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Have a question about super, retirement, investments, financial advice, or how to manage your CFS account? Here’s where to find an answer.
Generally, you can access the money in your super when you:
- reach your preservation age and start a transition-to-retirement pension
- reach your preservation age and have permanently retired (except if you start a transition-to-retirement pension), or
- cease a paid work arrangement after reaching age 60 (even if you’re not planning to permanently retire)
- turn 65 (even if you haven’t retired).
Your super is designed to help you build long-term retirement savings and generally can’t be accessed until you retire or turn 65. However, you may be able to access your super early on compassionate grounds or for financial hardship reasons.
Topping up your super with an extra contribution – even if it’s only a small amount – can make a big difference over time. By making super contributions you could potentially pay less tax while growing your super balance faster, thanks to the power of compounding. Just keep in mind that there are limits to how much you can contribute to super each year and an upper age limit of 75 applies to some contribution types.
There are two ways you can add to your super: from your before-tax income or from your after-tax income.
It’s easier than it used to be to take your super with you to a new job. That’s thanks to some super rules called stapling. It means when you start work with a new employer, if you don’t tell them where you want your super contributions to go, they have to check with the ATO to see whether you already have an account set up with a super fund. If you do, your employer has to contribute to that account.
However, to make sure your super will be paid into the account you want, the best thing to do is give your employer a Fund Nomination form.
By law, your employer must contribute some of your pay into a super account for you. This is called the Superannuation Guarantee. The required amount is 11% of your pay (before tax) for the 2023-24 financial year. This rate is scheduled to increase by 0.5% each year until it reaches 12% in July 2025.
It’s easy to end up with multiple super accounts, especially if you’ve changed jobs a few times. But having all your super in one place can help you save on fees – and make your super easier to manage.
Thankfully, it’s quick and simple to bring your super together.
Super is one of the biggest assets you can accumulate in your lifetime, so it's important that you decide what happens to it. You can nominate specific beneficiaries to receive your super when you pass away by making a non-lapsing death benefit nomination.
Nominating a beneficiary for your super
There will be no changes to your super if you lose your job, except that your employer will stop making contributions into your account. When you start a new job, your employer will contribute to your existing (stapled) fund, or you can choose a new fund by giving your new employer a Fund Nomination form.
Your preservation age depends on your birth date:
Your birth date
Preservation age
Your birth date
Before 1 July 1960
Preservation age
55
Your birth date
Between 1 July 1960 and 30 June 1961
Preservation age
56
Your birth date
Between 1 July 1961 and 30 June 1962
Preservation age
57
Your birth date
Between 1 July 1962 and 30 June 1963
Preservation age
58
Your birth date
Between 1 July 1963 and 30 June 1964
Preservation age
59
Your birth date
After 30 June 1964
Preservation age
60
In addition to reading your regular statements, you can check your super balance, transactions and performance online or in the CFS app:
CFS app
Online
CFS app
1. Log into the CFS app. If you don’t have the app yet, you can download it here:
2. You’ll see your current super balance on the dashboard.
3. Choose ‘Investments’ to see your investment summary. You can also view a personalised graph that shows how your balance has changed over time.
Online
1. Log into our online portal with your Member ID (OIN) and password
2. You’ll see your current super balance on the dashboard.
3. Choose ‘Investments’ to see your investment summary.
When an employer makes a contribution on your behalf, or you make a personal contribution that you claim a tax deduction for, it’s taxed at 15% instead of your marginal tax rate.
If you earn $37,000 or less per year, the government may make a contribution to your super account of up to $500 to offset the tax.
If your income and before-tax contributions are more than $250,000 per year, you may have to pay an additional 15% tax on some or all of these contributions.
When you make personal contributions that you don’t claim a tax deduction for, or your spouse makes a contribution for you, contributions tax doesn’t apply. This is because you or your spouse have already paid income tax on that money.
Earnings on your accumulation (pre-retirement) super balance are also concessionally taxed at a maximum of 15%. And if you start an income stream in super after retirement, earnings on that balance are not taxed at all.
Once you can access your super (e.g. at retirement), if you are aged 60 or over you can generally withdraw your super tax-free – either as a lump sum or an ongoing income stream.
