The Australian Prudential Regulation Authority (APRA) found the annual industry-wide rate of return (ROR) for entities with more than four members for the March 2020 quarter was -10.3% and -3.3% for the year. 

This is the lowest quarterly ROR recorded by APRA since data collection began 15 years ago. 

Superannuation assets totalled $2.7 trillion at the end of the March 2020 quarter and over the 12 months from March 2019 there was a 0.3% reduction in total superannuation assets.

Over the same period, there was a decrease of 0.4% in total assets in MySuper products, totalling $710 billion in assets. 

APRA said the reduction in the value of super assets during the quarter was due to a "significant downturn in global financial markets as a result of COVID-19". 

Need somewhere to store cash and earn interest? The table below features introductory savings accounts with some of the highest interest rates on the market.

Provider

4001$product[$field["value"]]$product[$field["value"]]$product[$field["value"]]More details
  • Bonus rate for the first 4 months from account opening
  • No account keeping fees
  • No minimum balance
Disclosure

High Interest Savings Account (<$250k)

  • Bonus rate for the first 4 months from account opening
  • No account keeping fees
  • No minimum balance
Disclosure
000$product[$field["value"]]$product[$field["value"]]$product[$field["value"]]More details
  • Set up your Pay Cycle and connect your accounts from over 140 financial institutions.
  • Retrace your spending steps into categories with Spending Footprint.
  • No monthly or international fees on any of your transactions.
Disclosure

Save Account

  • Set up your Pay Cycle and connect your accounts from over 140 financial institutions.
  • Retrace your spending steps into categories with Spending Footprint.
  • No monthly or international fees on any of your transactions.
Disclosure
400$product[$field["value"]]$product[$field["value"]]$product[$field["value"]]More details
  • Special offer: Savings Accelerator (Kick Starter offer).
  • For a limited time, new ING customers can get a bonus 0.70% p.a. on their savings rate on balances of $150,000 up to $500,000 for the first 4 months. T&Cs apply.
  • If your balance is over $500,000 (but less than $5 million) you will earn the ongoing variable rate of 4.7%
Disclosure

Savings Accelerator

  • Special offer: Savings Accelerator (Kick Starter offer).
  • For a limited time, new ING customers can get a bonus 0.70% p.a. on their savings rate on balances of $150,000 up to $500,000 for the first 4 months. T&Cs apply.
  • If your balance is over $500,000 (but less than $5 million) you will earn the ongoing variable rate of 4.7%
Disclosure
4000$product[$field["value"]]$product[$field["value"]]$product[$field["value"]]More details
  • A high-interest online savings account with no monthly fees, easy withdrawals and award-winning digital banking
  • No withdrawal notice periods or interest rate penalties
  • Save up to 10% on eGift cards at over 50 retailers with Macquarie Marketplace
Disclosure

Savings Account

  • A high-interest online savings account with no monthly fees, easy withdrawals and award-winning digital banking
  • No withdrawal notice periods or interest rate penalties
  • Save up to 10% on eGift cards at over 50 retailers with Macquarie Marketplace
Disclosure
010000$product[$field["value"]]$product[$field["value"]]$product[$field["value"]]More details
  • Deposit at least $1,000+ each month from an external source
  • Make 5 or more eligible transactions. Grow your savings balance each month
Disclosure

Savings Maximiser

  • Deposit at least $1,000+ each month from an external source
  • Make 5 or more eligible transactions. Grow your savings balance each month
Disclosure
02000$product[$field["value"]]$product[$field["value"]]$product[$field["value"]]More details
Disclosure

Online Savings - Premium Saver

    Disclosure
    020000$product[$field["value"]]$product[$field["value"]]$product[$field["value"]]More details

    HomeME Savings Account (<$100k)

      02001$product[$field["value"]]$product[$field["value"]]$product[$field["value"]]More details

      Growth Saver

        01000$product[$field["value"]]$product[$field["value"]]$product[$field["value"]]More details

        Virgin Money Boost Saver

          01001$product[$field["value"]]$product[$field["value"]]$product[$field["value"]]More details

