How to complete this form
Employees can use this form to advise employers of their choice of super fund and employers can use it to advise employees of their default super fund.
Employees can access and complete the form, by:
- Logging into ATO online services via myGov
- from the Employment menu, select New employment and complete the Super details section
- any existing super fund details will be pre-filled into the form
- you will need the employer's Australian business number (ABN) and their default super fund's unique superannuation identifier (USI) to complete this form.
- Downloading the Superannuation standard choice form (NAT 13080 PDF 422KB)This link will download a file
- enter the data electronically (a user may need to select enable all features and JavaScript in order for all data fields to work) or print the form out to complete.
- Their employer's employee commencement-enabled payroll software, if available.
Employers
Use this Superannuation standard choice form when:
- you hire a new employee who is eligible to choose a super fund
- an existing eligible employee requests one
- you can no longer contribute to an employee’s nominated super fund or it is no longer a complying fund
- you change your default super fund and need to advise employees affected by this change.
If you're providing the Superannuation standard choice form to your employee, you must fill in the details of your default super fund before giving the form to your employee.
If your employee is going to complete the pre-filled form in ATO online services via myGov, they will need:
- their employment type (for example, full-time, part-time, casual)
- your ABN
- the unique superannuation identifier (USI) of your default super fund.
If you're providing super choice via payroll software, ensure that you are capturing all the required details from the Superannuation standard choice form and recording the outcomes. Your software provider should follow the ATO data specificationsExternal Link for the Superannuation standard choice form, which outlines which fields in the form are mandatory to be replicated in software.
Note: Employers cannot provide employees with recommendations or advice about super or influence them to choose a particular fund. Only advisors licensed by the Australian Securities & Investments Commission (ASIC) can provide financial advice.
For information on how you can communicate to your employees about super choice without breaking the law, visit: ASIC - Communicating with employees about choice of superannuation fund: What you can and cannot doExternal Link.
Do not send super choice forms to the ATO. Completed forms must be retained by employers for 5 years.
If your new employee does not choose a super fund, you need to request their stapled fund details from us before making any super contributions. You can make this request once you have established the employment relationship in our systems.
For more information, see Offer employees a choice of super fund or Paying super contributions.
Employees
You can let your employer know your choice of super fund by completing this Superannuation standard choice form. You need to provide the information requested so your employer can make contributions to your chosen super fund.
Where your super contributions should be paid is usually your choice.
If you start a new job your employer may request your stapled super fund details from us.
A stapled super fund is an existing super account that is linked, or 'stapled', to you so it follows you as you change jobs. This aims to reduce account fees by stopping new super accounts from being opened every time you start a new job.
We will notify you if your employer makes a stapled super fund request and include the fund details we have provided.
Super standard choice form instructions
Completing the form online
The pre-filled online form can be accessed in ATO online services via myGov by selecting the Employment menu and then New Employment.
Your existing super funds and account details will be displayed in the form if you choose to nominate one of your existing super funds for employers to pay contributions to.
Employees completing the form in our online services will need their:
- employer's ABN
- employment type (for example, full time, part-time, casual)
- employer's default super fund details:
- name
- USI of the default super fund
- ABN.
Employees will need to print the completed form summary and return this to their employer. Do not send the form to the ATO.
Completing the downloadable standard choice form
Employees
Correct information about your super fund is needed for your employer to pay super contributions. You must complete your details in Section A and then choose one additional section to complete out of the 3 options provided:
- An existing super fund (such as a retail or industry fund): Section B
- Your employer's default fund: Section C
- A self-managed super fund (SMSF): Section D
If you would like to open a new super fund account, you will need to do this with your chosen fund and then return to the Superannuation standard choice form when you have your new account details ready.
Your employer may choose not to accept this form if you do not provide:
- all the information requested on this form
- if completing Section B: a compliance letter from your chosen fund stating they are a complying fund and can accept contributions from your employer
- if completing Section D: a document confirming the SMSF is an ATO regulated super fund.
Note: Many super funds have a copy of a compliance letter on their website, for other funds you will need to contact them for this information.
You can find a copy of the compliance status for your SMSF at Super Fund LookupExternal Link.
Employees should know
- You can usually choose where you want your super paid.
- Your employer is not liable for the performance of the super fund you or they nominate.
- You should not seek financial advice from your employer unless they are licensed to provide it.
- You can request to change the fund your employer pays your super into at any time by filling out this form and returning it to your employer.
- Your employer is only required to accept one choice of fund from you in a 12 month period, however they may choose to accept more.
- When you provide your employer with your choice of super fund, they must action that change within 2 months.
- If you are a new employee and you have not chosen a fund, or have not provided information about your choice of fund by the time your first super contribution is due, your employer needs to pay into:
- your stapled super fund
- their employer default fund (if we tell them you do not have a stapled super fund).
- If you quote your TFN to your employer for super purposes, they must provide it to the super fund.
- Your super is your money for retirement, you should check it regularly. It is important to keep track of your super – if you've ever changed your name, address or job, you may have lost super.
- Having more than one super account could mean you’re paying multiple fees and charges, which may reduce your retirement savings. You can consolidate multiple accounts using our ATO online services through myGov. Before you consolidate accounts, you may want to seek advice on fees this may incur or if you will lose any valuable insurance.
- From 1 July 2026, your employer's super guarantee contributions need to reach your super fund within 7 business days after payday. This timeline is extended to 20 business days for the first eligible contribution they make:
- when you start working for them as a new employee
- to a new complying super fund for you after they have stopped making contributions to another super fund.
For more information, see Keeping track of your super.
Employers
Complete the 'Employer to complete' fields in Section C before giving this form to your employee. The default super fund you nominate must be authorised to offer a MySuper product. If you need to confirm your MySuper arrangements, contact your default super fund.
Retain a copy of any completed forms for 5 years. Do not send the form to us or to super funds.
Employers should know
If a super contribution is due and you haven't received a new employee’s completed choice form (or you have received the form, but details are missing or incorrect):
- You should contact your employee in the first instance to request that they complete their super choice form.
- You may need to request the employee’s stapled super fund from us and make the payment to the fund that we advise by the contribution due date, to avoid the super guarantee charge.
Once an employee has provided you with a completed Superannuation standard choice form, you have up to 2 months action this change. However, you are required to pay super contributions by their due date.
From 1 July 2026, your super guarantee contributions need to reach your employee's super fund within 7 business days after payday. This timeline is extended to 20 business days for the first eligible contribution you make:
- for a new employee
- to a new complying super fund for an existing employee (after you have stopped making contributions to another super fund for them).
Super contributions should be made to the:
- employee’s chosen fund
- stapled super fund we provide in our response to your request if your employee does not choose a fund
- employer default fund if your employee does not choose a fund and there is no stapled fund.
For employees who commenced from 1 November 2021, you can only make contributions to your default fund if the ATO advises there is no stapled super fund. For earlier employees, you can pay their super contributions to their chosen fund, if there is one, or your default fund.
- You do not have to action an employee’s choice of fund if they have chosen a fund in the previous 12 months, however you may choose to action their request.
- If an employee’s chosen super fund cannot accept your contributions or it is no longer a complying fund, request another choice of fund from your employee. If they don't choose a super fund, you may need to request a stapled super fund from us.