Super law requires all fees and costs charged to members to be listed on their statement – and every super fund must use the same format so it’s easy to compare the fees and costs of one fund against another.
But if you’re still not sure what you’re paying for, here’s a quick explanation of fees that may apply to your super account:
- Administration fee – This covers the costs of operating the fund. It may be charged as a fixed fee, a percentage of your super balance, or a combination of both.
- Advice service fees – These cover the cost of personal advice you receive from your financial adviser (if you have one) about your super.
- Buy/sell spread – This is the cost of changing investment options. It may apply when you invest, switch or withdraw part or all of your investment. The cost is deducted from your investment.
- Insurance premiums – If you have insurance cover through your super, the premiums will be deducted from your account balance.
- Investment fees and costs – These are fees and costs for investing your money, which includes performance fees and indirect costs. Indirect costs are expenses paid by your super fund to third-party providers, such as investment managers.
- Transaction costs – These are costs associated with the sale and purchase of assets of the super fund other than costs that are recovered by the super fund charging buy/sell spreads.
You can find a full breakdown of our fees and costs in our Product Disclosure Statements.
If you don't nominate how you want your super distributed, the trustee of your super fund will pay out your super in line with the fund's rules. This could mean your super gets paid to your estate, or the trustee may decide who your super goes to – which may not be the person or the people that you had in mind.
You can nominate specific beneficiaries to receive your super benefit by making a non-lapsing death benefit nomination. However, you can only nominate your dependants. This means:
- your current spouse (including de facto and same sex spouses)
- your child (biological, adopted or stepchild)
- any person who is financially dependent on you, or
- any person with whom you have an interdependency relationship.
Download the non-lapsing death benefit nomination form
If something unexpected happens, insurance can minimise the financial impact on you and your loved ones.
When it comes to life, disability and income protection insurance, there are usually two options: have insurance cover inside your super or pay for a separate insurance policy outside your super. There are plenty of benefits to having insurance inside super, but it’s important to be across the potential limitations as well.
Benefits of having insurance inside super
We understand that if you’re making an insurance claim, you’re probably going through a difficult time. We want to process your claim as quickly as we can. So, here’s a step-by-step guide to making an insurance claim:
If you have insurance cover with another super fund, or you have a life insurance policy, you may be able to transfer your insurance cover to your FirstChoice account. It’s important that you don’t cancel your previous cover until you receive written confirmation from us that your transfer request has been accepted.
You can always reduce or cancel insurance cover in super as your needs change.
You can do this by:
- Logging in to Firstnet or through the CFS mobile app
- Call us, email us or write to us
- Completing the Reduce or Cancel Insurance Cover form
- Get in touch with your financial adviser
- If you cancel your cover, we’ll stop deducting insurance premiums from your account. You won't be able to make an insurance claim for events that happen after the day you cancelled but you can still claim for events that occurred prior to cancellation.
If you want insurance cover again, you will need to apply. Cover is subject to the insurer’s acceptance.
What to consider before reducing or cancelling your insurance
Your premiums are automatically deducted from your super, so you don’t have to budget for them with your take-home pay. Super funds negotiate with insurers to get competitive bulk rates for their members, which means your premiums will likely be lower compared to a non-super insurance policy.
Be aware that paying insurance premiums from your super account will reduce your super balance and your savings for retirement.
It’s possible to make a contribution to your spouse’s super from your after-tax income or receive a contribution to your super from them. Sometimes couples do this when one of them isn’t working, or if one person earns more than the other.
The person that makes the contribution may be able to claim a tax offset of up to $540 for the contribution, depending on their spouse’s income and the amount of the contribution. You can’t claim a tax deduction for a spouse contribution.
Alternatively, a person can request to split their pre-tax contributions, such as the contributions their employer makes on their behalf, to their spouse. You can generally request to do this after the end of the financial year – and limits apply.
A self-managed super fund (SMSF) is a fund that you set up and manage yourself. You can have up to six members in your fund, and each member is required to be a trustee of the fund.
The members, as trustees, are responsible for making all the investment decisions and ensuring the fund complies with all the various reporting and compliance rules.
