Check out our proven results, low fees

The crediting rates declared by the Board for the year ended 30 June 2009 were:

Balanced Option	-11.62%
High Growth Option	-16.62%
Capital Stable Option	-1.26%

While these negative results are disappointing, it’s important to be aware that they are the result of world investment market conditions and either in line or well ahead of performance across the industry.

These rates will be applied to Members’ accounts for the year 1 July 2008 to 30 June 2009. The rate applied to your account will depend on your chosen investment option.

Click here to find out more about choosing the investment option that’s right for you.

Our proven track record

Here is how each of these options has performed over the last five years:

Date	High Growth option	Balanced option	Capital Stable option
2008/09	-16.62%	-11.62%	-1.26%
2007/08	-10.96%	-5.79%	-0.26%
2006/07	+18.78%	+14.66%	+9.26%
2005/06	+19.27%	+16.17%	+9.20%
2004/05	+11.91%	+10.86%	+7.84%
5 Year Compound Average	+3.31%	+4.22%	+4.85%

How we compare

SuperRatings, an independent research group, reported in July 2009 that Australian superannuation funds would return their biggest losses in 2008/09 since compulsory super started in 1992. SuperRatings has now reported that the median balanced investment fund posted a loss of 13.2% for the year ended 30 June 2009. CONNECT outperformed the SuperRatings average fund by around 1.5% this year, and this follows above-average performance in the 2007/08 year.

Low Fees

Here is a summary of the fees and charges you pay as a member of CONNECT:

Administration Fees
There is an administration fee of $1.35 per week deducted from your active account.

In addition to the $1.35 per week there is provision for a Trustee expense recovery fee, which for the 2009/10 financial year is estimated to be 0.15%.

The percentage operating fee is deducted as part of the calculation of crediting rates. It is an estimate. If the actual expenses incurred are greater than the estimate shown above, then the crediting rate would decrease. If the actual expenses incurred are less than the estimate, then the crediting rate would increase.

Management Expense Ratio (MER)

A percentage MER fee is deducted as part of the calculation of the crediting rate for each of the investment options. The crediting rate applied is ‘net’ of these fees. The MER is:

1. High Growth Option             0.76%
2. Balanced Option                 0.72%
3. Capital Stable Option          0.33%

If these fees change you will be advised via your CONNECT annual report or newsletter, or this website.

Insurance Premiums
CONNECT provides one unit of insurance cover to all Members automatically on joining. One unit of cover costs $2.07 per week. One unit provides $55,000 death cover for all Members plus $55,000 cover for total & permanent disablement (TPD) for Members who are under age 55.
TPD cover reduces by $5,000 per year for each one unit of cover from age 55, until it is $5,000 at age 64. From age 65 to age 69 TPD cover is $5,000 per unit of cover. No TPD cover applies from age 69.

Death cover is $10,000 per unit of cover from age 65 to age 70.

You can buy extra cover through CONNECT – each unit costs another $2.07 per week. The charges for insurance cover are deducted from your account in CONNECT.

Benefit Payment Fee
When you make a claim from CONNECT, a fee is deducted from your account to cover the cost of processing the claim. Currently this fee is $37.50. If your benefit is less than $1,000, the fee will usually not exceed the interest amount credited to your account. In some instances the administration fee may absorb the positive return that has been credited to member accounts, then a difference of up to $10.00 will be charged. Fees change from time to time so please call the CONNECT Administration Service on 1800 025 464 for the latest information.

Taxation is in addition to these fees and charges.

Compare CONNECT's fees

Low fees may mean big $ savings for you… find out how CONNECT’s low fees could help save you thousands of dollars. As your industry superfund CONNECT is ‘all profits to Members’ – that’s why our fees are so low.