• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to footer
SuperGuide

SuperGuide

Superannuation and retirement planning information

  • Join Premium
  • Account
  • Log In
  • How super works
      • Super for beginners
      • Employers guide to super
      • Women and super
      • Super rules
      • Super contributions
      • Super and tax
      • Accessing super
      • Super news
      • Super glossary
  • Super funds
      • Best performing super funds
      • Best performing pension funds
      • Super fund rankings
      • Pension fund rankings
      • Super fund profiles
      • Super fund comparison
      • Super fund average returns
      • Super investing strategies
      • Comparing super funds
      • Choosing a super fund
      • Super fund fees
      • Insurance and super
  • SMSFs
      • SMSFs for beginners
      • SMSF strategies
      • SMSF checklists
      • SMSF Q&As
      • SMSF administration
      • SMSF compliance
      • SMSF investing
      • SMSF pensions
  • Plan your retirement
      • Retirement planning for beginners
      • When should I retire?
      • How long will I live?
      • Will I have enough super?
      • Will I get the Age Pension?
      • How much will I spend in retirement?
      • Financial advice
      • Retiring overseas
      • Preparing for retirement
      • Retirement planning strategies
      • Retirement calculators and reckoners
  • In retirement
      • Income in retirement
      • Super lump sums
      • Super pensions
      • Age Pension
      • Working in retirement
      • Life in retirement
      • Seniors concessions and services
      • Aged care
      • Estate planning
      • Super death benefits
  • Special Features
    • Tips and strategies
    • Calculators and reckoners
    • Checklists and how-to guides
    • Case studies
    • Super quizzes
    • Newsletter archive

Home / In retirement / Super death benefits

Super death benefits

Super death benefits

Your superannuation death benefits will generally be paid to one or more of your dependants (or your estate) when you die. You can make a binding death benefit nomination while you are alive to direct how your super balance will be distributed. If you don’t, the trustee of your fund has the discretion to determine who should receive your super death benefit when you die (unless the benefit is a reversionary pension).

The taxation of your superannuation death benefit payments will depend on:

  • whether the recipient is one of your dependants,
  • whether the death benefit amount is paid as a lump sum or a super income stream, and
  • your age when you die and the age of your recipient/s (for superannuation income stream death benefits).

Set out below are the latest articles that relate to super death benefits.

PremiumSuper strategies after losing your spouse: What are the rules?

Super strategies after losing your spouse: What are the rules?

November 17, 2021

Deciding whether to take your partner’s super death benefits as a lump sum, pension or a bit of both requires careful planning; the earlier the better.

PremiumWho gets your super when you die? A guide to death benefit nominations

Who gets your super when you die? A guide to death benefit nominations

August 4, 2021

There are at least 5 different types of death benefit nomination to choose from if you want to decide who will get your super death benefit.

PremiumReversionary pensions: What they are and how they work

Reversionary pensions: What they are and how they work

August 4, 2021

Having your super pension automatically revert to your spouse can be an easy way to ensure your spouse’s financial situation is taken care after your death.

PremiumA simple guide to what tax is payable on super death benefits

A simple guide to what tax is payable on super death benefits

August 4, 2021

The tax on your super death benefit can be tricky to understand, but it’s important to know what’s what so your beneficiaries don’t end up paying too much tax.

PremiumCase study: How does transfer balance cap indexation affect death benefits from your spouse?

Case study: How does transfer balance cap indexation affect death benefits from your spouse?

May 10, 2021

How to deal with a partner’s death benefits has just become more complicated. We use a case study to show why.

What is an anti-detriment payment?

What is an anti-detriment payment?

April 6, 2019

An anti-detriment payment is an additional lump sum amount paid to the eligible dependant of a super fund member who dies (in addition to a lump sum death benefit that is paid to the dependant on the super fund member’s death).

Footer

SuperGuide is Australia’s leading superannuation and retirement planning website.

Superguide Pty Ltd ATF Superguide Unit Trust as a Corporate Authorised Representative (CAR) is a Corporate Authorised Representative of Independent Financial Advisers Australia, AFSL 464629.

  • Level 23, 520 Oxford St, Bondi Junction, NSW 2022
  • 1800 955 753

Company

  • About Us
  • Advertise
  • Careers
  • Contact us
  • Copyright Policy
  • Editorial Policy and Complaints
  • Sitemap

SuperGuide Premium

  • Free SuperGuide newsletter
  • New to SuperGuide?
  • Pricing
  • Subscriber feedback
  • Support
Google Rating
4.9
Based on 35 reviews
js_loader

Important: Disclaimer

All information on SuperGuide is general in nature only and does not take into account your personal objectives, financial situation or needs. You should consider whether any information on SuperGuide is appropriate to you before acting on it. If SuperGuide refers to a financial product you should obtain the relevant product disclosure statement (PDS) or seek personal financial advice before making any investment decisions.

© Copyright SuperGuide 2009-22

  • Full SuperGuide disclaimer
  • Terms and Conditions of Use
  • Financial Services Guide
  • Privacy Policy and Privacy Collection