Super Rollover — How to Roll Over Your Superannuation Between Funds

A super rollover is the transfer of your super balance from one fund to another. Rolling over is how you consolidate multiple accounts, switch funds, or move money into an SMSF. The process is straightforward — but there are important things to check first.

What Is a Super Rollover?

A rollover is the ATO’s term for transferring superannuation from one complying fund to another. It differs from a withdrawal — the money stays within the super system and retains its tax-advantaged status.

You can roll over:

  • Your full balance
  • A partial balance (not all funds allow partial rollovers)

Before You Roll Over — Important Checks

1. Insurance cover

The most important consideration. When you roll your balance out of a fund, any insurance in that fund (life, TPD, income protection) is cancelled. If you have pre-existing health conditions, replacing that cover at a new fund may be difficult or impossible due to medical underwriting.

Action: Contact your current fund before rolling out. Ask what cover you hold and whether the receiving fund’s default cover is equivalent.

See Should I Keep Insurance in My Super?

2. Defined benefit arrangements

If your current fund holds a defined benefit (e.g., some government employee funds, UniSuper DBD), rolling out can permanently forfeit the defined benefit entitlement — which may be worth significantly more than the account balance shown. Get specific advice before rolling out of a defined benefit fund.

3. Exit fees

Most funds abolished exit fees after the 2019 Protecting Your Super reforms. However, some older products (especially retail master trusts) may still charge an exit or redemption fee. Check your PDS.

4. Capital gains tax event in an SMSF

If you are rolling assets into or out of an SMSF that holds in-specie assets (e.g., listed shares), a capital gains tax event may be triggered. Seek advice before proceeding.

How to Roll Over via myGov (ATO Online Services) — Step by Step

The fastest method for most members is via myGov:

  1. Log in to myGov and link the ATO service (if not already linked)
  2. Go to Super → Manage → Transfer super
  3. The ATO will show all super accounts linked to your TFN via ATO SuperMatch
  4. Select the fund you want to transfer from and the fund you want to transfer to
  5. Confirm the transfer — the ATO notifies both funds electronically via SuperStream
  6. Processing typically takes 3–15 business days; your balance will appear in the receiving fund once complete

How to Roll Over Directly via Your Fund’s Portal

Most funds also allow you to initiate a rollover directly:

  1. Log in to the receiving fund’s online portal or app (the fund you want to move money to)
  2. Go to “Consolidate super” or “Rollover in”
  3. Enter the details of the fund you are rolling from (fund name, ABN, member number)
  4. Confirm the request — the receiving fund will initiate the transfer on your behalf

This method works well when you can’t see all your accounts in myGov (e.g., accounts without a linked TFN).

How to Roll Over Into an SMSF

Rolling from an APRA-regulated fund into a self managed super fund requires additional steps:

  1. Ensure your SMSF has its TFN, ABN, and Electronic Service Address (ESA) registered with the ATO
  2. Ensure the SMSF has an active, compliant bank account in the fund’s name
  3. Log in to the APRA fund you’re rolling out of and request a rollover — provide the SMSF’s ABN and ESA
  4. The APRA fund will verify the SMSF’s regulatory status via the ATO before processing

Some APRA funds require a paper rollover form for SMSF rollovers. Allow 10–25 business days for processing.

What Happens to Investment Returns During a Rollover?

During the rollover processing period (typically 3–15 days), your money is not invested — it is held as cash between funds. For large balances and in volatile markets, this represents a short period of investment risk exposure. Most rollovers are processed quickly enough that this is not a material concern.

Partial Rollovers

Not all funds offer partial rollovers. If you want to keep part of your balance in your current fund (e.g., to maintain insurance cover while moving most of your balance to a higher-performing fund), contact your fund to confirm whether this is possible.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is there a limit to how many times I can roll over? No — there is no ATO-imposed limit on rollovers. However, frequently switching funds may result in multiple short periods of being uninvested, and may affect insurance eligibility at each new fund.

Does rolling over trigger a tax event? No — a complying rollover between super funds does not trigger income tax or CGT. The super assets remain in the super environment.

Can I roll over into a KiwiSaver or overseas fund? No — rollovers can only occur between Australian complying superannuation funds. Transfers to overseas pension funds (including New Zealand KiwiSaver) are not standard rollovers and have specific rules.

For further reading: How to Consolidate Your Super into One Fund, Lost Super Australia — How to Find and Claim It, SMSF Setup Guide. For advice tailored to your situation, speak with a licensed financial adviser through MoneySmart.