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Self-managed super fund quarterly statistical report – December 2018

This is a statistical report for the self-managed super fund market for the period up to December 2018.

Last updated 24 March 2019

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:

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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 three months after the end of the quarter. The next report will cover the period up to 31 March 2019 and should be available in June 2019.

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 2018 report, the 2016–17 annual return data has been incorporated into our estimation model – as a result, the estimates are a more accurate reflection of SMSF asset holdings.

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 2014. However, statistics from before 2014 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 2018 extrapolated from 2016–17 data.

The data was extracted on 17 January 2019.

Population table – annual data

Date

Establishments

Wind-ups

Net establishments

Total number of SMSFs

Total members of SMSFs

Jun 2014

33,364

12,634

20,730

521,511

987,535

Jun 2015

33,790

12,976

20,814

542,325

1,026,701

Jun 2016

32,865

12,244

20,621

562,946

1,060,681

Jun 2017

30,531

13,263

17,268

580,214

1,093,551

Jun 2018

25,458

18,580

6,878

587,092

1,107,058

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 2014 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. It is anticipated that the number of June 2018 quarter establishments and particularly wind-ups will increase as more notifications are received.

In addition, recent quarter estimates of the total members of SMSFs are extrapolated from 2016–17 return form data.

Generally the ATO receives wind-up notifications as at the end of the financial year so the June quarters have significantly larger wind-ups than other quarters. However, a large number of wind-ups occurred in the September 2017 quarter due to the ATO’s cancellation of ABNs for around 9,000 SMSFs.

The data was extracted on 17 January 2019.

Population table – quarterly data

Date

Establishments

Wind-ups

Net establishments

Total number of SMSFs

Total members of SMSFs

Jun 2014

8,519

8,828

-309

521,511

987,535

Sep 2014

9,399

1,186

8,213

529,724

1,005,442

Dec 2014

7,901

1,148

6,753

536,477

1,017,403

Mar 2015

7,894

1,365

6,529

543,006

1,028,940

Jun 2015

8,596

9,277

-681

542,325

1,026,701

Sep 2015

9,614

933

8,681

551,006

1,040,440

Dec 2015

7,088

969

6,119

557,125

1,051,296

Mar 2016

7,585

1,189

6,396

563,521

1,062,626

Jun 2016

8,578

9,153

-575

562,946

1,060,681

Sep 2016

7,964

719

7,245

570,191

1,076,865

Dec 2016

6,766

1,017

5,749

575,940

1,087,054

Mar 2017

7,395

1,302

6,093

582,033

1,097,830

Jun 2017

8,406

10,225

-1,819

580,214

1,093,551

Sep 2017

7,367

9,064

-1,697

578,517

1,092,660

Dec 2017

6,249

1,069

5,180

583,697

1,101,826

Mar 2018

5,922

1,378

4,544

588,241

1,109,822

Jun 2018

5,920

7,069

-1,149

587,092

1,107,058

Sep 2018

6,138

389

5,749

592,841

1,119,856

Dec 2018

4,296

128

4,168

597,009

1,127,304

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 2014 through to June 2017 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 2017 and subsequent quarters are extrapolated from 2016–17 return form data.

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 17 January 2019.

Asset allocation tables ($ million)

