To help us support ourselves in retirement the Australian Government requires employers to make a minimum level of superannuation contributions on behalf of most of their employees. Through a range of tax concessions they also encourage employers and individuals to make voluntary superannuation contributions to build member superannuation balances further.

There are certain rules regarding how we can contribute to superannuation, how superannuation can be invested and how benefits can be accessed. These rules have changed continually since superannuation (broadly as we know it – whereby employers are required to make Superannuation Guarantee contributions on behalf of their eligible employees) was introduced in 1992. Some of the most significant changes in recent times being those that were contained in the 2006 and 2016 Federal Budgets.