An industry fund for professionals in business, professional services, and the corporate sector.
CareSuper is an industry superannuation fund regulated by APRA. Established in 1986, the fund is headquartered in VIC and operates under RSE Licence L0000956. The trustee responsible for managing the fund is CareSuper Pty Ltd.
| Detail | Value |
|---|---|
| ABN | 98 172 275 725 |
| RSE Licence | L0000956 |
| Trustee | CareSuper Pty Ltd |
| Legal Name | CareSuper Pty Ltd |
| Established | 1986 |
| Headquarters | Level 16, 350 Queen Street, Melbourne VIC 3000 |
| Fund Type | Industry |
| USI | CAR0100AU |
| Member Services Phone | 1300 360 149 |
| Website | https://www.caresuper.com.au |
CareSuper manages $53 billion in assets under management, serving approximately 573,000 members across approximately 45,000 employers. This makes it a mid-to-large fund in the Australian superannuation landscape.
CareSuper sits in the mid-to-large tier of Australian super funds. At this size, the fund has meaningful negotiating power with investment managers and can access a reasonable range of unlisted assets. The fund is large enough to benefit from economies of scale while remaining focused on its core membership base.
CareSuper's MySuper option charges a total fee of $423 per year on a $50,000 balance (0.85% of a $50,000 balance). On a $100,000 balance, annual fees come to $768. The fee structure includes a fixed administration component plus percentage-based investment and indirect cost charges.
| Fee Component | Amount |
|---|---|
| Administration Fee (Flat) | $78 p.a. |
| Administration Fee (%) | 0.09% |
| Investment Fee (MySuper) | 0.55% |
| Indirect Cost Ratio | 0.05% |
| Buy/Sell Spread | 0.12% |
| Performance Fee | Yes |
The table below shows how CareSuper's total annual fees scale with your account balance. Funds with a higher flat fee component tend to be proportionally more expensive at lower balances.
| Balance | $10,000 | $25,000 | $50,000 | $100,000 | $250,000 | $500,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Annual Fee ($) | $147 | $250 | $423 | $768 | $1,803 | $3,528 |
| Fee as % of Balance | 1.47% | 1.00% | 0.85% | 0.77% | 0.72% | 0.71% |
The Balanced option has delivered a 10-year annualised return of 8.0%, which is broadly in line with the industry median for MySuper products. This suggests the fund has been a reliable performer without standing out significantly in either direction.
| Period | Return (p.a.) |
|---|---|
| 1 Year | +11.0% |
| 3 Years | +7.8% |
| 5 Years | +8.0% |
| 7 Years | +8.1% |
| 10 Years | +8.0% |
The following table shows the annual returns for CareSuper's Balanced option for each financial year through FY2024-25 (year to 30 June 2025). This allows you to see how the fund performed during both strong market years and downturns, including the COVID-19 sell-off in FY2020 and the inflation-driven correction in FY2022.
| Year | FY2015 | FY2016 | FY2017 | FY2018 | FY2019 | FY2020 | FY2021 | FY2022 | FY2023 | FY2024 | FY2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Balanced | +10.0% | +3.8% | +12.0% | +9.8% | +8.0% | -0.2% | +19.2% | -3.0% | +9.8% | +8.8% | +8.6% |
CareSuper offers 10 investment options spanning pre-mixed diversified portfolios and single-sector choices. Each option carries a different risk profile and fee structure. The asset allocation doughnut charts below show the mix of growth and defensive assets within each option.
| Type | Risk Level | Total Fee | 1yr | 5yr | 10yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pre-mixed | 5 — Medium to High | 0.69% | +11.0% | +8.0% | +8.0% |
| Type | Risk Level | Total Fee | 1yr | 5yr | 10yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pre-mixed | 6 — High | 0.75% | +13.5% | +8.8% | +9.2% |
| Type | Risk Level | Total Fee | 1yr | 5yr | 10yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sector | 1 — Very Low | 0.18% | +4.0% | +1.6% | +1.3% |
CareSuper provides default insurance cover through AIA Australia. Most members are automatically enrolled in death and TPD cover when they join, while income protection is typically opt-in. Insurance premiums are deducted directly from your super balance, which means you do not pay out of pocket but your retirement savings are reduced over time.
