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Self-managed super fund quarterly statistical report – March 2018

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

Last updated 13 June 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 30 June 2018 and should be available in August 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.

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 13 April 2018.

Population table – annual data

Date

Establishments

Wind-ups

Net establishments

Total number of SMSFs

Total members of SMSFs

Jun 2013

39,614

11,167

28,447

501,490

948,870

Jun 2014

33,813

12,393

21,420

522,910

990,148

Jun 2015

34,411

12,566

21,845

544,755

1,031,249

Jun 2016

33,220

11,569

21,651

566,406

1,067,185

Jun 2017

30,636

10,382

20,254

586,660

1,105,724

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.

The large number of wind-ups that occurred in the September 2017 quarter is due to the ATO’s cancellation of ABNs for almost 9,000 SMSFs.

The data was extracted on 13 April 2018.

Population table – quarterly data

Date

Establishments

Wind-ups

Net establishments

Total number of SMSFs

Total members of SMSFs

Jun 2013

9,557

7,299

2,258

501,490

948,870

Sep 2013

9,335

1,739

7,596

509,086

966,330

Dec 2013

7,962

848

7,114

516,200

979,050

Mar 2014

7,888

1,111

6,777

522,977

991,138

Jun 2014

8,628

8,695

-67

522,910

990,148

Sep 2014

9,557

1,199

8,358

531,268

1,008,358

Dec 2014

8,041

1,055

6,986

538,254

1,020,747

Mar 2015

8,057

1,240

6,817

545,071

1,032,813

Jun 2015

8,756

9,072

-316

544,755

1,031,249

Sep 2015

9,710

772

8,938

553,693

1,045,509

Dec 2015

7,179

871

6,308

560,001

1,056,713

Mar 2016

7,680

1,093

6,587

566,588

1,068,394

Jun 2016

8,651

8,833

-182

566,406

1,067,185

Sep 2016

8,015

547

7,468

573,874

1,083,820

Dec 2016

6,790

825

5,965

579,839

1,094,415

Mar 2017

7,421

1,091

6,330

586,169

1,105,637

Jun 2017

8,410

7,919

491

586,660

1,105,724

Sep 2017

7,340

8,892

-1,552

585,108

1,105,120

Dec 2017

6,213

529

5,684

590,792

1,115,242

Mar 2018

5,243

195

5,048

595,840

1,124,258

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 13 April 2018.

Asset allocation tables ($ million)

