much as products in retirement.

The Tick reflects where we are today, but we're not standing still. We'll keep investing in retirement solutions, advice support, digital experiences and education, and we'll keep working closely with advisers as we do.