The Family Handover KitAustralia
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Superannuation after a death: who decides, and how each fund is told

What happens to super after a death, as the ATO and four large funds publish it: who decides where a death benefit goes, what a nomination is, what the ATO says tax depends on, and how to tell each fund.

General information · not legal advice · not a law firm.

Who decides who receives the super

Australia · general information · checked 11 October 2026

Super is held by a fund, and the fund's trustee makes the decision. The ATO puts it this way.

The ATO says the super fund's trustee works out who will receive the benefits. Super paid after a death is called a super death benefit.

To find out about an entitlement, the ATO says to contact the super fund trustee directly.

The ATO says the super fund (or funds) should be contacted directly, to tell them of the death and discuss the release of the super. If there is no authorised legal personal representative, the ATO may inform the fund, which then decides whether to contact the family.

This page does not say who a benefit will be paid to, or in what order. That is the trustee's decision, fund by fund. Each fund's card below shows how it asks to be told and what it publishes about its process.

The ATO's page: Australian Taxation Office · If you are a beneficiary of a deceased estate

What a death benefit nomination is

Australia · general information · checked 11 October 2026

Many funds let a member nominate who they would like a death benefit paid to. Each fund publishes its own kinds of nomination and its own rules for them.

Two funds' descriptions are below, each as that fund's own words about its own nominations.

AustralianSuper's description

AustralianSuper says a binding nomination tells it how to pay a member's benefit, and that if it is valid when assessed after the death, it must follow it, with limited exceptions.

It offers two kinds: a lapsing binding nomination, which expires three years from the date the form is signed unless changed earlier, and a non-lapsing one, which has no expiry date.

Aware Super's line on having none

If there is no valid nomination, Aware Super says it follows superannuation law and the fund's rules to decide who can receive the benefit.

Its claim pack shows the member's estimated balance, any insurance they had, and whether they nominated someone to receive the benefit.

These are two funds' descriptions of their own nominations. Other funds use other kinds and other words.

Whether a particular nomination is valid, and what it means for a particular benefit, is for that fund's trustee to assess after the death. This page does not say.

What the ATO says about tax on a super death benefit

Australia · general information · checked 11 October 2026

The ATO says there are no inheritance or estate taxes in Australia, though tax can still apply to what is inherited, such as capital gains tax on selling an inherited asset, and income tax on income from it.

The ATO says the tax on a super death benefit depends on whether the person receiving it was a dependant under tax law, whether it is paid as a lump sum or an income stream, whether the super is tax-free or taxable, and, for income streams, the ages involved.

Aware Super says receiving a super death benefit may affect income, tax and any Centrelink payments.

This page shows the ATO's list of what the tax depends on, and nothing more. It does not work out tax for any benefit or any person. The ATO's page: Australian Taxation Office · If you are a beneficiary of a deceased estate

Australian Retirement Trust

Australia · general information · checked 11 October 2026

On the free notifier's list

Australian Retirement Trust · on the ADNS list

How to tell it

Australian Retirement Trust takes a death claim by online form or by phone, on 13 11 84.

Who it says may claim

Australian Retirement Trust says a person may be eligible to claim if they are considered a dependant or the legal personal representative of the person who died.

This is its description of who may make a claim, not a statement about who receives the benefit.

Documents

It may ask for a certified copy of the member's death certificate and, in most cases, a certified copy of their identity.

How long

It says to expect up to 3 months for a straightforward death claim, and up to 6 months for a more complicated one.

AustralianSuper

Australia · general information · checked 11 October 2026

Not on the free notifier's list

AustralianSuper · not on the ADNS list

How to tell it

AustralianSuper's Bereavement Centre manages all death benefit claims: 1300 667 387, 8.30 am to 5 pm AEST/AEDT, weekdays.

Who it says a benefit can be paid to

AustralianSuper says a death benefit can be paid to one or more of the member's dependants, as defined by superannuation law, and/or their legal personal representative, which it defines as the executor or administrator of the estate.

This is AustralianSuper's description of who a benefit can go to. Who it does go to, in a particular case, is the trustee's decision.

What it says is paid

It says a death benefit payment includes the member's account balance, minus any applicable charges and taxes, along with any death insurance cover they had.