What happens to your super when you leave Australia will depend on whether you’re an Australian citizen, permanent or temporary resident of Australia, or a New Zealand citizen.
Australian citizen, permanent resident of Australia, or New Zealand citizen
If you’re an employee or run your own business, have annual income of less than $58,445 (for the 2023-24 financial year), and you make a personal contribution to super that you don’t claim a tax deduction for, you may be eligible to receive a government co-contribution.
The government will pay up to $500 per year into your super, depending on your income and the amount of your contribution. You don’t need to complete any forms or notify your super fund – it will be automatically calculated and paid into your super after you lodge your tax return.
View our current interest rates or contact our customer service team. Interest rates are subject to change based on market conditions, and it's always a good idea to check for the most up-to-date information before making any decisions.
Fees are typically charged on term deposits. The fee ensures that the costs associated with maintaining your deposit can be managed.
From 16 November 2024, an administration fee of 0.15% p.a. calculated on the initial principal invested will apply to new term deposits offered by CFS (including rollovers). The fee will be deducted from the interest earned at maturity or annually (for term deposits over 12 months) or when the term deposit is fully withdrawn. The fee will not apply to existing term deposits.
For more information, please refer to our Reference Guide.
You can invest in a term deposit in several ways:
- Initial application: You can select a term deposit as part of your initial account application, either through E-setup or using the paper application form.
- Additional investment: If you have a super account, you can add to your investment over the phone or online via FirstNet.
- Switching funds: You can also switch funds from other existing investment options into a term deposit using FirstNet or by completing a Switch form.
To renew your term deposit:
- Review the maturity letter: Instructions are provided in the maturity letter you will receive before your term deposit matures.
- Choose an option: You can reinvest the principal and interest into a new term deposit or withdraw the funds.
- Submit instructions: You can do this via FirstNet, by contacting customer service, or by speaking to your adviser.
To change your term deposit instructions, follow these steps:
- FirstNet: You can update your Term deposit instruction by logging into FirstNet and navigating to ‘Transacting’.
- Contact us: Reach out via phone.
3. Submit forms: If necessary, fill out any forms, such as a Switch form or Additional Investment form. We will confirm the changes with you once they are processed.
If you need to withdraw your term deposit early, you may be subject to a reduced interest rate depending on how much of the term has elapsed. You can withdraw up to 90% of the amount, and fees or an early withdrawal interest rate adjustments may apply. Contact us for an estimate of early breakage costs.
Yes, an administration fee will be deducted from the interest earned at maturity or when a term deposit is fully withdrawn or annually (for 2-year, 3-year and 5-year term deposits). If the term is 9 months or less, the fee will be pro-rated.
Before you start investing, we recommend speaking with a financial adviser to better understand your options. Once you’re ready, CFS makes it easy to start. Our FirstChoice investment platform has everything you need to begin, with more than 180 investment options to choose from and a minimum initial investment of only $1,000.
To begin, you’ll need to find a product that will meet your financial needs and review its Product Disclosure Statement (PDS), which includes important information about the investment. These PDS documents are available on our website or through your financial adviser.
Once you’ve read the PDS, you can apply to invest using the included application form. We also encourage you to read the Target Market Determination, which has useful information about who a product is suitable for.
Investors regularly use jargon and technical names to talk about different opportunities, markets, risks, and performance. Although you don’t need to know what all of these words mean by heart, to become a successful investor you will need a working knowledge of the vocabulary.
To help you better understand important terms and common phrases, CFS has put together a glossary of key words. If you need additional help deciphering investment information, think about speaking with a financial adviser.
There’s no shortage of videos, books, podcasts, blogs and online courses on investing.
The ASX provides free courses on investing, while the Australian Shareholders Association (ASA) have video courses on the stock market and estate planning. You super fund may also provide financial education.
We also recommend our helpful Investing made simple articles.
Capital Gains Tax (CGT) is applied when you ‘dispose’ of an asset – in other words, when you no longer own it – usually because you’ve sold the asset. As the name suggests, the tax only applies to your ‘capital gains’ – that is, the difference in price between when you purchased the asset and when you sold it.
