retirement savings account (RSA)

Transcription

1 retirement savings account (RSA) Short Form Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) For Superannuation, Rollovers and Pensions. As at 4 April 2016 Things you should know: > This PDS is current as at 4 April 2016 and is a summary of significant information. It contains a number of references to important information called Incorporated Information. Incorporated Information forms part of the PDS; > You should consider both the information in this PDS and the Incorporated Information before making a decision about the product; > This PDS and any Incorporated Information can be obtained on request by phoning ; > The information provided in this PDS is general information only and does not take into account your personal financial situation or needs; and > You should obtain financial advice tailored to your personal circumstances. Contents About the Qudos Retirement Savings Account 2 How super works 2 Benefits of investing with Qudos RSA 3 Risks of investing in super 3 How interest is allocated to your Qudos RSA balance 4 Fees and costs 4 How super is taxed 5 Insurance in your super 5 How to open a Qudos RSA account 5 Issued by Qudos Mutual Limited trading as Qudos Bank Locked Bag 5020 Mascot NSW 1460 ABN ASFL No Unique Superannuation Identified (USI) Page 1 of 6

2 About the Qudos Retirement Savings Account In 1959 a small group of Qantas Airways employees decided that they and their fellow workers would be better off pooling their funds, saving together and lending to each other, a financial co-operative for competitive loans and savings accounts. So began Qudos Bank, which today has over 95,000 members and provides a competitive range of financial services. Qudos Bank is an unlisted public company owned by our members and run by our Board of Directors (currently 10) who are elected by our members from our membership base. No matter how big we grow, a great deal more for your banking is our ongoing commitment to give you a better deal; a better deal on interest rates and fairer fees than you will get from the major banks, for all our products and services. What is an RSA? A Retirement Savings Account ( RSA ) is a superannuation investment facility enjoying the same concessions as superannuation funds, however it operates in a similar way as a savings/investment account. The Qudos RSA is designed for superannuation, rollovers and account based pensions. RSA accounts are for members who are looking for security and flexibility. The Qudos RSA is subject to the same legislative rules as superannuation funds, and provides the same tax benefits, with the added protection of being capital guaranteed. The RSA can accept contributions as well as providing the facility of an approved rollover account. The capital invested in the Qudos RSA is guaranteed by Qudos Bank and is backed by the assets of the bank. The capital guarantee means that the total benefit returned to you will not be less than the total amount of contributions made by you or your employer, less any applicable taxes and fees. The Qudos RSA also provides a pension facility. The amount that you can take out each year with a pension is subject to a required minimum amount set by the Government. A pension may not provide an income stream for the rest of your life. Payments will only be made while there is enough money in the account for the pension provided by the RSA. How super works ABOUT SUPERANNUATION Superannuation (super) is a means of saving for retirement on a regular basis, which is (in part) compulsory for most employees. It is a long-term investment. You usually can t access your super until you reach your preservation age (between age 55 and 60), but there are some special circumstances where you can withdraw it earlier than this. Tax concessions and other government benefits generally make super one of the best long-term investment vehicles. CONTRIBUTIONS Generally, if you are employed and earn more than $450 a month, Australian employers are required by Government legislation to contribute a minimum of 9.5% (increasing to 12% in the future) of an employee s ordinary time earnings to a superannuation fund nominated by the employee or, if an employee does not nominate a fund, to the employer s default fund. These compulsory contributions are referred to as Superannuation Guarantee (SG) contributions. You can also make contributions towards superannuation. There are different types of contributions available to a person including SG contributions, additional employer contributions (for example, salary sacrifice contributions), voluntary Member contributions and government co-contributions. There are limitations on the contributions to, and withdrawals, from superannuation. These limitations apply to all superannuation funds. The Qudos RSA's limitations are further detailed on page 3 of the Incorporated (by reference) Information Booklet Superannuation, Rollovers and Pensions. Unless you are subject to an industrial award or agreement that states otherwise, you are entitled to select an alternative superannuation fund under the choice of fund laws. Where applicable, your employer will provide you with a Choice of Fund Form upon commencing employment, or if you request one, and have not requested such a form in the previous 12 months. Therefore, it s important you take an interest in your super and help it grow into a healthy retirement nest egg. Further information about Choice of Fund is available from your employer or ato.gov.au. Superannuation receives concessional tax treatment, that is, tax savings are provided by the Government. Refer to the How Super is Taxed section on page 9 of the Incorporated Rollovers and Pensions of this PDS for more information. WITHDRAWALS There are limitations on withdrawals from superannuation, applicable to all superannuation funds. You can access your superannuation savings once you retire on or after reaching your preservation age or in other circumstances permitted by law (for example, death, permanent incapacity and financial hardship), called conditions of release. The conditions of release for temporary residents vary from those applicable to Australian citizens, New Zealand citizens or permanent residents of Australia. There are certain circumstances in which superannuation benefits must be transferred by Qudos Bank to the Australian Tax Office (for example small or unidentifiable lost accounts, unclaimed benefits on or after age 65 and unclaimed benefits of former temporary residents). General information about super is available from moneysmart.gov.au. For more information about how super works, refer to page 2 of the Incorporated (by reference) Information Booklet Superannuation, Rollovers and Pensions. You should read this important information about how super works before making a decision. The information relating to how super works may change between the time you read this PDS and the day when you sign the application form (if applicable). Page 2 of 6

