Which Fees Should You Enter?
Enter the recurring super fund costs relevant to your selected investment option: administration fees, investment fees and transaction costs. Fund charges can be fixed dollar amounts, percentages of the balance or a combination. Read the fee schedule in your product disclosure statement (PDS) and avoid including a fee already reflected in the return assumption.
According to ASIC MoneySmart's Choosing a super fund (29 September 2026), fees should be considered alongside investment performance and insurance.
How Do Fixed and Percentage Fees Work?
A fixed fee has a greater proportional effect on a small balance. For example, a hypothetical A$100 annual fee equals 0.20% of A$50,000 but 0.05% of A$200,000. A 0.5% percentage fee, by contrast, rises with the modelled balance.
Actual fund schedules may have caps, tiers or additional charges. A single percentage input cannot reproduce those schedules exactly.
How Do Super Fees Compound Over Time?
Annual fee deductions leave less money invested. Over time, they can also reduce the future returns that deducted amounts might otherwise earn. Unlike the broader Super Projection Calculator Australia, this tool holds the gross return and contribution assumptions constant to isolate the impact of fees. The calculator uses a simplified annual recurrence:
Next balance = max(0, opening balance × (1 + gross return) × (1 − percentage fee) − fixed fee) + end-of-year contribution.
This is an illustrative annual model, not a reproduction of a fund's actual daily fee calculations. According to ASIC MoneySmart's Managed funds fee calculator (accessed 14 October 2026), comparing fee schedules helps demonstrate their potential impact on investment outcomes. Its calculation assumptions differ from this super calculator.
How Do Fees Change the Retirement Balance?
The difference between two projected ending balances represents the impact of their modelled fee schedules when other assumptions are identical. The total fees deducted are shown separately because the balance difference also includes foregone investment growth. For example, enter A$50,000, 30 years, a hypothetical 6% gross annual return and percentage fees of 1.0% versus 0.5%. With all other inputs held equal, Scenario B ends with more money.
This is a modelled fee effect, not evidence that a particular fund will perform better. The difference between projected balances includes both fees deducted and their effect on later compound growth. Adjust the inputs to test other circumstances.
How Do Fees and Investment Returns Differ?
A gross investment return is measured before the investment fees represented by that rate. A net return has already accounted for specified costs. Do not subtract investment fees twice. If using a published return after investment fees, identify any remaining charges separately before entering a rate. The calculator specifically expects a gross return before its input percentage fees and does not separately model tax on investment earnings.
For actual fund comparisons, check the period and definition of any disclosed return figure.
How Can Two Super Funds Be Compared Fairly?
Hold the opening balance, contributions, timeframe and gross return constant when measuring fee impact alone. A real fund comparison must also consider investment objectives, underlying asset allocation, risk, performance, insurance and services. Two funds with different investment strategies are not necessarily comparable using fees alone.
According to ASIC MoneySmart's Choosing a super fund (29 September 2026), fund selection involves considerations beyond fees, including performance and insurance.
How Do Fee Caps Affect Different Balances?
A fee cap limits specified charges according to the fund's disclosed calculation rules; it may not apply to every fee category. For example, a hypothetical 0.20% administration charge capped at A$300 would amount to A$100 on A$50,000 but A$300 rather than A$400 on A$200,000.
This calculator does not model fee caps or tiered schedules. Confirm the appropriate inputs and charging method with your fund.
What Examples Show the Cost of Super Fees?
Compare a 10-year horizon against a 30-year horizon to see how compounding changes the result. Try no new contributions and then add equal annual net contributions in both scenarios. If you need to work out employer, salary sacrifice or personal contribution amounts first, use the Super Contributions Calculator Australia. Changing the starting balance while keeping a fixed fee constant also shows why smaller accounts may bear a higher effective percentage cost.
These are illustrative scenarios, not forecasts. Keep the annual gross return and fee settings unchanged while testing one variable at a time so you can understand why the result changes.
| Scenario | Opening balance | Years | Annual contributions |
|---|---|---|---|
| Short horizon | A$50,000 | 10 | A$0 |
| Long horizon | A$50,000 | 30 | A$0 |
| Continued saving | A$50,000 | 30 | A$5,000 net |
Where Can You Check Actual Super Fund Fees?
- Find the PDS for the super product and investment option you hold.
- Check fixed administration, investment and transaction costs, their calculation basis, and any caps or tiered charges.
- Compare costs with your annual member statement and ask your fund about unclear deductions.
- Use ASIC MoneySmart's fund-selection guidance and the ATO YourSuper comparison tool where relevant; the ATO tool has its own comparison scope and is not a substitute for checking the product's current fee schedule.
- Confirm whether your return input is gross or already net of fees.
Should You Switch to a Lower-Fee Super Fund?
NO, lower fees alone do not establish that a super fund is suitable. Assess investments, long-term results after costs, risks, insurance cover and services. Review existing insurance before switching because cover or terms may change. Use the calculator to isolate one cost factor, not to make a personal investment recommendation.
What Assumptions Limit the Calculator?
The model assumes a constant annual gross return, percentage and fixed fees deducted once a year after applying the return, a fixed net contribution amount paid at year-end, and no inflation adjustment. It omits contribution tax, investment tax, changing return sequences, fee caps, insurance premiums and advice or switching costs.
Real super returns and fees vary, so a precise-looking output is not a guaranteed future balance. Use the same basis for both fee scenarios. The output reports fees charged and projected ending balances, not a complete after-tax benefit or the amount you can legally withdraw.
Frequently Asked Questions About Super Fees
These answers clarify how to interpret fee comparisons and investment-cost disclosures.
Can lower super fees increase my projected retirement balance?
YES, lower fees may improve a projected balance when returns, contributions, timeframe and other assumptions are equal. Actual investment outcomes vary.
Can a fund charge both a dollar fee and a percentage fee?
YES, funds can levy both forms of charges. Check the relevant fee schedule, including possible caps or tiering.
Does a lower fee guarantee higher investment returns?
NO, investment outcomes depend on the underlying investments, markets and risk as well as costs.
Are insurance premiums included in every super fee quote?
NO, insurance deductions may be shown separately. Check your annual member statement and PDS.
Can the same super fund charge different fees for different investment options?
YES, investment options within the same fund can have different costs and risk profiles.
Should a calculator subtract investment fees again from net returns?
NO, deducting costs already included in a quoted net return would double-count them.
Sources and Calculation Notes
- Australian Securities and Investments Commission, MoneySmart, Choosing a super fund, 29 September 2026.
- Australian Securities and Investments Commission, MoneySmart, Superannuation calculator, 2 July 2026, retirement projections and the impact of fees on the final super balance.
- Australian Securities and Investments Commission, MoneySmart, Managed funds fee calculator, accessed 14 October 2026, comparative fee-impact modelling (different assumptions from this super calculator).
- Australian Taxation Office, YourSuper comparison tool, accessed 14 October 2026, super fund performance comparison.