| Cover Type | Details |
|---|---|
| Insurer | AIA Australia |
| Death Cover | Yes — unitised, opt-out |
| TPD Cover | Yes — unitised, opt-out |
| Income Protection | Yes — opt-in |
| Default Death Cover (age 30) | $200,000 |
| Default TPD Cover (age 30) | $150,000 |
| Maximum Cover Age | 70 |
The following table shows estimated annual premiums for CareSuper's default death and TPD cover at various ages. Premiums increase significantly with age as the risk of claims rises. These are indicative figures for a standard occupation category.
| Age | Age 25 | Age 30 | Age 35 | Age 40 | Age 45 | Age 50 | Age 55 | Age 60 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Annual Premium | $125 | $210 | $365 | $560 | $870 | $1,350 | $2,000 | $2,850 |
Occupation categories: Professional, White Collar, Blue Collar
IP waiting periods: 30 days, 60 days, 90 days
IP benefit periods: 2 years, 5 years
CareSuper's MySuper option passed APRA's 2025 annual superannuation performance test. This is the legislated benchmark (introduced 1 July 2021 under the Your Future Your Super reforms) that compares a fund's net investment performance and administration fees against a tailored benchmark over rolling 8-year and 10-year windows. Funds that fail must notify members in writing and can be barred from accepting new members if they fail in two consecutive years. In 2025, all 52 MySuper products passed — the second year in a row with zero failures.
Source: APRA (published 2025-08-29) · APRA. See our 2025 APRA Performance Test guide for the full results across all 52 MySuper products and the methodology behind the test.
APRA (the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority) publishes an annual MySuper Product Heatmap that assesses each fund across fees, investment returns, and sustainability. The heatmap uses a traffic-light system to flag products that may be underperforming relative to peers. Here is where CareSuper's MySuper option sits on the latest heatmap:
A "Below median" fee rating means the fund's fees are lower than the typical MySuper product — which is positive for members. An "Above median" return rating indicates the fund has delivered stronger returns than the median fund. A "Performing" sustainability rating means APRA has not identified any concerns about the product's long-term viability.
CareSuper is led by CEO Julie Lander. The board comprises 9 directors, with equal representation of 3 member-elected and 3 employer-appointed directors, plus 3 independent directors. As an APRA-regulated fund, CareSuper must meet strict governance standards including director fitness and propriety requirements, risk management frameworks, and regular independent audits.
| Role | Details |
|---|---|
| CEO | Julie Lander |
| Chief Investment Officer | Suzanne Branton |
| Member-Elected Directors | 3 |
| Employer-Appointed Directors | 3 |
| Independent Directors | 3 |
CareSuper maintains a formal ESG policy and has committed to a net-zero emissions target by 2050. As a signatory to the United Nations Principles for Responsible Investment (UN PRI), the fund has committed to incorporating ESG factors into its investment decision-making.
| ESG Criteria | Status |
|---|---|
| ESG Policy | Yes |
| Net Zero Target | 2050 |
| UN PRI Signatory | Yes |
| ACSI Member | Yes |
| Fossil Fuel Exclusion | Partial |
| Tobacco Exclusion | Full |
| Weapons Exclusion | Controversial weapons |
The CareSuper app has solid ratings of 4.3 on iOS and 4.1 on Android, providing members with a functional mobile experience for checking balances, managing investments, and accessing statements.
| Service | Details |
|---|---|
| iOS App Rating | 4.3/5.0 |
| Android App Rating | 4.1/5.0 |
| Financial Advice | Limited personal advice included |
| Call Centre Hours | 8am-7pm AEST Mon-Fri |
| Languages Supported | English |
| Branch Network | No physical branches |
During the Global Financial Crisis in 2008, CareSuper lost 13.0%, roughly in line with the industry average. The GFC remains the most severe market downturn in recent memory and tested every super fund's risk management framework.
In the COVID-19 year (FY2020), CareSuper limited losses to just -0.2%, recovering strongly through the second half of the year.
How a fund performs during market downturns can be as revealing as its long-term returns. Funds that limit losses during crashes tend to have more conservative asset allocations or better risk management, though this can sometimes come at the cost of lower returns during boom periods.
With 3.9 complaints per 10,000 members, CareSuper's complaint rate is around the industry average. This level is typical for a fund of its size and does not indicate any systemic service issues.
AFCA is the independent complaints body for financial services in Australia. Members can escalate complaints to AFCA if they are unable to resolve a dispute directly with their super fund. The complaints-per-10,000-members ratio is the most meaningful comparison metric as it adjusts for fund size.
See how CareSuper stacks up against every other fund in our database with a detailed side-by-side comparison.