3 Benefits of investing with the Qudos RSA Because some of your income must be paid into a super account when you start work, you start saving for your retirement early. The longer you have to save, the easier it may be to reach your retirement goals. The Australian Government provides a range of incentives for people to save for their retirement through superannuation. As a result, super is taxed differently from other investments and there can be significant tax advantages in saving for your retirement using super. If you would like to be a member of the Qudos RSA, you need to complete the application form attached to the Incorporated Rollovers, and Pensions. Membership eligibility and conditions of membership are governed by our Constitution, which is available at qudosbank.com.au or by calling Members of the Qudos RSA have an accumulation style account, which means any contributions made to the fund accumulate over time with any investment earnings (which may be positive or negative) after taking into account any fees, costs or other charges (e.g. insurance premiums or taxes). The investment earnings are added to your account regularly. Compulsory contributions paid by your employer are added to your account at least quarterly. Due to the need for your investment earnings to stay in your account, you will continue to receive returns on these earnings in later years. Qudos Bank will keep you up-todate through regular newsletters, ensuring you are informed of any changes that may impact your savings. The capital invested in the Qudos RSA is guaranteed by Qudos Bank and is backed by the assets of the bank. The capital guarantee means that the total benefit returned to you will not be less than the total amount of contributions made by you or your employer, less any applicable taxes and fees. The benefit usually payable under your Qudos RSA will be your account balance. Your account balance includes any contributions made to your RSA (your own personal contributions and those made by your employer on your behalf), transfers rolled over from other RSAs or superannuation funds, and interest credited less any taxes and fees and charges (if any). The amount in your Qudos RSA may be transferred at any time to another RSA provided by another RSA institution, a superannuation entity or regulated exempt public sector superannuation scheme or deferred annuity. The Qudos RSA also offers a Pensions Facility. A pension: > Allows you to receive your RSA benefits as an income stream, as opposed to one lump sum payment; > Is highly flexible; > Enables you to select the frequency of your pension payments as well as the size of the pension payments you wish to receive, above a required minimum amount; > Allows you to commute (end your pension and take the remaining assets as a lump sum) or take a portion of your Account Balance underlying the pension as a lump sum (partial commutation), at any time; and > Also enables you to start a Transition to Retirement pension if you have reached your preservation age, but have not yet fully retired from the workforce. Other significant features and benefits of this product are: > No annual membership fees; > No administration fees; > Contribution splitting with your spouse is available; > No withdrawal fees on your first four withdrawals in a financial year; and > Competitive interest rates. For further information about the Qudos RSA s Pensions Facility, refer to page 6 of the Incorporated Rollovers and Pensions. You should consider this PDS before deciding whether to acquire a pension product. Risks of investing in super The significant risks associated with the Qudos RSA include superannuation fund-specific risk, risk of changes to the legal environment and diversification risk. You should consider the appropriateness of the Qudos RSA having regard to the effect of the lower-risk/lower-return nature of the product on possible benefits in the long term. You may wish to seek information about the rates of return of those superannuation or financial arrangements. If you need more information, you should contact Qudos Bank on Qudos Bank seeks to minimise this risk by taking into account the best interests of members at all times when making decisions about the Qudos RSA and maintaining a risk management and compliance framework in accordance with legislative requirements. Other general risks relevant to the Qudos RSA are: > The value of your investment will vary; > The level of returns will vary, and future returns may differ from past returns; > Superannuation laws may change in the future; > The amount of your future superannuation savings (including contributions and returns) may not be enough to provide adequately for your retirement; and > Your level of risk will vary depending on a range of factors including your age, investment timeframe, where other parts of your wealth are invested and your risk tolerance. For more information about the risks of investing in an RSA, refer to page 8 of the Incorporated (by reference) Information Booklet Superannuation, Rollovers and Pensions. You should read this important information about risks before making a decision. The information relating to risks may change between the time you read this PDS and the day when you sign the application form. Page 3 of 6