For example, Matilda buys some shares for $5,000 and then sells them six months later for $5,500. Her capital gain is $500 – so she would only need to include that amount on her tax return. If Matilda held the shares for longer than 12 months, she would only have to include half her gain in her assessable income due to the 50% CGT discount. Alternatively, if Matilda made a capital loss, she may be able to offset this against other capital gains she made in the same or subsequent years.
Asset is the name given to the underlying instrument that you purchase when you invest your money. For example, when you invest directly in the stock market, the assets you’re purchasing are individual shares.
An asset type describes a group of assets which share characteristics, such as the level of risk. The four main asset classes are cash, fixed interest, property and shares.
A mandate is a set of rules for investment managers to make sure they’re handling investors’ money appropriately. Mandates provide instructions on everything from performance benchmarks to which investments are considered acceptable or not.
Mandates are used by investors to ensure their money is being invested in line with their goals and values.
You can make a withdrawal by completing and sending us a withdrawal form. You’ll need your account number, the names of your pension’s investment options, your bank details (or account details of another super fund for roll overs), and access to a printer.
Then complete the form:
- FirstChoice Wholesale Pension withdrawal form for accounts beginning 051
Once completed, print, sign and date the form, then either scan and upload the form to our secure online portal, or post the form to us at:
Colonial First State
Reply Paid 27
Sydney NSW 2001
A Centrelink schedule is a document that provides Centrelink with information about your super income. You can access your Centrelink schedule through our secure online portal. Log into the portal using your member ID (OIN) and password, select ‘My account’ then select ‘Manage my account’ from the lefthand side of the screen.
A new menu will open. From here, select ‘Pension payments’ to bring up a table which includes all of your pension information. Below this table you will have the option to ‘Download current Centrelink/DVA schedule’.
You can retire whenever you want, but depending on your age you may not be able to access your super or receive the government Age Pension.
To access your super, you typically must have at least reached your preservation age. To receive the Age Pension, you must also have reached your Age Pension age. Both of these ages depend on your date of birth.
Even then, there are other eligibility rules which may affect your benefits.
There’s no hard and fast rule for how much you should have saved for retirement. The exact sum depends on your lifestyle and living costs.
The Association of Superannuation Funds of Australia publishes an annual estimate of how much super is required for singles and couples to live either a modest or a comfortable retirement. Of course, this is only a guide – some people will find they need less, while others may need more.
Diversifying your retirement income can help protect you from market shocks. There are several ways to diversify your retirement income, but these involve investing and purchasing financial products and you should speak with a financial adviser before taking action.
Some ways to diversify your retirement income include buying different types of income streams, such as an account-based pension and a lifetime annuity as well as investing in different types of investments in your own name, such as shares or managed funds.
The transition-to-retirement (TTR) pension allows Australians to access their super before they retire.
TTR pensions enable eligible Australians over preservation age (between 55 and 60, depending on your date of birth) start a pension account while they’re still working part time, to either increase their regular income or boost their super savings in a tax effective way.
Although TTR pensions can be very useful, they are also not appropriate for everyone, and you should speak with a financial adviser before starting a TTR pension of your own.
Account-based pensions are one way you can access your super savings. You can move some or all of the money you’ve saved (within government limits) into a pension account, which will then pay you regular, tax-free income.
You may be able to start an account-based pension even before you retire, to support you financially as you begin to step away from work. This is known as a transition to retirement pension.
Under the current rules, there is a minimum withdrawal amount that you must take from your pension account each year. The percentage you must take as income varies depending on your age.
Eligibility for the Age Pension is based on three factors:
- your age
- your residency status
- the income and asset tests.
As a general rule, you’ll need to be an Australian resident and have reached your age pension age (which is between 65 and 67 depending on your date of birth), have lived in the country for 10 years (with no break in residence for at least five of these), and be in the country on the day your claim is lodged to be eligible. There are also some other circumstances which can affect your eligibility.
If you meet the age and residency eligibility criteria, your income and asset tests will determine how much Age Pension you’re entitled to receive.
If you meet the age and residency criteria but are not eligible for the Age Pension, you may still be entitled to a Commonwealth Seniors Health Card. More information is available through Services Australia.
