FAQs

You can email any other questions you would like answered to super@esisuper.com.au

1. Do you have to work in the electricity supply industry to be a member of
ESI Super?

No.

ESI Super is an industry superannuation fund that was originally established for employees working in the electricity supply industry in Queensland.

Today, we are now a Public Offer fund, which means our membership is drawn from a much wider community, including spouses, other family members and friends.

Joining ESI Super is easy. Simply:

• read the ESI Super Member Guide
• complete the Member application Form,
• return it to ESI Super and we’ll do the rest.

Remember you will also need to make a minimum contribution of at least $1,000 or have regular contributions made to super in order to open the account.

You can then:

• Arrange for your employer (if any) to make contributions into your ESI Super account
• Make personal contributions
• Roll over other super accounts into ESI Super
• Make investment switches
• Apply for insurance (some conditions apply).

For more information, please refer to the ESI Super Member Guide.

2. What do I need to do to receive the Government co-contribution?

You may be able to get up to $1,000 from the Government added to your superannuation account if you qualify for the Government’s co-contribution scheme. In general to qualify, you must meet the following criteria:

• To 30 June 2010, your income should be less than $61,920 p.a. (It’s important to note that income is defined as assessable income plus reportable fringe benefits and reportable employer salary sacrifice contributions).
• You must make a personal after tax contribution to a superannuation fund
• Be under age 71 at the end of the financial year.
• Earn 10% or more of your total income from eligible employment
• Generally, you must not have held a temporary resident visa during the year.
• Lodge your income tax return for the financial year.

To learn more about the Government Co-contribution, and get all the eligibility details including contribution calculations, go to our Government Co-contribution Fact Sheet.

3. Can I roll my other super accounts into ESI Super and how do I go about it?

Yes!

Simply complete a Transfer your super Form (one for each account you'd like to roll over) and return it to ESI Super. We'll do the rest.

Some superannuation companies may apply fees or penalties to roll your money over. You should ask your super fund(s) about any fees and penalties before rolling your money over, and seek licensed financial advice if you are not sure what to do.

ESI Super offers subsidised financial advice to members.

4. How can I find my old super accounts?

If you've lost track of some of your super, it's probably been registered with the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) as ‘lost super’. To locate your lost super, you can call the ATO's SuperSeeker phone service on 13 28 65 or search online at www.ato.gov.au/superseeker. You will need to have your tax file number handy to perform the search.

5. Can I make contributions on behalf of my spouse?

Yes, providing your spouse is under age 65 or, if aged 65-69, has been gainfully employed for at least 40 hours in no more than 30 consecutive days in the financial year in which the contribution is made.

Making contributions for your spouse helps build a superannuation benefit for your spouse and you may be eligible to claim a tax offset.

If your spouse's income is less than $10,800 p.a. you can claim a tax offset of 18% of the super contributions (up to a maximum of $3,000 p.a.) made on behalf of your spouse (this provides a maximum tax offset of $540 annually). The tax offset phases out for incomes between $10,800 p.a. and $13,800 p.a.

To make these contributions simply complete a Spouse contribution advice Form and return it to us with your super payment.

6. Do I need to complete any forms if I am making contributions using BPay or Electronic Funds Transfer?

BPay – No
EFT - Yes

Different contributions are treated differently for tax purposes, so we need to know how to allocate each contribution. You therefore need to complete and return the relevant form (i.e. a Lump sum contribution payments, Spouse contribution advice or Employer contribution remittance Form) which you can download from our website or contact us and we will send the forms to you. The sooner we receive your completed form, the sooner we can invest your contribution.

If you are making contributions via BPay you will need to go to the Making contributions section of this website for your personal Bpay customer reference number and our biller code. If your employer is not registered with ESI Super, you or your employer can still make contributions via your financial institution's online or phone service.

7. Where are my funds invested if I don't complete the investment choice section on my application form?

ESI Super understands that not all members have the same views about how their super should be invested.  That is why we give you the opportunity to choose the investment strategy that will best suit your investment style and tolerance for risk.

To see the full range of investment options available to our members, click here.

If you do not make an investment choice when joining ESI Super, your super will be invested in our default option.  For most members this will be the Balanced option.  

8. What are my options if I leave my employer? Can I stay with ESI Super?

You can remain a member of the Fund if you leave your ESI Super employer and your new employer will be able to make contributions to your account if you have choice of fund.

To do this you will need to provide your new employer with a Choice of Fund letter, Standard Choice Form and Employer Contribution Remittance.  All three documents can be found on our website under Publications and Forms – Forms - Choice of Fund.

If you are leaving your ESI Super employer you should also contact us to discuss your insurance arrangements as soon as possible as you may be able to continue your cover without providing evidence of health.  Ring one of our friendly ESI Assist team on 1300 363 240 to find out more.

If you are leaving your employer as a Defined Benefit member and wish to stay with ESI Super, please contact the ESI Assist team on 1300 363 240 to discuss your options.

9. What sort of insurance cover does ESI Super offer?

With ESI Super’s insurance arrangements you have a convenient low cost solution for all your personal insurance needs.
The type of insurance cover available through ESI Super includes:

• Death only
• Death and Total and Permanent Disability; and
• Income Protection

It’s important to read the ESI Super Member Guide first to find out what sort of insurance cover is suitable for you and the appropriate eligibility.  ESI Super also provides members with a range of educational modules including one on insurance.  You can view the modules by logging onto Member Online Access.