          Bonus Saver Account

            01000$product[$field["value"]]$product[$field["value"]]$product[$field["value"]]More details

            Bonus Saver

              0100$product[$field["value"]]$product[$field["value"]]$product[$field["value"]]More details

              mySaver

                000$product[$field["value"]]$product[$field["value"]]$product[$field["value"]]More details

                Simple Saver

                  4001$product[$field["value"]]$product[$field["value"]]$product[$field["value"]]More details

                  Netsave Account

                    3000$product[$field["value"]]$product[$field["value"]]$product[$field["value"]]More details

                    Online Savings Account

                      3000$product[$field["value"]]$product[$field["value"]]$product[$field["value"]]More details

                      HSBC Everyday Savings Account

                        0501$product[$field["value"]]$product[$field["value"]]$product[$field["value"]]More details

                        Incentive Saver Account

                          4000.01$product[$field["value"]]$product[$field["value"]]$product[$field["value"]]More details

                          Bankwest Easy Saver

                            0502$product[$field["value"]]$product[$field["value"]]$product[$field["value"]]More details

                            Bonus Saver

                              0500$product[$field["value"]]$product[$field["value"]]$product[$field["value"]]More details

                              Incentive Saver Account

                                Important Information and Comparison Rate Warning

                                All products with a link to a product provider’s website have a commercial marketing relationship between us and these providers. These products may appear prominently and first within the search tables regardless of their attributes and may include products marked as promoted, featured or sponsored. The link to a product provider’s website will allow you to get more information or apply for the product. By de-selecting “Show online partners only” additional non-commercialised products may be displayed and re-sorted at the top of the table. For more information on how we’ve selected these “Sponsored”, “Featured” and “Promoted” products, the products we compare, how we make money, and other important information about our service, please click here. Rates correct as of December 11, 2024. View disclaimer.

                                Important Information and Comparison Rate Warning

                                At the end of the March quarter, cash allocation had increased from 9.5% to 13.6%, due to equity market downturn, member switching, and funds freeing up liquidity ahead of the Early Release Scheme

                                As part of its response to COVID-19, the Morrison Government has allowed people experiencing financial hardship to withdraw $10,000 from their super accounts this financial year and another $10,000 between July 1 and September 24. 

                                APRA found $10.6 billion in payments had been made through the scheme, with an average payment of $7,510. 

                                Almost 1.6 million applications have been received, with just over 1.4 million paid out. 

                                Young people accessing their super in droves 

                                Of the 1.4 million Australians who have successfully accessed their super early, around a third ($30 billion worth) were under the age of 30, according to the Australian Taxation Office (ATO).

                                Approximately 268,000 people aged between 26 and 30 applied for early access, the biggest single group. 

                                Around 247,700 were between 31 and 35, while 21 to 25 year olds accounted for 172,000.

                                Age of applicants accessing super early 

                                Age range

                                No. of applications approved

                                Value of application approved for release ($m)

                                30 or younger

                                455,000

                                2,995

                                31-40

                                440,500

                                3,855

                                41-50

                                282,400

                                2,630

                                51-60

                                159,000

                                1,495

                                61-70

                                16,700

                                145

                                71 and older

                                200

                                0

                                Total

                                1,354,200

                                11,120

                                Source: ATO

                                Shadow Treasurer Jim Chalmers told reporters in Brisbane on Monday that the people who were withdrawing super were doing so because they had no other source of income.

                                "A lot of people have been excluded from the JobKeeper payments and have been forced to withdraw their super," Mr Chalmers said. 

                                "That will have devastating consequences for the type of income that they can rely on in retirement."

                                Mr Chalmers added young people were bearing the brunt of the economic fallout from COVID-19. 

                                "The government is in many ways robbing them of a decent retirement," he said. 

                                Disclaimers

                                Savings.com.au does not provide tax advice. This material has been prepared by Savings.com.au and is for informational purposes only, and is not intended to provide, and should not be relied on for tax advice.

                                For tax advice relevant to you, visit the ATO or consult an independent tax advisor.