At a glance
- Recent superannuation reforms are helping close the retirement gap for women.
- The removal of the $450 monthly earnings threshold means more women are now receiving employer super contributions.
- Keeping track of your super is becoming easier with super stapling.
- Our finance expert and editor of Money Matters, Effie Zahos, breaks it down.
It’s important for women to take control of our finances, and five new superannuation changes are working in our favour.
From parental leave to divorce rules, reforms are helping women grow their retirement savings.
1. Low-fee super accounts
Simple, low-cost MySuper accounts have been with us now for over a decade.
While they are pitched at all Australians, the low fees on these accounts mean more of a woman’s contributions go to her retirement rather than being siphoned off in fund fees.
2. Super for new mums
Since July 2025, new mums have been entitled to 12% super on Commonwealth-paid parental leave when they take time off to have a baby. Around 180,000 women benefit from this reform each year, and it means a mother of two can be around $14,500 better off in retirement.
3. Super paid for casual and low-income workers
In the past, high rates of part-time and casual employment among women meant that many missed out on employer super contributions. This changed in mid-2022, when the $450 monthly pay threshold for employer contributions was scrapped.
These days, employers have to pay super regardless of how much an employee earns. This is especially important for women working irregular hours, juggling multiple jobs or returning to work gradually after having children.
4. Super stapling
It’s amazing to think there’s a massive $19 billion pool of lost super just waiting to be claimed. In late 2021, we saw the introduction of ‘super stapling’, designed to help Aussie workers stay in touch with their super throughout their working life.
It works by linking an employee’s existing super account to them when they change jobs, helping prevent new, unnecessary accounts from being created. Employers must check for a stapled fund if a new employee doesn’t nominate their preferred fund.
It’s especially helpful for women who work multiple jobs or who change jobs frequently.
It means fewer duplicate accounts, fewer sets of fees and less chance of hard-earned savings slipping through the cracks.
“These days, employers have to pay super regardless of how much an employee earns.”
5. No more hiding super in a divorce settlement
Super has long been regarded as an asset that can be divvied up in a property settlement. The catch in the past was that women could face extensive delays and rack up hefty legal fees when trying to track down their ex’s super stash during family law settlements.
This changed in 2022, when reforms came into play that make it a lot harder for a former partner to hide or downplay their super assets. These days, women can contact the Australian Tax Office through the family law courts to request details of their former partner’s super balances or, if push comes to shove, court orders can be used to force someone to reveal any hidden super.
This article originally appeared in Money Matters by The Australian Women’s Weekly. Purchase here.
Information is correct at the time of writing. Any advice provided is general in nature and does not take your personal circumstances into consideration. Readers should seek their own financial advice.