Your CFS pension will generally be included as a financial investment for the age pension income and assets tests, and may affect your age pension entitlement.
Find out more about the Age Pension
Working once you reach Age Pension age can be a great way to stay active and socially connected as you transition to retirement. The income you earn may also allow you to reduce the amount you draw from super and enable you to make additional contributions.
However, this income may also affect how much money you receive from Centrelink under its income and asset tests.
Your full part-time earnings won’t be assessed under the income test, thanks to the government work bonus. Once you reach Age Pension age, the amount of employment income assessed under the income test is automatically reduced by up to $300 a fortnight.
CFS is helping thousands of Australians achieve their retirement goals with a comprehensive range of products for every stage of your life. This includes super funds designed to help you save a nest egg for retirement, investment solutions to grow your wealth outside of super, and pension accounts to finance your retirement lifestyle.
Speak to your financial adviser to learn more about CFS’s suite of retirement-focused products and services.
Estate planning is the process of formally outlining what you would like to happen to your financial assets and personal belongings after you pass away. It also includes appointing people to make important financial, legal and medical decisions on your behalf in case you lose the ability to do so yourself.
Estate planning could include:
- creating a last will and testament
- naming an executor to enact your will
- nominating beneficiaries to receive any remaining super and insurance benefits
- choosing someone as an Enduring Power of Attorney to manage your financial affairs
- selecting someone to serve as your enduring guardian and manage your health and living arrangements.
Australians aged 55 and over may be able to contribute up to $300,000 from the sale of their home into their super. These tax-free contributions don’t count towards the caps that limit before and after-tax contributions.
You can make a downsizer contribution by satisfying the eligibility criteria and completing the relevant form and submitting it to your super fund either before you make your contribution or at the same time. Remember, you must make contributions within 90 days of a change of ownership (usually settlement).
Granting an Enduring Power of Attorney to someone allows them to make financial decisions on your behalf – even after you lose capacity. Granting an Enduring Power of Attorney is a very serious matter with significant implications. Always seek legal advice before granting these powers to ensure you understand the current and future ramifications.
To appoint an Enduring Power of Attorney, you will need to complete the correct Power of Attorney form provided through solicitor or your state or territory government’s relevant office.
This must be completed by both the party granting Power of Attorney and the Attorney themselves, and be properly witnessed.
A CFS Power of Attorney/Guardianship Identification form is also required if the Attorney is to make decisions regarding CFS funds.
Setting up an Enduring Power of Attorney for your super account
There are three types of government aged care services available to older Australians.
These are:
- In-home care which provides support to Australians within their own homes. This includes assistance with transport, shopping, cooking, and staying healthy, as well as modifying homes to make them more liveable.
- Residential aged care for people who can no longer live safely and independently in their homes. Sometimes called a ‘retirement home’ this type of support offers accommodation, social activities, meals and assistance with day-to-day tasks.
- Short-term care which helps Australians with their daily needs for small periods of time, usually a couple of days to a few months. There are different types of short-term care available, typically to help older people regain their independence or give their carers a break.
Financial support is available to eligible Australians, but this is means tested (meaning the amount of support available depends on individual circumstances).
Aged care: Your guide to care services, costs and eligibility
View our current interest rates or contact our customer service team. Interest rates are subject to change based on market conditions, and it's always a good idea to check for the most up-to-date information before making any decisions.
Fees are typically charged on term deposits. The fee ensures that the costs associated with maintaining your deposit can be managed and, in some cases, covers bank breakage costs.
From 16 November 2024, an administration fee of 0.15% p.a. calculated on the initial principal invested will apply to new term deposits offered by CFS (including rollovers). The fee will be deducted from the interest earned at maturity or annually (for term deposits over 12 months) or when the term deposit is fully withdrawn. The fee will not apply to existing term deposits.
For more information, please refer to our Reference Guide.
You can invest in a term deposit in several ways:
- Initial application: You can select a term deposit as part of your initial account application, either through E-setup or using the paper application form.
- Additional investment: If you have a super account, you can add to your investment over the phone or online via FirstNet.
- Switching funds: You can also switch funds from other existing investment options into a term deposit using FirstNet or by completing a Switch form.
