When retirement is still decades away, and something not even on your radar, it’s easy to feel like super isn’t ‘real money’ – but it is and your money is invested often in assets like shares. Right now, even small changes can have a big impact.
Get engaged with your super… even just a little bit.
Don’t ghost your super. Keep in contact and consider these 5 things to do when you’re under 30.
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Stay engaged: Don’t ghost your super
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Why your investment option matters
When you’re under 30, retirement can feel a long way off. But the investment choices you make now can have a real impact on your future super balance.
That’s because your super isn’t sitting idle – it’s invested, often in assets like shares. With 30-40 years until retirement, you have time on your side to help your super grow.
What might suit someone under 30?
While everyone’s situation is different, many people under 30 consider growth-focused investment options. That’s because they generally:
- Have a long investment horizon. With decades until retirement, there’s more time for investments to grow.
- Can ride out market ups and downs. Short-term volatility is a normal part of investing, and time can help smooth these fluctuations.
- May be comfortable with more risk. Higher growth options can come with more market movement in the short term but may offer higher returns over the long term.*
*Returns are not guaranteed and past performance is not a reliable indicator of future performance.
Choosing what’s right for you
The right investment option depends on your personal circumstances, goals and comfort with investment risk. Before deciding, ask yourself:
- How comfortable am I with my balance going up and down?
- Am I focused on long-term growth?
- Do I want a simple approach, like picking just one investment option, or do I want to take on a more hands-on approach, where I change my mix of investments over time?
Our investment options
You can choose how your super is invested. Australian Food Super offers a range of options. You can select one option or spread your investment across several.
| Lower to medium risk options | Growth-focused options |
| Secure | Growth |
| Capital Stable | Australian Shares |
| Conservative Balanced | International Shares |
| MySuper | |
| Balanced |
If you don’t make a choice, your super will be invested in the MySuper option. Please refer to the Investment Guide for more details of these investment options.
Review your choice as life changes
Your investment choice isn’t locked in forever. As your life changes – career, family, financial goals – it’s worth checking your investment option still suits your goals.
Need help choosing?
You can learn more about our investment options here, or get support if you’re unsure what’s right for you:
- Call us on 1800 808 614
- Email service@ausfoodsuper.com.au
- Or access advice at no additional cost to help find an investment strategy that suits your needs.
We’re with you for life.
Check where your super is going
When you’re young and starting out in your career, it’s easy to ignore your super. But a few quick checks now can help you avoid losing track of your money.
Do you have lost super?
If you’ve changed jobs, moved house or haven’t kept your details up to date, you could have super sitting in an account you’ve forgotten about. Based on Government superannuation rules, it can get classed as ‘lost super’ and transferred to the Australian Taxation Office for safekeeping until you take action. Tracking it down and bringing it together can help you stay in control of your savings.
Take action
- Call us on 1800 808 614 and we can do a lost super search for you. We can then help you roll any account found into your Australian Food Super account.
- Do the search yourself at ato.gov.au. Search ‘lost super’ for options on how to claim your super.
Do you have more than one super account?
If you’ve changed jobs over the years, there’s a good chance you’ve ended up with multiple super accounts. Bringing them together could make managing your money simpler—and may help reduce the fees you pay.
Every super account charges its own fees, and you might also be paying for duplicate insurance cover without realising it. Over time, these extra costs can eat into your balance and reduce the benefits of compounding.
Take action
Check online in MemberAccess, our online account portal:
- Log in to your account
- Go to ‘Consolidate your super’
- Select ‘SuperMatch2 – Search for your super’
If you’ve provided your Tax File Number and consent to a search, the system will use the ATO website to look for any other super accounts in your name. If any are found, they’ll be displayed and you can choose to roll them into your Australian Food Super account online.
Or let us help. Call us on 1800 808 614 and we can do the search for you and help you combine your accounts.
Before you consolidate: Make sure you check whether you’ll lose any insurance cover when closing an account and consider whether rolling your super into one account is right for you.
Log in to your account and take control of your super today!
Don’t have access to your online account?
If you haven’t registered for MemberAccess or downloaded the member app, read our guide:
Make sure your super is being paid
Your employer should be paying super contributions for you. Don’t just assume it’s happening – check regularly.
