While super is a long-term investment, short-term fluctuations in the value of your super account can set the pulse racing, and not in a good way. This is especially so for members close to or recently retired and those with a large account balance.
According to super fund ratings and analysis group SuperRatings, the median Balanced option returned 9.4% in the year to 30 June 2026, following a 10.3% return the year before. Solid results, but the bumps along the way were another reminder that super investments need to be monitored to ensure they are suitable for current conditions. While younger members have the option to ride out these kinds of ups and downs, for people nearing or in retirement, minimising these fluctuations can be a key factor in their retirement planning.
“Protecting members’ balances from sharp falls is a key function of superannuation investment teams and grows in importance as members near retirement or uncertainty rises,” says SuperRatings executive director, Kirby Rappell. And super funds have responded.
“While some funds that were more defensively positioned didn’t benefit as much from growth over the year, having strong diversification helps shelter members from market fluctuations and supports smoother returns over the long term.”
Taking account of volatility
For this reason, along with the usual lists of top funds rated by their investment returns over various time periods, SuperRatings also publishes the top 10 Balanced options over seven years, ranked by returns adjusted for risk (volatility).
Why does this matter?
- Make sense of complex rules
- Stay up to date
- Make more confident decisions