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Self-managed super fund quarterly statistical report – December 2017

This is a statistical report for the self-managed super fund market for the period up to December 2017.

Last updated 18 April 2018

We publish quarterly statistical reports for the self-managed super fund (SMSF) market. This report has been developed taking into account valuable feedback from the superannuation industry.

The information in this report includes:

See also:

Find out about:

Explanatory notes on statistics used

Much of the information in the statistical tables is estimated, based on data reported to us. Caution should be taken when using or presenting this data. The estimates have been based on data provided by SMSFs reporting their financial position as at 30 June of the relevant financial year.

Rounding of figures may cause minor discrepancies to totals, for example some proportions are rounded to zero but are not equal to zero.

The SMSF population, asset allocation and establishment tables are updated on a quarterly basis, with the remainder of the tables updated annually when the June quarter updates are published.

Quarterly reports (as at the end of March, June, September and December each year) will generally be published within two months after the end of the quarter. The next report will cover the period up to 31 March 2018 and should be available in May 2018.

If you would like to provide comments, or you have questions about this report, email us at SPR_smsfstats@ato.gov.au

This email address is only for comments and questions about published SMSF data.

Additional information

From the June 2017 report, the 2015–16 annual return data has been incorporated into our estimation model – as a result, the estimates are a more accurate reflection of SMSF asset holdings.

In the December 2017 quarter, the ATO processed the cancellation of ABNs for a number of SMSFs that had no evidence of operating. As a result, there was an upward revision in the number of SMSFs that wound up in the September 2017 quarter. This also led to flow-on revisions of previously reported estimates for the total number of SMSFs and SMSF members for the quarter.

On 18 January 2018, we released Self-managed superannuation funds: A statistical overview 2015–16. Because the overview is based on historical data, it will differ from the more recent data in this quarterly SMSF statistical report.

See also:

Historical data

To view historical data refer to:

Note: A number of tables no longer report historical data from before 2013. However, statistics from before 2013 may be included in the above reports.

Population and asset allocation tables

The following tables contain details of the population growth and asset allocation of SMSFs. They include details of the number of SMSFs established or wound up during recent financial years (quarterly and annual data) and estimates of the amount of assets held by SMSFs for each type of asset. These tables are updated on a quarterly basis.

SMSF population table – annual data

This table contains details of the number of SMSFs that were established or wound up during each financial year. Establishment date is the date when an SMSF is deemed by the super law to come into existence, and can be different from the date the SMSF registers with us.

Wind-ups include both those initiated by trustees and those that occur as a result of ATO compliance and cleansing activity. Those initiated by the trustees refer to the year the fund actually winds up, rather than the date this advice is received by us. Net establishments are calculated as establishments, less wind-ups.

Total number of SMSFs is calculated as the number of SMSFs as at the end of the previous financial year, plus net establishments for the financial year.

The number of members of SMSFs is estimated based on SMSF return form data, with the estimates for June 2017 extrapolated from 2015–16 data.

The data was extracted on 11 January 2018.

Population table – annual data

Date

Establishments

Wind-ups

Net establishments

Total number of SMSFs

Total members of SMSFs

Jun 2013

39,619

11,106

28,513

501,622

949,120

Jun 2014

33,823

12,279

21,544

523,166

990,633

Jun 2015

34,416

12,417

21,999

545,165

1,032,028

Jun 2016

33,213

11,353

21,860

567,025

1,068,356

Jun 2017

30,597

8,779

21,818

588,843

1,109,854

Population table – quarterly data

This table is similar to the SMSF population table – annual data. However, it contains details of the number of SMSFs that established or were wound up in each quarter since the June 2013 quarter.

Quarterly establishments and wind-ups for recent quarters may be understated, because there is often a time lag between when this event occurs and when we receive notification from the SMSF. In addition, recent quarter estimates of the total members of SMSFs are extrapolated from 2015–16 return form data.

In this report, there was an upward revision of wind-ups that occurred in the September 2017 quarter, due to the ATO’s cancellation of ABNs for almost 9,000 SMSFs. This also led to flow-on revisions of previously reported estimates for the total number of SMSFs and SMSF members for the quarter.

The data was extracted on 11 January 2018.

