Your timeframe is an important factor in choosing an option

Finding the right investment mix will depend on your investment timeframe, or how long you expect your money to remain invested.

If accessing your super is decades away, you may not be concerned about the short-term ups and downs of higher risk investments, like Shares.

If you need to access your money sooner, you might prefer lower risk assets, even though this could result in lower returns over the medium to long term. You can also include higher risk and return investments as part of your investment option if you prefer.

Always consider seeking professional advice before making a decision about your financial future.

What kind of investor are you?

The following case studies might be helpful in choosing an investment option.

These case studies are provided for illustrative purposes only and are not recommendations. You should consider seeking professional advice based on your circumstances before making a decision. There is no guarantee that a particular investment option will perform in a particular way.

Jackie: Growth

Jackie is a GESB Super member who has been working full-time for two years. She has a small super balance and wants to maximise the earning potential of her super, so chooses the Growth investment option.

Jackie knows that even though the volatility of growth assets might result in her super balance reducing over certain periods, she’s prepared to accept this risk for the higher probability of increased growth in the long term.

Tom: Conservative

Tom is a West State Super member and recently retired. After meeting with a financial planner, he’s comfortable with the value of his super and other investments to support him and his wife through retirement.

Tom is not concerned with outperforming the share market and would rather take on a lower risk of negative returns for his super. He chooses the Conservative option and will monitor investment markets, along with his expenses, in case he needs to change strategy.

Courtney: My GESB Super

Courtney is a GESB Super member who recently accepted a new job and a pay rise.

She now has a long-term plan to pay off her mortgage and make extra contributions to her super through salary sacrifice. Courtney is a naturally conservative person, but she knows it’s important to diversify her investments and plan for the future. That’s why she has chosen the My GESB Super option.

Anna: Sustainable Balanced

Anna is a GESB Super member in her thirties. Anna prefers to have less of her super invested in companies or industries that may have a negative environmental or social impact.

She is prepared to accept a high risk of negative returns knowing that her super is a long-term investment. Because of this, she chooses the Sustainable Balanced option. By not investing in certain industries, Anna understands that in those periods that the excluded sectors perform well, her investment option may perform poorly in comparison to other investment options.

Jason: Multiple options

Jason is a West State Super member in his fifties who owns Shares and an investment property. He loves to keep an eye on investment markets, and feels he would benefit from deciding on his own asset allocation for his super. Jason chooses to select a combination of options and allocates 60% of his super to International Shares, since his other Share investments outside of his super are in Australian companies. He invests the rest in the Property and Balanced options.

How to change your investment option

If you have a GESB Super or West State Super account, simply login to Member Online or download and complete an Investment choice form.

If you need more help, see our instructions on How to change investment plans.

Find out more

• Read more about investing during market volatility
• Learn more about our investment approach and performance
• Consider talking to a financial adviser before deciding which investment options best suit you