How to calculate your Gold State Super

Gold State Super is a defined benefit scheme. This means your Final Benefit is determined by applying a fixed, or 'defined', formula. On this page we’ll explain how you can calculate your Gold State Super benefit.

How to calculate your Gold State Super benefit

We use a formula to work out your final super benefit. This generally happens when you retire, leave the WA public sector or you pass away.

The formula uses:

• Your Completed Months of Service - the number of completed months you’ve contributed to your account while working in the WA public sector
• Your Average Contribution Rate - the average percentage of your salary you’ve paid into your Gold State Super account
• Your Final Remuneration - your average salary, based on three key dates during your last two years of service while contributing to your Gold State Super account

With this information, we can work out your benefit in three steps.

1. We determine your ‘Selection Date’

Your Selection Date is either the 1st or 16th day of the month, two months before the month of your birthday:

• If your birthday falls on one of the first 15 days of the month, your Selection Date is the 1st
• If your birthday falls in the second half of the month, your Selection Date is the 16th

For example, if your birthday is on 25 August, then your Selection Date will be 16 June. If your birthday is 8 August, your Selection Date will be 1 June instead.

You can work out your Selection Date now.

2. We calculate your Final Remuneration

Your Final Remuneration is your average salary based on:

• The date you stop working
• Your Selection Dates for the previous two years

We work out the number of days between each of these dates, then multiply that number by your fortnightly remuneration¹ on these dates. We then divide this by 14 (the number of days in a fortnight) to work out your Final Remuneration.

You can work out your Final Remuneration now.

3. We calculate your Final Benefit

We use your Completed Months of Service and Average Contribution Rate to work out your ‘Service Multiple’.

Finally, we multiply your Service Multiple by your Final Remuneration to work out your benefit.

For examples of how we work out benefits, see page 6 in the Gold State Super essentials brochure.

Try the Gold State Super calculator to work out how much you might have.

Changes to your salary or service could affect your benefit

Any changes to your salary or the amount of time you work in the WA public sector could have a big impact on your benefit. For example, if you accept a lower-paid position with your current employer (maybe because of illness or changes in your workplace), your benefit could be reduced.

You can protect your benefit if you’re eligible for salary maintenance.

To learn more, you can read the fact sheets listed below or call your Member Services Centre on 13 43 72.

• What is included in Gold State Super remuneration?
• What is salary maintenance and how does it work?
• How working part-time affects your Gold State Super
• How unpaid leave affects your Gold State Super
• Resigning from the WA public sector
• Redundancy and your super

Call us before changing your contributions

Your benefit could also be affected if you change the amount you contribute to your account each fortnight.

If you have thought about having your contributions paid into another super account, it’s important to know that if you withdraw from Gold State Super, you won’t be able to reopen your account or contribute to it in future.

Before you make any changes, please call us on 13 43 72 to ask for a benefit estimate and discuss your account.

1 Your Final Remuneration is calculated based on your equivalent full-time salary, even if you are working part-time.