Population table – quarterly data

Date

Establishments

Wind-ups

Net establishments

Total number of SMSFs

Total members of SMSFs

Jun 2013

9,559

7,271

2,288

501,622

949,120

Sep 2013

9,339

1,705

7,634

509,256

966,653

Dec 2013

7,963

835

7,128

516,384

979,399

Mar 2014

7,892

1,096

6,796

523,180

991,523

Jun 2014

8,629

8,643

-14

523,166

990,633

Sep 2014

9,560

1,164

8,396

531,562

1,008,916

Dec 2014

8,042

1,028

7,014

538,576

1,021,358

Mar 2015

8,058

1,213

6,845

545,421

1,033,477

Jun 2015

8,756

9,012

-256

545,165

1,032,028

Sep 2015

9,710

712

8,998

554,163

1,046,397

Dec 2015

7,178

841

6,337

560,500

1,057,656

Mar 2016

7,677

1,067

6,610

567,110

1,069,381

Jun 2016

8,648

8,733

-85

567,025

1,068,356

Sep 2016

8,010

479

7,531

574,556

1,085,110

Dec 2016

6,788

755

6,033

580,589

1,095,833

Mar 2017

7,404

993

6,411

587,000

1,107,210

Jun 2017

8,395

6,552

1,843

588,843

1,109,854

Sep 2017

7,296

8,820

-1,524

587,319

1,109,303

Dec 2017

5,456

117

5,339

592,658

1,118,848

Asset allocation tables

These tables contain estimates of the amount of assets held by SMSFs for each type of asset listed on the SMSF annual return. Tables also contain estimates of borrowings, other liabilities and total net Australian and overseas assets held by SMSFs.

The figures for June 2013 through to June 2016 are estimates based on return form data for those financial years. Each quarter, these estimates are updated as more return data becomes available. The estimates have been based on data provided by SMSFs reporting their financial position as at 30 June of the relevant financial year. Estimates for September 2016 and subsequent quarters are extrapolated from 2015–16 return form data.

Due to superannuation new measures introduced from 1 July 2017, there may be differences in the level of contributions and benefit payments made in the 2017 financial year as compared to 2015–16 data. It is likely that significant revisions will be made to the estimated assets for these quarters when 2017 return data is incorporated into our statistics in June 2018.

The following estimates relate to the total SMSF population, including funds established in the most recent quarter. This means that any changes in asset allocation figures from one quarter to another will be based on estimates for funds established in that quarter as well as estimates for all other SMSFs.

These are estimates of asset allocations for the total SMSF population. The data was extracted on 11 January 2018.

Asset allocation tables ($ million)

Date

Listed trusts

Unlisted trusts

Insurance policy

Other managed investments

Cash and term deposits

Debt securities

Loans

Jun 2013

16,747

42,606

184

21,200

142,565

4,656

3,521

Sep 2013

17,855

45,424

190

22,664

143,612

4,690

3,549

Dec 2013

18,599

47,315

195

23,652

144,838

4,730

3,570

Mar 2014

19,055

48,477

197

24,649

146,378

4,780

3,592

Jun 2014

20,254

48,920

166

24,804

144,992

6,253

3,759

Sep 2014

20,387

49,241

167

25,156

145,812

6,288

3,766

Dec 2014

21,017

50,761

171

26,116

146,851

6,333

3,768

Mar 2015

22,425

54,162

180

27,805

148,203

6,391

3,778

Jun 2015

24,425

56,517

155

29,196

148,607

7,588

4,067

Sep 2015

23,922

55,353

151

29,356

149,182

7,617

4,068

Dec 2015

24,797

57,379

154

30,234

149,920

7,655

4,070

Mar 2016

24,579

56,875

151

29,941

150,794

7,699

4,060

Jun 2016

28,214

65,032

142

31,103

153,868

9,363

4,465

Sep 2016

29,207

67,321

109

34,604

154,094

9,377

4,477

Dec 2016

30,666

70,684

108

36,160

154,542

9,404

4,488

Mar 2017

31,904

73,536

109

36,977

155,276

9,449

4,502

Jun 2017

32,261

74,359

111

38,190

156,629

9,531

4,523

Sep 2017

32,399

74,678

110

38,848

156,891

9,547

4,531

Dec 2017

33,738

77,763

110

38,716

157,262

9,570

4,516

Asset allocation tables ($ million) continued 

Date

Listed shares ($m)

