Super When Changing Jobs — What to Do (Checklist)

Changing jobs is one of the most common times Australians accidentally lose track of super — contributions miss a fund, insurance lapses, or a new account is opened accidentally. Following a simple checklist when you change jobs protects your super and ensures continuity.

The Stapled Fund Rules — What Happens If You Don’t Choose a Fund

Since November 2021, if you start a new job and do not nominate a super fund, your new employer cannot simply open a default fund for you. Instead:

  1. Your new employer must check with the ATO whether you have an existing “stapled” fund
  2. If you have a stapled fund (your most recent active fund), contributions must go there
  3. Only if the ATO confirms you have no stapled fund does the employer contribute to their default fund

The purpose: Preventing the proliferation of duplicate super accounts — each new job previously risked creating a new account, splitting your balance across multiple funds with multiple sets of fees.

What this means for you: Your super should automatically follow you to your new job (via stapling) — but you should still actively manage the process to ensure everything goes where you intend.

Checklist — What to Do When You Change Jobs

Before You Leave Your Current Job

1. Check your current super fund details

  • Note your fund name, ABN, and member number
  • Confirm the fund’s Unique Superannuation Identifier (USI) — your new employer may need this
  • Log in to your fund’s portal and make sure your contact details (email, address, phone) are current so you receive statements and communications after leaving

2. Check your insurance

  • Confirm what life/TPD/income protection insurance you hold through your current super fund
  • Note the cover amounts
  • Check whether your cover will be maintained if contributions stop (many funds cancel default insurance after 16 months of no contributions — the “inactive” rules under Protecting Your Super legislation)
  • If your new employer uses a different fund, check whether you will need to apply for new insurance at the new fund (and whether any pre-existing condition exclusions would apply)

3. Confirm your final contributions are paid

  • Check that your employer has paid all outstanding SG contributions before your last day
  • These may not appear immediately — contributions typically arrive in your fund 1–7 days after your employer’s due date
  • Your employer is required to pay SG for the quarter in which your last day of employment falls, by the end of that quarter’s payment deadline

When You Start Your New Job

4. Complete the super choice form (Standard Choice Form)

  • Your new employer must give you a Standard Choice of Fund Form (or equivalent) within 28 days of starting
  • If you want contributions to go to your existing fund: nominate it on this form
  • If you’re happy for contributions to go wherever the stapled fund rule directs: you can leave it, but nominating actively gives you certainty

5. Provide accurate fund details to your employer

  • Fund name
  • ABN of the fund
  • USI (Unique Superannuation Identifier)
  • Your member number
  • The fund’s BPAY or bank details for contributions (your employer’s payroll system or the fund can provide these)

6. Confirm the first contribution has been received

  • After your first pay period, log in to your super fund and check a contribution has been received
  • If no contribution appears after 28 days of your first pay, follow up with your employer’s payroll team
  • From 1 July 2026, Payday Super rules will require employers to pay super on each payday (not quarterly) — this will make tracking much easier

After You Start Your New Job

7. Consider consolidating any old accounts

  • If your employer accidentally opened a new fund for you before the stapled fund lookup, or if you have old accounts from previous jobs, consolidate into a single fund
  • Use ATO SuperMatch via myGov to find all your accounts
  • Check insurance before consolidating — closing an old account loses any insurance attached to it
  • See How to Consolidate Your Super

8. Review your investment option

  • A job change is a good prompt to check your fund’s investment option
  • Are you in the right option for your age and risk tolerance?
  • You don’t need to change it, but it’s worth reviewing periodically

What If Your New Employer Has a Default Fund You’re Not Happy With?

You have the right to nominate your own fund on the Standard Choice Form — you are not required to join the employer’s default fund. As long as the fund you nominate is a complying super fund, your employer must pay to it.

Exceptions: Some enterprise agreements or workplace arrangements may require all employees to use a specific fund. Check your employment contract.

Insurance Continuity — The Key Risk

The biggest super risk when changing jobs is losing insurance cover. If you:

  • Stop receiving contributions into an old fund (because your new employer pays to a different fund)
  • The old account becomes “inactive” (no contributions for 16 months)
  • The fund may cancel your default insurance under the Protecting Your Super rules

If you have a pre-existing medical condition or health history, reapplying for insurance at a new fund may result in:

  • Exclusions for pre-existing conditions
  • Higher premiums
  • Declined applications

Strategies:

  • Roll your old balance to your new fund — the old account closes and the insurance issue is resolved (though you may lose the old cover and need to apply for new cover at the new fund)
  • Ask whether your new fund’s default insurance covers you without medical underwriting (most funds accept members within their default cover limits without health assessment if you join within a certain period)
  • Consider whether you need to maintain the old account specifically to retain insurance — this means paying two sets of fees

Frequently Asked Questions

My new employer wants me to join their default fund — do I have to? No — you have the right to nominate your own fund using the Standard Choice Form. Unless an enterprise agreement requires you to use a specific fund, your employer must follow your choice. Give them your fund’s details at the start of employment.

I forgot to nominate my fund — has a new account been opened? Check with your employer’s payroll team which fund they used. If they did the ATO stapled fund lookup, contributions should have gone to your most recent active fund. If they defaulted to their own fund without checking, you may have a new account — you can roll the balance back to your preferred fund.

How long until my new employer’s first super contribution arrives? Under the current quarterly payment system, SG contributions are due 28 days after the end of each quarter (28 January, 28 April, 28 July, 28 October). If you start a new job in February, you won’t see the first contribution until 28 April at the latest. From 1 July 2026 (Payday Super), contributions must be paid on each payday.

Will changing jobs affect my insurance? Potentially — especially if you stop contributing to your old fund. Check your insurance situation at both your old and new funds before and after the job change.

See also: Super and Life Events, Lost Super Australia — How to Find and Claim It, How to Consolidate Your Super, Stapled Super Fund Explained. For advice tailored to your situation, speak with a licensed financial adviser through MoneySmart.