Money
Only 6 super funds earned the new Epic Retirement Tick – did yours?
The new Epic Retirement Tick assesses which super funds actually deliver when it comes to retirement support. Just six funds passed – so what does that mean for your super?
By Bron Maxabella
When it comes to comparing super funds, most measures focus on returns, fees and growth while you're still accumulating. But what about when you start drawing down? That’s exactly the blind spot Bec Wilson and Chant West set out to address.
Their Epic Retirement Tick framework assesses how well super funds support you as you move towards and into retirement. It tests the funds on 18 criteria across service, income products, advice, tools, education and more. To earn the tick, a fund must satisfy at least 12 of those 18 benchmarks. You can view the assessment criteria here.
Chant West General Manager, Ian Fryer, said the initiative establishes a clear and easy-to-understand benchmark to help super fund members understand what ‘good’ looks like as they move towards retirement.
“Ultimately, we want as many Australians as possible to have access to the advice, products, tools and service that help them maximise their financial security in retirement,” Fryer said.
“We’re working closely with super funds to drive engagement and action to build strong retirement offerings for their members. This accreditation aims to create a practical framework for fund members to understand how their super fund can support them as they move towards retirement,” he said.
The six funds who earned the tick
In this first round, only six funds have met the standard: Australian Retirement Trust – Super Savings, Aware Super, Brighter Super, Hostplus, Telstra Super and UniSuper.
Of the six, some cleared more of the 18 boxes than others. For example, Hostplus reportedly met 14 out of the 18 criteria, making it the strongest performer. Aware Super and Brighter Super each passed 13 criteria. The others – ART Super Savings, UniSuper, Telstra Super – passed with the minimum 12.
Passing the tick doesn’t mean a fund is perfect for every person, but it shows they’ve built a stronger base of support for retirees. Some features that helped these funds clear the bar:
- Tailored pension / decumulation options
Funds that offered investment strategies specifically designed for retirees (not just carryover from growth phase) scored well. - Advice pathways and guidance
Whether via in‑house advice, low‑cost intra‑fund advice or referral systems, funds that gave clear routes for retirement advice got credit. - Education, tools and modelling
Funds with retirement calculators, projections, budgeting tools and structured webinars or education modules scored higher. - Operational and service strength
The speed to set up pensions, responsiveness to ad hoc requests, call centre metrics and minimal wait times were necessary. The leading funds mostly hit those service benchmarks. - Fee fairness and investment performance
Even in retirement, fees matter and so does consistent, long‑term performance. Funds that passed usually had competitive fees and median‑above performance in balanced and growth options. - Flexible drawdown strategies
Meeting people where they are, not forcing rigid withdrawal rules, was also part of scoring.
These qualities reflect what many midlife Australians care about: not just “how much super will I have?” but “how will it support me when I’m ready?” The funds that passed showed their retirement thinking matches that shift.
Why so few funds passed
The Epic Retirement Tick is a voluntary measure – criteria was sent to all super funds for assessment and funds were invited to submit the data required to do the assessment. There are around 65 super funds in Australia with 15 major players, and most funds Chant West invited to take part responded.
“We did an initial screen of all funds to identify those funds that we thought could ‘possibly’ get to the required level,” Fryer told Citro. “This gave us about 20 funds that we asked for more detailed information on the services they provide to members leading up to and after retirement. All but one of those funds responded…”
So the fact that only six funds passed (or potentially even submitted) the assessment highlights how little attention most of the super industry has given to retirement readiness. It’s a clear signal that, for many funds, helping members accumulate their super has taken priority over helping them spend it wisely in the pension phase.
While the Australian government is working on a mandatory retirement reporting framework that will require super funds to report to APRA on how well they support members after retirement, it's still in the consultation phase and won’t commence until 2027. In the meantime, the Epic Retirement Tick ups the pressure on funds to improve their retirement offering now.
Where did funds fall particularly short? Service and operational speed came up often. For example, setting up a pension account or changing income rates should happen quickly – preferably within days. Most funds did not meet that standard. Also, some funds lacked strong offerings in retirement income products, calculators or personalised advice.
In short: many funds do well when your money is growing; fewer do well when your money needs to support your life. That’s exactly what this tick aims to spotlight.
“This is actually a huge opportunity for super funds,” Bec Wilson points out. “Funds that step up to deliver true retirement-ready services will not only win trust, they will set a new standard for how Australians experience retirement.”
What you can do now (or as retirement gets closer)
1. Check whether your fund earned the tick
If your fund is one of the six, dig into what services and supports they offer in retirement – then use them.
For funds that didn’t make it, it’s not necessarily a reason to change to a different fund, but keep an eye on whether your existing fund commits to making improvements.
2. Map your priorities to the criteria
You might care most about retirement income options, or being able to switch investments easily or having quality advice. Check the criteria list and compare how well your fund does in those areas.
3. Ask your fund to share their retirement roadmap
Use this benchmark to push for transparency. If your fund hasn’t yet earned the tick, it doesn’t mean it can’t, just that they have work to do.
4. Don’t wait until retirement to evaluate support
Even if you’re many years out, understanding your fund’s retirement offerings early gives you the power to act – investigate, question, consult and switch funds if necessary.
5. Use this framework in your retirement planning
When evaluating income streams, advice, tools or even plans to move to an account‑based pension, compare the fund’s actual retirement readiness, not just their growth phase.
With the introduction of the Epic Retirement Tick, funds now know someone’s watching – not just on returns but on retirement support. Over time, more funds will strive to earn the tick by lifting their game or adjusting what they offer. It’s a welcome benchmark for ensuring you’re with the right superannuation fund to support your retirement years.
Feature image: Pexels/cottonbro studio
This article reflects the views and experience of the author and not necessarily the views of Citro. It contains general information only and is not intended to influence readers’ decisions about any financial products or investments. Readers’ personal circumstances have not been taken into account and they should always seek their own professional financial and taxation advice that takes into account their personal circumstances before making any financial decisions.
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