Unlisted shares ($m)

Limited recourse borrowing arrangements ($m)

Non-residential real property ($m)

Residential real property ($m)

Collectables and personal use assets ($m)

Other assets ($m)

Jun 2013

140,041

5,290

8,860

56,876

17,324

495

12,842

Sep 2013

153,815

5,332

9,161

58,807

17,912

499

12,945

Dec 2013

158,796

5,364

9,627

61,798

18,823

502

13,021

Mar 2014

162,196

5,397

9,894

63,511

19,345

505

13,102

Jun 2014

164,928

5,617

15,614

60,724

20,076

442

14,460

Sep 2014

163,454

5,627

15,959

62,063

20,519

443

14,486

Dec 2014

168,314

5,629

16,469

64,049

21,176

443

14,493

Mar 2015

185,857

5,645

16,960

65,955

21,806

444

14,534

Jun 2015

175,701

6,385

21,532

65,066

23,573

417

16,958

Sep 2015

163,374

6,387

22,155

66,950

24,255

417

16,963

Dec 2015

173,458

6,391

22,410

67,719

24,534

417

16,974

Mar 2016

168,558

6,374

22,649

68,442

24,796

416

16,929

Jun- 2016

179,065

7,055

26,867

68,467

29,248

337

17,911

Sep 2016

187,465

7,075

27,498

70,076

29,936

338

17,961

Dec 2016

196,580

7,091

28,908

73,669

31,470

339

18,002

Mar 2017

205,801

7,114

29,885

76,158

32,534

340

18,061

Jun 2017

203,138

7,148

30,941

78,849

33,683

342

18,145

Sep 2017

203,588

7,160

31,138

79,351

33,898

342

18,177

Dec 2017

218,450

7,136

31,437

80,114

34,224

341

18,115

Asset allocation tables ($ million) continued

Date

Overseas shares ($m)

Overseas non-residential real property ($m)

Overseas residential real property ($m)

Overseas managed investments ($m)

Other overseas assets ($m)

Jun 2013

1,960

107

213

390

1,951

Sep 2013

2,153

117

234

428

2,142

Dec 2013

2,223

121

241

442

2,212

Mar 2014

2,270

124

246

451

2,259

Jun 2014

1,846

114

239

489

2,247

Sep 2014

1,830

113

237

484

2,226

Dec 2014

1,884

117

244

499

2,293

Mar 2015

2,081

129

269

551

2,532

Jun 2015

3,488

118

268

709

2,694

Sep 2015

3,244

109

249

660

2,505

Dec 2015

3,444

116

264

700

2,660

Mar 2016

3,347

113

257

681

2,584

Jun 2016

4,058

125

267

741

2,569

Sep 2016

4,248

131

280

776

2,689

Dec 2016

4,455

137

293

813

2,820

Mar 2017

4,664

143

307

852

2,952

Jun 2017

4,603

142

303

841

2,914

Sep 2017

4,613

142

304

842

2,921

Dec 2017

4,950

152

326

904

3,134

Asset allocation tables ($ million) continued

 

Total Australian and overseas assets ($m)

Borrowings ($m)

Other Liabilities ($m)

Total net Australian and overseas assets ($m)

Jun 2013

477,828

9,819

3,987

464,022

Sep 2013

501,532

10,306

4,184

487,042

Dec 2013

516,069

10,605

4,306

501,158

Mar 2014

526,431

10,818

4,392

511,221

Jun 2014

535,945

13,831

4,771

517,343

Sep 2014

538,257

13,891

4,791

519,575

Dec 2014

550,626

14,210

4,901

531,515

Mar 2015

579,707

14,961

5,160

559,586

Jun 2015

587,462

18,255

5,529

563,678

Sep 2015

576,917

17,927

5,429

553,561

Dec 2015

593,296

18,436

5,584

569,276

Mar 2016

589,243

18,310

5,546

565,387

Jun 2016

628,896

20,942

5,522

602,432

Sep 2016

647,663

21,567

5,686

620,410

Dec 2016

670,630

22,332

5,888

642,410

Mar 2017

690,564

22,996

6,063

661,505

Jun 2017

696,653

23,198

6,117

667,338

Sep 2017

699,481

23,293

6,141

670,047

Dec 2017

720,957

24,008

6,330

690,619

QC55139