By Nicholas Smith
Find the USI, SPIN and ABN for your CFS product and understand when you’ll need them.
Summary
A Unique Superannuation Identifier (USI) identifies a specific superannuation product. You may need one when consolidating or rolling over super, giving your details to a new employer or setting up SuperStream payroll. CFS has different USIs for different products, so make sure you use the one that matches your account.
A Unique Superannuation Identifier, or USI, is the code that identifies a specific superannuation product so that money sent between funds and employers reaches the right account. You will be asked for one when you consolidate super, roll money over, or give your details to a new employer.
The identifiers for each CFS product are below.
Your CFS super details at a glance
Provide your USI and the CFS ABN so your employer can pay contributions into your account.
FirstChoice Wholesale Personal Super
FSF0511AU
26 458 298 557
FirstChoice Employer Super
FSF0361AU
26 458 298 557
Trust name
Colonial First State FirstChoice Superannuation Trust
N/A
For the USI or ABN of all other accounts, including pensions, please see our About Us.
If the product on your statement is not listed, or you are not sure which product you hold, you can look up any Australian super fund on the government's Super Fund Lookup register.
Share your super details in a few taps
Use the CFS app to quickly share your super fund details directly with your employer.
What a USI is
A USI identifies a product, not a fund and not a member. One fund can offer several super and pension products, and each one has its own USI. That is why the table above has a row for each product rather than a single number for CFS.
The USI replaced the older SPIN, or Superannuation Product Identification Number, as the standard identifier used in SuperStream, the system Australian employers and funds use to send contributions and rollovers electronically. Some funds still publish both because older forms and payroll systems occasionally still ask for a SPIN.
What the number is made of
A USI is built from the fund's ABN followed by a numeric suffix identifying the product within that fund. Funds with a single product sometimes use the ABN alone.
USI, SPIN and ABN: which is which?
USI
A specific super or pension product
Rollovers, consolidation, employer payroll setup
SPIN
The same thing, under the older standard
Older forms and some legacy payroll systems
ABN
The fund or trustee as a legal entity
Tax forms, employer records, government registers
Where to find your USI
There are a few different ways you can find your CFS USI details:
On your CFS statement and in FirstNet
Your annual statement shows the product you hold. Match that product name to the table above. If you are logged in to FirstNet, your product name appears alongside your account details.
In the CFS app
Log in to the CFS app, select ‘Grow my super’, then ‘Share details with employer’.
On the CFS website
Visit USI, ABN and letter of compliance for your employer to find the CFS fund details you need to give your employer, including the USI and ABN
On the government register
Super Fund Lookup is the Australian Government's public register of super funds, maintained by the ATO. You can search it by fund name or ABN and see the USIs registered against each product, along with the fund's current compliance status. It is the authoritative source and the right place to check an identifier you have been given by anyone.
When you’ll be asked for a USI
Consolidating or rolling over super
Moving an account from another fund into CFS, or moving a CFS account elsewhere, requires the USI of the receiving product so the transfer reaches the right place. A rollover sent with the wrong USI does not vanish, but it can be delayed while it is traced and returned.
Giving your details to a new employer
When you start a job and choose your own fund, the form asks for your fund's USI and ABN along with your member number. Our page on telling your employer to pay into CFS walks through that form.
Setting up SuperStream payroll
Employers paying contributions electronically need the USI of the product each employee holds. Payroll systems and clearing houses validate the USI against the government register before a payment is accepted.
Make the switch to CFS
If your super could be doing more, switching is easier than you think. Join CFS super online – it takes under 10 minutes.
Frequently asked questions
A Unique Superannuation Identifier (USI) is a code that identifies a specific superannuation product so contributions and rollovers sent between employers and funds reach the correct account. Each super or pension product has its own USI.
CFS has more than one because a USI identifies a product rather than a fund. The table at the top of this page lists the USI, SPIN and ABN for each CFS super and pension product. Match the product name shown on your statement.
No. An ABN identifies the fund or trustee as a legal entity. A USI identifies one product offered by that fund. A fund has a single ABN and may have several USIs.
Effectively yes, in that both identify a super product, but the SPIN is the older standard. The USI replaced it for SuperStream transactions. Some forms and payroll systems still ask for a SPIN, which is why both are listed above where one exists.
Search for your fund on the Australian Government's Super Fund Lookup register or check an annual statement from the fund. Your fund's website will usually publish its identifiers too.
It can. Product closures and fund mergers can change the identifiers that apply, which is why the date the table was last confirmed is shown above it. Always use a current identifier from the fund or government register rather than one copied from an old form.
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Disclaimer
Avanteos Investments Limited ABN 20 096 259 979, AFSL 245531 (AIL) is the trustee of the Colonial First State FirstChoice Superannuation Trust ABN 26 458 298 557 and issuer of FirstChoice range of super and pension products. Colonial First State Investments Limited ABN 98 002 348 352, AFSL 232468 (CFSIL) is the responsible entity and issuer of products made available under FirstChoice Investments and FirstChoice Wholesale Investments.
Information on this webpage is provided by AIL and CFSIL. It may include general advice but does not consider your individual objectives, financial situation, needs or tax circumstances. You can find the target market determinations (TMD) for our financial products at https://www.cfs.com.au/tmd which include a description of who a financial product might suit. You should read the relevant Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) and Financial Services Guide (FSG) carefully, assess whether the information is appropriate for you, and consider talking to a financial adviser before making an investment decision. You can get the PDS and FSG at www.cfs.com.au or by calling us on 13 13 36.