4 How interest is allocated to your Qudos RSA balance Interest is calculated daily on your Qudos RSA balance and is credited at the end of each month. A schedule of the current interest rates applying to Qudos RSAs is provided in the Incorporated (by reference) Information Booklet Interest Rates or is available online at qudosbank.com.au. The rates of interest shown are net of all administration fees and any government charges and before any applicable taxes. Interest rates are variable and may increase or decrease over time. You should confirm the current rate being offered by Qudos Bank before you make your investment. Members will be notified of changes to interest rates by advertisement in national newspaper, newsletter or other written notice. Qudos Bank offers RSA members security of assets and stable investment returns over the long term. Your investment is backed by the assets of Qudos Bank. Interest rates applying to your RSA may vary upwards or downwards from time to time. Past interest rates applying to RSAs are not an indication of future rates of interest that may apply. A schedule of past interest rates applying to Qudos RSAs are is provided in the Incorporated (by reference) Information Booklet Interest Rates which forms part of this PDS. Higher rates of interest as your RSA grows Qudos Bank s RSA offers a tiered interest rate arrangement. You will enjoy higher rates of interest on the full balance of your RSA from the day your RSA balance increases to the higher band. For more information about interest allocated to your RSA account balance, refer to page 8 of the Incorporated Rollovers, and Pensions, and the Incorporated (by reference) Information Booklet Interest Rates. You should read this important information about investments before making a decision. The information relating to investments may change between the time you read this PDS and the day when you sign the application form (if applicable). Fees and costs DID YOU KNOW? Small differences in both investment performance and fees and costs can have a substantial impact on your long term returns. You should consider whether features such as superior investment performance or the provision of better Member services justify higher fees and costs. TO FIND OUT MORE If you would like to find out more, or see the impact of the fees based on your own circumstances, the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) website moneysmart.gov.au) has a superannuation calculator to help you check out different fee options. SERVICE FEES Qudos Bank does not currently levy an administration fee on your Qudos RSA. RSA Holders may make up to four approved withdrawals from their RSA in any financial year (1 July to 30 June). Additional withdrawals will incur a fee of $52 for each withdrawal over four. This fee is debited to the RSA. We reserve the right to pay out the full RSA balance where the withdrawal reduces the balance of the RSA to less than $1,000. The fee of $52 is indexed annually (at 30 June) to movements in Average Weekly Ordinary Time Earnings ( AWOTE ). You may be charged a fee for providing information requested by you, which will not exceed the reasonable cost to us of giving the information, including all reasonable related costs such as searching for, obtaining and collating the information. Type of fees or costs fees when your money moves in and out of the RSA Establishment fee Contribution fee Amount Nil Nil Withdrawal fee* $52 Termination fee *Qudos RSA Holders may make up to four approved withdrawals from their RSA in any financial year. Additional withdrawals will incur a fee of $52 for each withdrawal over four. FEES RELATING TO SPLITTING OR FLAGGING A BENEFIT UNDER FAMILY LAW ACT We are required by the Family Law Act 1975 and legislation governing RSA Members, to allow certain payments (splittable payments) in respect of a superannuation interest to be allocated upon breakdown of a marriage between the parties by court order. We may charge reasonable fees to cover the costs of providing information about (Form 6), flagging or splitting an RSA interest or to cover any legal costs of flagging or splitting an RSA interest or to cover any legal costs incurred by us in responding to matters arising from the flagging and/or splitting of your RSA interest. Nil Type of fees or costs Amount Form 6 Fee $110 Splitting Fee $275 Things you should know: > Qudos Bank can change the amount of fees without your consent. Any material increases in fees must be notified at least 30 days in advance. Estimated fees may vary from year to year depending on the experience of the Fund and its underlying investments. > The Family Law service fees are subject to indexation from year to year based on movements in the Consumer Price Index ( CPI ). Page 4 of 6