Date

Listed trusts

Unlisted trusts

Insurance policy

Other managed investments

Cash and term deposits

Debt securities

Loans

Jun 2013

$16,733

$42,575

$183

$21,174

$142,423

$4,649

$3,523

Sep 2013

$17,840

$45,391

$190

$22,637

$143,469

$4,683

$3,551

Dec 2013

$18,583

$47,280

$194

$23,623

$144,693

$4,723

$3,572

Mar 2014

$19,039

$48,441

$196

$24,618

$146,231

$4,773

$3,594

Jun 2014

$20,217

$48,873

$166

$24,748

$144,734

$6,236

$3,764

Sep 2014

$20,350

$49,194

$167

$25,100

$145,551

$6,272

$3,771

Dec 2014

$20,978

$50,712

$170

$26,057

$146,588

$6,316

$3,773

Mar 2015

$22,383

$54,109

$179

$27,742

$147,936

$6,374

$3,783

Jun 2015

$24,337

$56,410

$155

$29,086

$148,182

$7,554

$4,074

Sep 2015

$23,836

$55,250

$151

$29,246

$148,761

$7,584

$4,075

Dec 2015

$24,710

$57,275

$153

$30,122

$149,502

$7,621

$4,078

Mar 2016

$24,493

$56,773

$150

$29,830

$150,377

$7,666

$4,067

Jun 2016

$27,976

$64,721

$141

$30,854

$152,891

$9,265

$4,480

Sep 2016

$28,962

$67,001

$108

$34,380

$153,119

$9,279

$4,493

Dec 2016

$30,409

$70,349

$108

$36,018

$153,567

$9,306

$4,503

Mar 2017

$31,637

$73,189

$109

$36,903

$154,300

$9,351

$4,518

Jun 2017

$31,992

$74,010

$110

$38,196

$155,650

$9,432

$4,539

Sep 2017

$32,130

$74,331

$110

$38,962

$155,915

$9,449

$4,547

Dec 2017

$33,616

$77,769

$111

$40,160

$156,309

$9,472

$4,561

Mar 2018

$33,122

$76,625

$110

$40,084

$156,910

$9,509

$4,552

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

$139,890

$5,286

$8,854

$56,825

$17,311

$495

$12,840

Sep 2013

$153,649

$5,329

$9,154

$58,753

$17,898

$499

$12,943

Dec 2013

$158,624

$5,360

$9,620

$61,742

$18,809

$502

$13,018

Mar 2014

$162,020

$5,393

$9,886

$63,453

$19,330

$505

$13,100

Jun 2014

$164,601

$5,611

$15,585

$60,633

$20,056

$442

$14,454

Sep 2014

$163,130

$5,621

$15,929

$61,970

$20,499

$443

$14,479

Dec 2014

$167,979

$5,624

$16,439

$63,953

$21,155

$443

$14,486

Mar 2015

$185,485

$5,639

$16,928

$65,856

$21,784

$444

$14,527

Jun 2015

$175,068

$6,372

$21,502

$64,936

$23,548

$418

$16,942

Sep 2015

$162,792

$6,374

$22,126

$66,819

$24,231

$418

$16,947

Dec 2015

$172,845

$6,378

$22,381

$67,588

$24,510

$418

$16,959

Mar 2016

$167,967

$6,361

$22,620

$68,311

$24,772

$417

$16,914

Jun- 2016

$177,481

$7,041

$26,918

$68,224

$29,202

$343

$17,866

Sep 2016

$185,810

$7,061

$27,552

$69,829

$29,889

$344

$17,917

Dec 2016

$194,850

$7,078

$28,965

$73,410

$31,422

$344

$17,958

Mar 2017

$203,994

$7,101

$29,944

$75,893

$32,484

$346

$18,018

Jun 2017

$201,361

$7,134

$31,003

$78,576

$33,633

$347

$18,102

Sep 2017

$201,815

$7,147

$31,202

$79,080

$33,848

$348

$18,134

Dec 2017

$216,579

$7,169

$31,806

$80,610

$34,503

$349

$18,190

Mar 2018

$207,805

$7,155

$32,159

$81,505

$34,886

$348

$18,155

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

$1,958

$107

$213

$389

$1,949

Sep 2013

$2,150

$117

$234

$428

$2,140

Dec 2013

$2,220

$121

$242

$442

$2,209

Mar 2014

$2,268

$124

$247

$451

$2,257

Jun 2014

$1,844

$114

$239

$488

$2,241

Sep 2014

$1,828

$113

$237

$484

$2,221

Dec 2014

$1,882

$116

$244

$498

$2,287

Mar 2015

$2,078

$129

$269

$550

$2,526

Jun 2015

$3,479

$117

$268

$707

$2,689

Sep 2015

$3,235

$109

$249

$657

$2,500

Dec 2015

$3,435

$116

$264

$698

$2,655

Mar 2016

$3,338

$112

$257

$678

$2,580

Jun 2016

$4,069

$125

$273

$738

$2,552

Sep 2016

$4,260

$131

$286

$772

$2,672

Dec 2016

$4,467

$138

$300

$810

$2,802

Mar 2017

$4,677

$144

$314

$848

$2,933

Jun 2017

$4,616

$142

$310

$837

$2,895

Sep 2017

$4,627

$142

$310

$839

$2,902

Dec 2017

$4,965

$153

$333

$900

$3,114

Mar 2018

$4,764

$147

$320

$864

$2,988

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 2013

$477,377

$9,811

$3,987

$463,579

Sep 2013

$501,055

$10,298

$4,184

$486,573

Dec 2013

$515,577

$10,597

$4,306

$500,674

Mar 2014

$525,926

$10,809

$4,392

$510,725

Jun 2014

$535,047

$13,813

$4,768

$516,466

Sep 2014

$537,356

$13,872

$4,789

$518,695

Dec 2014

$549,700

$14,191

$4,899

$530,610

Mar 2015

$578,722

$14,940

$5,157

$558,625

Jun 2015

$585,842

$18,250

$5,531

$562,061

Sep 2015

$575,360

$17,924

$5,432

$552,004

Dec 2015

$591,706

$18,433

$5,587

$567,686

Mar 2016

$587,683

$18,308

$5,549

$563,826

Jun 2016

$625,159

$21,043

$5,546

$598,570

Sep 2016

$643,865

$21,673

$5,712

$616,480

Dec 2016

$666,804

$22,445

$5,916

$638,443

Mar 2017

$686,703

$23,115

$6,092

$657,496

Jun 2017

$692,886

$23,323

$6,147

$663,416

Sep 2017

$695,839

$23,422

$6,173

$666,244

Dec 2017

$720,670

$24,258

$6,394

$690,018

Mar 2018

$712,008

$23,966

$6,317

$681,725

QC56006