To renew your term deposit:
- Review the maturity letter: Instructions are provided in the maturity letter you will receive before your term deposit matures.
- Choose an option: You can reinvest the principal and interest into a new term deposit or withdraw the funds.
- Submit instructions: You can do this via FirstNet, by contacting customer service, or by speaking to your adviser.
To change your term deposit instructions, follow these steps:
- FirstNet: You can update your Term deposit instruction by logging into FirstNet and navigating to ‘Transacting’.
- Contact us: Reach out via phone.
3. Submit forms: If necessary, fill out any forms, such as a Switch form or Additional Investment form. We will confirm the changes with you once they are processed.
If you need to withdraw your term deposit early, you may be subject to a reduced interest rate depending on how much of the term has elapsed. You can withdraw up to 90% of the amount, and fees or an early withdrawal interest rate adjustments may apply. Contact us for an estimate of early breakage costs.
Yes, an administration fee will be deducted from the interest earned at maturity or when a term deposit is fully withdrawn or annually (for 2-year, 3-year and 5-year term deposits). If the term is 9 months or less, the fee will be pro-rated.
A financial adviser can be invaluable if you need help meeting your financial goals. However, not everyone will need the same level of support. You might just need advice for one aspect of your finances. And if you’re confident about your financial knowledge and your finances are straightforward, you mightn’t need advice at all.
But if you have complex needs, find it hard to understand financial services or need help reaching your financial goals, speaking to a financial adviser could help.
You can use the CFS Find an adviser site to help you find the right adviser for you. Alternatively, your super fund or financial institution can recommend one – or you search for one on the government’s Moneysmart website or via a financial advice professional association.
As with other professional services, such as lawyers or accountants, the cost of financial advice will vary depending on several factors. These include the complexity of your financial situation, your goals, the type of advice you receive, and your adviser’s experience.
However, a study by the Financial Advice Association of Australia found that on average it costs $3,300 to set up an initial financial plan and $4,300 annually to receive ongoing support.1
The best way to find out how much advice will cost is to speak with an adviser and review their Financial Services Guide to see how they charge.
Before your first meeting with a financial adviser, it’s smart to write down your questions. Things you can ask them about include:
the cost of their advice
their qualifications and what they specialise in
how they’ll work with you
how often you’ll need to see them
how they choose products and whether they get any commissions or incentives
how they’ll manage your investments
what information they’ll provide
how they’ll handle any questions between meetings.
Make sure you understand the product or advice they offer and how it will help you meet your financial goals. Don’t be afraid to ask as many questions as you need to before agreeing to any service.
Financial advisers may choose to specialise in certain areas, such as investment, pre-retirement and retirement, women investors, aged care, business and estate planning.
Before your first meeting with a financial adviser, think about what your financial goals are, and what areas you want advice about – such an insurance, investing, budgeting, retirement or getting out of debt. Consider the things you need financially, such as insuring your income, saving for a home, or building your retirement funds. And don’t forget your wants too – such as retiring early or having more free time.
Get together practical things too such as list of your assets and debts, and your income and expenses. Finally, prepare a list of questions for your potential adviser.
A financial adviser has the knowledge, expertise and experience to help you come up with a strategy and a plan of action to reach your financial goals.
Financial advice has been shown to increase the value of investors’ portfolios – in 2023, it added an average 5.9% to a portfolio.2 Advised life insurance claims are more likely to be successful – for example, in 2022, 98% of advised death cover claims were paid out compared to 90% of non-advised claims.3
Advisers can also offer peace of mind. They can help you avoid making financial decisions based on fear, so you stick to your financial plan.
For general information, check out ASIC’s Moneysmart, where you can learn more about financial topics such as budgeting, loans and debt, super, retirement, insurance, banking and more. You can also find valuable online tools to help you budget, manage your money, clear debt and build savings.
If you’re considering super and retirement, check whether your super fund offers free general financial advice.
Finally, if you’re experiencing financial hardship, consider seeing a financial counsellor. Their services are free and they can provide advice about getting out of debt, dealing with creditors and getting other support.