5 For more information about the fees and costs including fees and costs applicable to the Qudos RSA, refer to the page 9 of the Incorporated (by reference) Information Booklet Superannuation, Rollovers and Pensions. You should read this important information about fees and costs before making a decision. The information relating to fees and costs may change between the time you read this PDS and the day when you sign the application form (if applicable). How super is taxed There are a number of ways that super is taxed. Nonetheless, taxation of RSA and other superannuation benefits is complex and may vary according to your individual circumstances. This taxation information is a general summary of the current legislation. We recommend that you obtain your own professional taxation advice regarding your individual position. Tax may apply to contributions made to the Account, the Account s investment earnings and withdrawals from the Account, however, generally, any taxes applicable to superannuation are at a concessional (lower) rate. If you have not provided your tax file number to Qudos Bank, a higher tax rate may apply to your contributions and you will be unable to make non-concessional contributions to your Qudos RSA. Any non-concessional contributions that you attempt to make to your Qudos RSA will be returned where required by law, after taking into account any allowable adjustments for investment fluctuations and reasonable costs. If you have not provided your tax file number to Qudos Bank, it will also be more difficult to trace different super amounts in your name so that you receive all your super benefits when you retire. Further information about tax is available from ato.gov.au. The following tax rules apply except if you exceed the before or after-tax contribution limits (the concessional and non-concessional contributions caps). If you exceed the contribution limits for super, you will pay extra tax. > Concessional contributions (for example, employer contributions and deductible Member contributions) up to the concessional contributions cap are generally subject to a tax rate of 15% provided we hold your Tax File Number (TFN). Upon entry to the Qudos RSA, all concessional contributions made will be taxed upon receipt by the RSA at 15%. > However, there is an additional tax on concessional contributions made by, or on behalf of, very high income earners. The additional tax is imposed at a rate of 15% on individuals whose income and relevant concessionally taxed superannuation contributions (referred to as low tax contributions) exceed $300,000 for an income year. This tax is levied outside of superannuation but monies can be released from superannuation to meet it. > Non-concessional contributions (for example, non-deductible Member contributions) up to the non-concessional contributions cap are not taxable upon receipt by the RSA. > Excess concessional contributions (above the concessional contributions cap) attract additional tax. The excess amount will be included in your assessable income and taxed at your marginal tax rate, plus the Medicare levy and temporary Budget Repair Levy (if applicable). You can elect to release monies from the RSA or another superannuation fund to meet this additional tax. > Excess non-concessional contributions (above the non-concessional contributions cap) attract additional tax at the top marginal rate, plus the Medicare Levy and temporary Budget Repair Levy (if applicable). You are required to access monies from the RSA or another superannuation fund to meet this additional tax. For more information about taxation matters relevant to superannuation, refer to page 9 of the Incorporated Rollovers and pensions available. You should read this important information about tax before making a decision. The information relating to tax may change between the time you read this PDS and the day when you sign the application form (if applicable). Insurance in your super The Qudos RSA does not provide death or disability insurance. How to open a RSA account 1. To open a Qudos RSA account, read this PDS and the Incorporated (by reference) Information Booklets referred to in this PDS. 2. Complete the Application Form which accompanies this PDS [attached to the Incorporated (by reference) Information Booklet Superannuation, Rollovers and Pensions] and arrange for it to be returned to the bank. 3. If your application is accepted, you can contribute to your RSA and your employer can also make contributions on your behalf. 4. Your employer can also open a Qudos RSA on your behalf to make superannuation guarantee, or award related contributions as well as voluntary contributions. There is no minimum initial contribution requirement. 5. Your RSA will be opened on receipt of funds from any of the above. When your Qudos RSA is opened, you will be given an RSA Number. You should always refer to this number when contacting us in regards to your RSA as this will help us respond promptly to your requirements. A self-employed person may also apply to open a Qudos RSA. You can also open a Qudos RSA and rollover superannuation entitlements or other eligible termination payments ( ETPS ) to it. Page 5 of 6

6 A cooling-off period applies to the Qudos RSA. You have 14 days from the date of receipt of your welcome letter during which time you have the right to close your RSA. In this circumstance, you can transfer the balance in your Qudos RSA to another RSA or superannuation fund of your choice. If you close your RSA within this period, no fees will be deducted but taxes and government charges may be deducted. If you have a complaint relating to the Qudos RSA, contact the Complaints Officer on or via mail: The RSA Complaints Officer Qudos Bank Locked Bag 5020 Mascot NSW 1460 For more information about cooling off (including restrictions applicable to any refunds) and complaints handling, refer to page 7 and 13 of the Incorporated Rollovers and Pensions. You should read this important information about cooling off and complaints handling before making a decision. The information relating to cooling off and complaints handling may change between the time you read this PDS and the day when you sign the application form (if applicable). For more information: Call us on Visit qudosbank.com.au Drop into your nearest branch qudosbank.com.au Qudos Mutual Limited trading as Qudos Bank ABN I AFSL/Australian Credit Licence I BSB Page 6 of 6 QD J000822