And since 1 July 2026, your employer is required to pay your super contributions on the same day you receive your wages. That means no more waiting until the end of the quarter to see your super contributions hit your account, your super will be paid alongside your regular pay cycle.
Take action
Review your recent contributions in your account. Log on to MemberAccess or check your contributions in the Australian Food Super app. It’s the easiest way to check your balance, monitor contributions, and keep track of your retirement savings anytime, anywhere.
If you haven’t already, download the Australian Food Super app today and take control of your super. For more information, read our guide on How to get started with managing your super online and on your phone.
Remember: Before you can do any of it, you need to register for MemberAccess, our online account portal that makes it all happen.
Could you add more to your super?
Even small contributions can make a difference over time, thanks to compounding. Compounding is what happens when the money you earn on your investments starts earning money of its own. Over time, those earnings build on each other – and that’s where things get powerful.
At its simplest, compounding means:
- You invest money
- It earns returns (like interest or investment growth)
- Those returns stay invested
- Next time, you earn returns on a bigger amount
And this repeats year after year.
When you’re under 30, time is on your side – and time is the key ingredient that makes compounding work.
Depending on your situation, there are several ways you may be able to boost your super.
Government co-contributions
You may be eligible for a Government co-contribution when you make personal contributions from your after-tax income:
- If eligible, the Government could add extra money to your super
- This can be a simple way to boost your balance
Regular contributions
You can also grow your super gradually over time:
- Make personal (after-tax) contributions from your savings.
- Consider salary sacrifice if you’re still working, which allows you to contribute before tax.
Even small, regular contributions can add up over time.
See the difference it could make
Want to understand the impact of contributing more?
- Try our Small Change, Big Savings tool, our super calculator that estimates how extra contributions could grow your balance over time
Small Change, Big Savings
Super calculator
How to make a contribution
Making a personal contribution is simple:
- Ask your employer to contribute from your before-tax pay. Please note that some employers do not allow salary sacrifice payments so you will need to check with your payroll.
- Make a contribution directly from your bank account by BPAY or Electronic Funds Transfer.
- Complete a Contribution Form
Or, call us on 1800 808 614 and we can help you get started.
We’re here to help
- Call us on 1800 808 614
- Email service@ausfoodsuper.com.au
- Or access no-cost advice to help find an investment strategy that suits your needs.
We’re with you for life.
Don’t ghost your super
You don’t need to check your super every week or even every month. But logging in to your super account occasionally can help you stay on track.
- Make sure your email address is kept up to date. You can update it in the app or send an email to service@ausfoodsuper.com.au
- Check your employer is paying your super into your account.
- Have you nominated who your super, and any insurance, would go to if you were to pass away? Update your beneficiaries in the app or complete the Beneficiary Nomination Form. You also have the option of making a binding death benefit nomination by completing this form.
- Are you planning on moving jobs? Remember you are allowed to choose the superannuation fund you want to belong to and your employer, generally, must make Superannuation Guarantee contributions to the fund you have selected. Take your super with you.
- Make sure you check and understand your annual statement. A quick annual check-in can make sure your investment option, contributions and details still match your goals.
Don’t have access to your online account?
If you haven’t registered for MemberAccess or downloaded the member app, read our guide:
How to get started with managing your super online and on your phone.
Log in to your account and take control of your super today!
Do I need insurance when I’m young?
Many super accounts include default insurance, but under Government rules, cover generally only starts once you turn 25 and your balance reaches $6,000. You can choose to opt in to cover earlier.
If you’re under 30, insurance might not feel like a priority. But if you’re starting to take control of your super and build good financial habits, it’s worth understanding what’s available to you.
Think about this: what would happen if you were injured or became ill and couldn’t work for a period of time? Insurance inside super is designed to help provide financial support in situations like these.
Taking a few minutes now to understand your options can make a difference later. Check out our insurance page for more details.
When your cover does begin, check what you have and whether it suits your needs. You might be paying for cover you don’t need—or you might not have enough for your situation.
Need advice?
For complex situations, we can connect you with financial advice*. When decisions matter, remember you can always talk to a real person. Our team is ready to help you.