1 Adviser Voice, Financial advisers increase value during turbulent 2023,’ 26 September, 2023.
1 APRA, Statistics – Life insurance claims and disputes statistics, June, 2022.
2 Adviser Voice, Financial advisers increase value during turbulent 2023, 26 September, 2023.
3 APRA, Statistics – Life insurance claims and disputes statistics, June, 2022.
FirstNet is our secure online portal that helps you keep track of your super or investments. You can access it via the CFS home page.
Once logged in, you can view your balance, see transactions, download statements, upload or request forms, and update your details.
Visit the FirstNet log in page and enter your Member ID (OIN) and password.
If you’ve forgotten your password, go to reset your FirstNet password and we’ll identify you using your Member ID or account number and then send you a code to reset your password.
Make sure we always have your latest contact details in case we need to get in touch with you or send you something.
While you’re welcome to call us to update your details over the phone, you can also make some of these changes yourself online.
For security reasons, you’ll need to complete the Change of details form to update your account name, contact number, bank account details or tax file number.
Make sure we always have your latest contact details in case we need to get in touch with you or send you something.
While you’re welcome to call us to update your details over the phone, you can also make some of these changes yourself online.
For security reasons, you’ll need to complete the Change of details form to update your account name, contact number, bank account details or tax file number.
CFS app
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Log into the CFS app.
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Tap on the three horizontal lines at the top left of your screen.
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Under ‘My profile’, tap ‘Personal details’.
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Update your personal details and click ‘Submit’.
Online
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Login to FirstNet.
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Click ‘My account’ in the top menu.
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Click ‘Change my details’ in the left-hand menu.
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Update your personal details and click ‘Submit’.
Your Member ID (OIN) is the username to access your account online, along with your password.
If you don’t know your OIN, you can retrieve it online. You’ll need to give us a few details about your account, and enter the security code that we send to your linked mobile phone number.
You can find your 12-digit account number online by logging into FirstNet or the CFS app. You’ll see your account number on your dashboard after you log in.
Alternatively, you can find your account number on the top right-hand corner of your latest account statement. We would have sent this to your email or postal address (depending on your communication preferences).
You can manage your super or investments online or in the CFS app:
CFS app
Online
CFS app
Our app is available for iPhone and Android smartphones.
Log in securely using Touch ID or Face ID (for iPhones) or Fingerprint ID (for Androids). Or you can use a password if you prefer.
The CFS app is available for all FirstChoice members.
Online
FirstNet is our secure online portal. You can access it via the CFS home page.
Log into FirstNet with your Member ID (OIN) and password.
Here are some of the ways you can self-service your accounts:
Check your super balance
View and download your statements
Update your personal details
Nominate a beneficiary for your super
Tell your employer where to pay your super
Check what type of insurance you have in your super and your level of cover
View the complete transaction history for your super account
Open a new account (online portal only)
Switch investments
Use the ‘SuperMatch’ tool in FirstNet to find your other super accounts (see Consolidating super).
Upload and submit forms using FirstNet’s e-Post functionality.
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Log into FirstNet with your Member ID (OIN) and password.
If you’ve forgotten either of these details, you can retrieve them online.
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Select the account you’d like to withdraw from.
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In the left-hand column, click ‘Transacting’. Then choose ‘Withdraw’.
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Fill in your withdrawal details.
You can choose to withdraw either a dollar amount in line with your future investment selection, or a dollar amount or number of units from each investment option. If you withdraw from specific investment options, you must confirm if you want to change your future investment choice, in line with your transaction.
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Confirm your bank account details and click ‘Next’.
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After checking that your withdrawal details are correct, click ‘Generate FirstNet code’.
This will send a unique code to your registered mobile phone number. Enter the unique code and select ‘Submit’.
Please note, Class A funds can’t perform withdrawals online. These must be done via a form.
We store your current and past super statements on the CFS app and the online portal, so you can check them whenever you need to.
CFS app
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Log into the CFS app.
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Select your account to access your statements.
Online
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Log into FirstNet.
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Go to ‘Documents’ in the top menu.
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Choose which statement you want to view or download.
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Log into FirstNet with your Member ID (OIN) and password.
If you’ve forgotten either of these details, you can retrieve them online.
