Nearly half of Australian households are unhappy with the current level of their long-term investments including superannuation, according to a startling financial health survey released by ME Bank.
The survey, released at the Australian Institute of Superannuation Trustees lunch in Melbourne, has painted a dire picture of household confidence in superannuation performance.
Twenty-four per cent of all Australian households were very uncomfortable with their level of investments, while a further 20 per cent were somewhat uncomfortable.
Approximately one in five people thought they would have a very uncomfortable retirement, according to the survey.
The level of confidence in super greatly increases once superannuation hits levels of $200,000 or more, according to the survey.
Forty-six per cent of households were also very uncomfortable or somewhat uncomfortable with their household's levels of cash savings, while one in four thought they couldn't withstand a financial emergency. More than half of all respondents were spending all or more than their income every month.
ME Bank chief executive Jamie McPhee urged the banking sector to resist playing on Australians' overly optimistic assessment of their finances to feed them more debt. Nearly 17 per cent of all respondents were overly optimistic about their finances.
ME Bank surveyed more than 1500 households. It was conducted in October last year.
Introducing reforms for strengthening simpler and faster claims handling and better servicing for First Nations members are critical priorities, according to the Super Members Council.
The Commonwealth Bank has warned that uncapped superannuation concessions may be “unsustainable” and has called for the introduction of a superannuation cap.
Superannuation funds have posted another year of strong returns, but this time, the gains weren’t powered solely by Silicon Valley.
Australia’s $4.1 trillion superannuation system is doing more than funding retirements – it’s quietly fuelling the nation’s productivity, lifting GDP, and adding thousands to workers’ pay packets, according to new analysis from the Association of Superannuation Funds of Australia (ASFA).