To help people facing financial hardship due to Coronavirus, the Government has temporarily changed the rules around accessing super where certain eligibility criteria has been met.
The temporary condition of release allows eligible people to apply to release an amount from super, up to $10,000. Two applications could be made:
Before you decide to take money out of your super, take some time to decide what’s best for you—not just for today, but tomorrow too.
It’s important you understand how accessing your super early may affect your long-term retirement savings, and the insurance in super you may have.
Age | Amount accessed early | Estimated reduction in balance at retirement (age 67)* |
30 | $20,000 | $43,032 |
40 | $20,000 | $35,024 |
50 | $20,000 | $28,506 |
*These results have been generated using the ‘Super withdrawal estimator’ available on the ASIC MoneySmart website at https://moneysmart.gov.au/covid-19/accessing-your-super. The estimates are based on assumptions including a retirement age of 67, a gross investment return of 7.5% pa, tax on earnings of 7%, investment fees of 0.85% pa, income of $50,000 and an initial inflation rate of 2.5% pa with a growth rate of 1.5% pa. All results are shown in today’s dollars. Additional assumptions are outlined in the ‘Super withdrawal estimator’. The above table is provided for illustrative purposes only and is not specific to the fees and costs of a particular financial product. Investment returns are not guaranteed.
We know that many Australians are doing it tough and being able to access their super early has made it possible to pay bills or debts. But before taking steps to get early access to super, Martina Taylor, Superannuation Consultant, talks about five things to think about:
*The Government has since extended the application period to 31 December 2020.
Further reading: Managing the COVID-19 crisis – an update on Government policies that might affect you
If you've decided to apply for early release of super due to COVID-19, refer to the FAQs below for details on the application process and tips to make it a smooth process. Here's a timeline of what you can expect:
*This is an estimate only and may vary depending on individual applications.
MLC is aware of current scams targeting Australians. Please see FAQ below for more information.
The amount paid reflects the available funds in your super account. The balance the ATO have for your account was correct at 30 June 2019, and your account balance may have changed since that date due to:
If the balance in any of your super accounts is less than $6,000, you won’t pay more than 3% pa in fees and costs. These fees and costs include administration fees, investment fees, and indirect costs. We’ll assess your balances at the end of the financial year (30 June each year) or when you exit, and if you’ve paid more than 3% pa in fees and costs on any account with a balance of less than $6,000, you’ll be refunded the difference.
For more information about fees, check your Product Disclosure Statement.
If your account has a zero balance, your account will remain open for three months from the date of that payment. At the end of the period, if neither you or your employer have made any contributions, rollovers or insurance premium payments, we’ll close the account and let you know.
Please refer to the FAQs under Coronavirus & the impact to your insurance in super for the implications of a zero balance on your insurance in super.
Once you have applied, here are the next steps for successful applications:
We have been receiving files in batches from the ATO since 21 April and the process between the ATO and MLC is up and running. Our teams are focused on processing money accurately and safely to our members’ accounts.
To be eligible for early release of super you must satisfy any one of the following requirements:
How to apply
To access the second early release of super, you’ll need to submit an application to the ATO from 1 July 2020 to 31 December 2020.
The maximum amount that eligible people can access is $10,000. You’re only able to submit one application per financial year. For example, if you apply to release $8,000 from 1 July 2020, you won’t be able to submit a second application for the additional $2,000 to top up to the maximum of $10,000.
Applications for release cannot be made directly to the fund and must be made via the ATO.
These are the steps to follow:
Tips to make the process smooth
We want to get your money to you as quickly as possible. To do that, please make sure that you’ve covered off the following:
To find out more about what documents are required, please refer to the application process in your myGov account at my.gov.au You won’t need to supply these documents to MLC.
More information is also available at ato.gov.au or my.gov.au
Yes, the early access to super rules do not prevent you from applying under existing provisions such as severe financial hardship or compassionate grounds. If you meet the criteria for both, then you can apply to receive both. For further information on eligibility criteria to access super due to severe financial hardship or compassionate grounds, visit the ATO website.
Other services are also available to help people in financial stress.
National Debt Helpline
The National Debt Helpline is a not-for-profit service that helps people tackle their debt problems. They’re not a lender and don’t ‘sell’ anything or make money from you. Their professional financial counsellors offer a free, independent, and confidential service.
If your matter is more complex, they can refer you to your closest face-to-face financial counselling service.
They can also put you in touch with the right service you require, such as legal services, crisis food and accommodation services, and health services.
See National Debt Helpline for more information or call them on 1800 007 007.
Speak to your bank or insurance provider
All banks have hardship programs under which some of your debts may be waived or reduced, or mortgages deferred.
People with insurance policies should also contact their insurance policy and discuss the possibility of deferring insurance premiums.
Renters rights
State and territory governments have placed restrictions on evictions of people who may have fallen behind in their rent payments because of COVID-19.
Terms and details vary by state and territory. For more information see:
Your insurance may be impacted. This is because your insurance premiums are paid from your MLC super account, unless your employer pays for the cost of your insurance cover. So, you must have enough super savings to pay for the cover.
It’s important to take a moment and think carefully about whether you want to have insurance as part of your super.
You can find out more about insurance in super here.
And don’t forget, you can change or cancel your insurance at any time, by calling us.
If you are not receiving regular contributions and your account balance can no longer cover the cost of your premiums, your insurance may be switched-off. Please refer to your insurance guide for more details on when your insurance cover may be switched-off as a result of this, and how to start it up again.
Find out more about COVID-19 and your insurance in super.
MLC is aware of current scam phone calls targeting Australians. The caller may claim to be from an organisation that can assist you to get early access to your superannuation. The caller may ask for your personal and superannuation details.
If you ever have any concerns as to the legitimacy of a call, hang up and call the company back on a publicly listed number.
If you have received this type of call and have provided information about your superannuation, please contact MLC immediately on 132 652.
If you receive a text message saying your superannuation fund is going to release your super, and you did not request this, contact us.
If you have provided personal or banking details, please also contact your financial institution.
You can also read our article for more information, or visit the Scamwatch website for more information about this scam.
This information is current as at May 2020.