Date

Listed trusts

Unlisted trusts

Insurance policy

Other managed investments

Cash and term deposits

Debt securities

Loans

Jun 2014

$20,088

$48,603

$166

$24,577

$143,944

$6,192

$3,786

Sep 2014

$20,219

$48,922

$167

$24,926

$144,756

$6,227

$3,792

Dec 2014

$20,843

$50,430

$170

$25,877

$145,782

$6,271

$3,794

Mar 2015

$22,237

$53,803

$179

$27,547

$147,111

$6,328

$3,805

Jun 2015

$24,055

$55,939

$154

$28,757

$146,806

$7,466

$4,093

Sep 2015

$23,562

$54,792

$151

$28,917

$147,388

$7,495

$4,094

Dec 2015

$24,426

$56,801

$153

$29,784

$148,128

$7,533

$4,097

Mar 2016

$24,212

$56,304

$150

$29,496

$148,996

$7,577

$4,087

Jun 2016

$27,293

$63,652

$141

$30,090

$150,030

$8,996

$4,521

Sep 2016

$28,236

$65,851

$108

$33,512

$150,151

$9,004

$4,530

Dec 2016

$29,640

$69,127

$108

$35,085

$150,558

$9,028

$4,540

Mar 2017

$30,851

$71,952

$108

$35,972

$151,349

$9,076

$4,557

Jun 2017

$30,230

$77,536

$167

$32,302

$168,248

$10,977

$4,860

Sep 2017

$30,345

$77,831

$167

$32,940

$168,447

$10,990

$4,866

Dec 2017

$31,745

$81,421

$168

$34,002

$168,851

$11,016

$4,880

Mar 2018

$31,186

$79,989

$166

$34,282

$169,584

$11,064

$4,895

Jun 2018

$32,675

$83,806

$168

$35,466

$170,924

$11,152

$4,924

Sep 2018

$32,735

$83,961

$168

$36,267

$171,075

$11,162

$4,922

Dec 2018

$31,474

$80,726

$167

$36,128

$171,356

$11,180

$4,903

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 2014

$163,571

$5,590

$15,546

$60,333

$19,998

$441

$14,420

Sep 2014

$162,109

$5,600

$15,889

$61,663

$20,439

$442

$14,445

Dec 2014

$166,922

$5,602

$16,396

$63,634

$21,092

$442

$14,452

Mar 2015

$184,304

$5,618

$16,883

$65,522

$21,718

$444

$14,492

Jun 2015

$173,146

$6,336

$21,437

$64,400

$23,451

$418

$16,886

Sep 2015

$161,014

$6,338

$22,060

$66,272

$24,132

$418

$16,892

Dec 2015

$170,964

$6,343

$22,315

$67,038

$24,411

$418

$16,904

Mar 2016

$166,141

$6,326

$22,554

$67,755

$24,672

$417

$16,860

Jun- 2016

$173,146

$7,013

$27,025

$67,389

$29,099

$348

$17,731

Sep 2016

$181,154

$7,029

$27,643

$68,929

$29,764

$349

$17,769

Dec 2016

$189,928

$7,043

$29,055

$72,449

$31,284

$350

$17,806

Mar 2017

$198,933

$7,070

$30,051

$74,934

$32,357

$351

$17,874

Jun 2017

$194,051

$8,167

$41,162

$68,500

$35,353

$361

$19,808

Sep 2017

$194,387

$8,177

$41,404

$68,904

$35,561

$362

$19,833

Dec 2017

$208,583

$8,201

$42,200

$70,228

$36,244

$363

$19,891

Mar 2018

$200,237

$8,226

$42,403

$70,567

$36,419

$364

$19,951

Jun 2018

$217,657

$8,274

$42,762

$71,163

$36,727

$366

$20,068

Sep 2018

$219,955

$8,272

$42,469

$70,675

$36,475

$366

$20,061

Dec 2018

$200,992

$8,240

$42,857

$71,322

$36,809

$365

$19,984

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 2014

$1,838

$114

$240

$485

$2,230

Sep 2014

$1,822

$113

$238

$480

$2,210

Dec 2014

$1,876

$116

$245

$495

$2,276

Mar 2015

$2,071

$129

$270

$546

$2,513

Jun 2015

$3,463

$116

$270

$700

$2,663

Sep 2015

$3,220

$108

$251

$651

$2,477

Dec 2015

$3,419

$114

$267

$691

$2,630

Mar 2016

$3,322

$111

$259

$672

$2,556

Jun 2016

$4,013

$126

$283

$717

$2,511

Sep 2016

$4,198

$132

$297

$750

$2,627

Dec 2016

$4,402

$138

$311

$786

$2,754

Mar 2017

$4,610

$145

$326

$824

$2,884

Jun 2017

$5,908

$142

$299

$836

$2,435

Sep 2017

$5,918

$142

$300

$837

$2,440

Dec 2017

$6,350

$153

$322

$898

$2,618

Mar 2018

$6,096

$146

$309

$862

$2,513

Jun 2018

$6,627

$159

$336

$937

$2,732

Sep 2018

$6,697

$161

$339

$947

$2,760

Dec 2018

$6,119

$147

$310

$865

$2,522

Asset allocation tables ($ million) continued

 Date

Total Australian and overseas assets ($m)

Borrowings ($m)

Other Liabilities ($m)

Total net Australian and overseas assets ($m)

Jun 2014

$532,162

$13,782

$4,763

$513,617

Sep 2014

$534,458

$13,841

$4,784

$515,833

Dec 2014

$546,715

$14,159

$4,893

$527,663

Mar 2015

$575,518

$14,905

$5,151

$555,462

Jun 2015

$580,555

$18,202

$5,533

$556,820

Sep 2015

$570,232

$17,879

$5,434

$546,919

Dec 2015

$586,438

$18,387

$5,589

$562,462

Mar 2016

$582,468

$18,262

$5,551

$558,655

Jun 2016

$614,126

$21,197

$5,584

$587,345

Sep 2016

$632,033

$21,815

$5,747

$604,471

Dec 2016

$654,391

$22,587

$5,950

$625,854

Mar 2017

$674,224

$23,271

$6,130

$644,823

Jun 2017

$701,342

$23,143

$5,857

$672,342

Sep 2017

$703,851

$23,226

$5,878

$674,747

Dec 2017

$728,135

$24,027

$6,081

$698,027

Mar 2018

$719,261

$23,734

$6,006

$689,521

Jun 2018

$746,921

$24,647

$6,237

$716,037

Sep 2018

$749,467

$24,731

$6,259

$718,477

Dec 2018

$726,465

$23,972

$6,067

$696,426

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