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For super accounts, choose 'My Profile' on the arrow near your name at the top of the page.
For pension or investment accounts, click ‘My account’ in the menu at the top of the page.
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Select ‘communication preferences’ in the menu on the left side of the page.
To make the change, choose ‘Email’ instead of ‘Mail’. Check that you’ve provided us with your correct email address.
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Choose ‘Generate FirstNet code’ to save these details.
This will send a unique code to your registered mobile phone number. Enter the unique code and select ‘Submit’.
You can manage your super or investments online or in the CFS app:
CFS app
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Log into the CFS app.
If you don’t have the app yet, you can download it here:
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You’ll see your current account balance on the dashboard.
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Choose ‘Investments’ to see your investment summary.
You can also view a personalised graph that shows how your balance has changed over time.
Online
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Log into FirstNet with your Member ID (OIN) and password.
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You’ll see your current account balance on the dashboard.
For pension or investment accounts, click ‘My account’ in the menu at the top of the page.
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Choose ‘Investments’ to see your investment summary.
You can submit most of our forms online using our secure member portal:
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Log into FirstNet with your Member ID (OIN) and password.
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Choose ‘My account’ in the menu at the top of the page.
For pension or investment accounts, click ‘My account’ in the menu at the top of the page.
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Select ‘e-post a request or upload a scanned form’ in the menu on the left side of the page.
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Select ‘Choose file’ to browse for the file to upload, then click ‘Add’ to attach the file.
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Choose ‘Send’ to submit your file/s to our team for processing.
We’ll aim to review your request within five working days, and we’ll send you a confirmation once it’s processed. If we need more information, someone will be in touch.
Here are a few tips to make sure your form is accepted:
Most of our forms now support digital signatures.
The maximum individual file size is 6MB (megabytes).
All your files combined can’t exceed 10MB.
If you need to reduce your file size, trying scanning your documents in black and white instead of colour. You can also try setting your scanner to a lower resolution in dpi (dots per inch).
Accepted file formats include PDF, JPG (or JPEG), PNG and BMP.
Please make sure that all documents are legible before submitting them.
It’s easy to nominate an adviser or authorised representative to transact on your behalf:
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Download and complete the Adviser Online Transaction Authority form.
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After completing and signing the form, you can send us a scanned copy of the document through FirstNet using e-Post.
Alternatively, you can mail it to the address listed on the form.
Keep in mind that investments and withdrawals can only be made to and from a bank account that you've nominated.
The CFS app is available for all FirstChoice members. You can access the app using either an iPhone or Android smartphone. Once logged in, you’ll be able to check your balance, transactions, performance and more.
To help you with any end of financial year transactions you want to make, we’ll publish our processing cut-off dates and times on this page towards the end of the 2024 financial year.
Your Tax File Number (TFN) is a 9-digit number issued by the Australian Taxation Office (ATO). It’s an important part of your tax and super records
.
You don't have to give us your TFN – it’s not required by law. But giving us your TFN has the following advantages:
We’ll be able to accept all permitted types of contributions to your account.
Other than the tax that may ordinarily apply, you won’t pay more tax than you need to. This affects both contributions to your super and benefit payments when you start drawing down your super benefits.
It will make it much easier to find different super accounts in your name so that you receive all your super benefits when you retire.
If you already have an account with CFS and you want to provide your TFN, please complete the Change of details form.
You need to select the occupation or industry that best describes your current situation in the CFS application form. Here’s a full list of occupations/industries, with a detailed description of the different jobs and services within that industry:
You can also select ‘retired’. If you’re currently unemployed, please select the industry you most recently worked in.
You can access your account any time on CFS Edge where we've made it easy for you to:
- monitor the performance of your investments
- review your transaction history
- manage beneficiaries and personal details like address and phone number
- upload documents securely
- authorise changes initiated by your adviser.
You can also keep track of your CFS Edge Super, Pension and Investments accounts on the go by downloading the CFS Edge app to your phone.
To access the investor portal or app, you must have an active CFS Edge account.
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Get in touch with us online or call us
8:30am to 6pm AEST Monday to Friday.
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Past performance is no indication of future performance
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.