Documents

AustralianSuper says its case manager provides a claim pack with an application form and information about the documents needed.

How long

AustralianSuper says it aims to resolve most death benefit claims within four months of receiving the first claim form.

Objections

Claimants have 28 days from being notified of its decision to agree or object, and if one disagrees with the final decision, 28 days to complain to the Australian Financial Complaints Authority (AFCA), which it describes as free and independent.

These 28 days are AustralianSuper's objection windows, not a time to tell anyone of the death.

Aware Super

Australia · general information · checked 11 October 2026

Not on the free notifier's list

Aware Super · not on the ADNS list

How to tell it

Aware Super is told through its online notification form, or on 1300 650 873.

What happens next

Aware Super says a dedicated case manager will contact the person who told it within 10 business days. Its claim pack shows the member's estimated balance, any insurance they had, and whether they nominated someone to receive the benefit.

If there is no valid nomination

If there is no valid nomination, Aware Super says it follows superannuation law and the fund's rules to decide who can receive the benefit.

Documents

Aware Super says it sends information on the required documents once it has been told, and that documents can be sent as they are gathered.

How long

Aware Super says it generally takes 3 to 4 months to finalise a claim from the time the fund is told of the member's death, provided all the required documents are received correctly. The 10 business days above is its time to make first contact, not its time to decide.

Objections

If more than one person is eligible, it gives everyone 28 days from the trustee's letter about the proposed decision to accept it or raise concerns. This 28 days is Aware Super's objection window, not a time to tell anyone of the death.

Hostplus

Australia · general information · checked 11 October 2026

Not on the free notifier's list

Hostplus · not on the ADNS list

How to tell it

Hostplus's claims line is 1300 467 875; it says a dedicated claims expert will be put in touch.

Documents

Hostplus's claims guide asks for a certified copy of the death certificate, with the cause of death if available, and one certified proof of the member's identity, such as a passport, birth certificate or driver's licence.

Objections

If there are several potential beneficiaries, Hostplus says all of them are told the proposed allocation and given 28 days to agree or object, and payment is paused if an objection is received. This 28 days is Hostplus's objection window, not a time to tell anyone of the death.

FAQ

Common questions

The fund's trustee. The ATO says the super fund's trustee works out who will receive the benefits. Super paid after a death is called a super death benefit.

To find out about an entitlement, the ATO says to contact the super fund trustee directly. This page does not say who a benefit is paid to.

Australia · general information · checked 11 October 2026

Each fund describes its own. As one example, in that fund's words: AustralianSuper says a binding nomination tells it how to pay a member's benefit, and that if it is valid when assessed after the death, it must follow it, with limited exceptions.

It offers two kinds: a lapsing binding nomination, which expires three years from the date the form is signed unless changed earlier, and a non-lapsing one, which has no expiry date.

Whether a particular nomination is valid is for the fund's trustee to assess after the death.

Australia · general information · checked 11 October 2026

Each fund's trustee decides under superannuation law and the fund's own rules. In Aware Super's words: If there is no valid nomination, Aware Super says it follows superannuation law and the fund's rules to decide who can receive the benefit. This page does not say who that will be.

Australia · general information · checked 11 October 2026

Two funds describe the legal personal representative as someone a benefit can be paid to, or who can claim.

AustralianSuper says a death benefit can be paid to one or more of the member's dependants, as defined by superannuation law, and/or their legal personal representative, which it defines as the executor or administrator of the estate.

Australian Retirement Trust says a person may be eligible to claim if they are considered a dependant or the legal personal representative of the person who died.

Whether that happens for a particular member is the trustee's decision, and this page does not say.

Australia · general information · checked 11 October 2026

The ATO lists what it depends on, and this page shows that list only. The ATO says the tax on a super death benefit depends on whether the person receiving it was a dependant under tax law, whether it is paid as a lump sum or an income stream, whether the super is tax-free or taxable, and, for income streams, the ages involved.

The ATO says there are no inheritance or estate taxes in Australia, though tax can still apply to what is inherited, such as capital gains tax on selling an inherited asset, and income tax on income from it. This page does not work out tax for anyone.

Australia · general information · checked 11 October 2026

Each fund publishes its own time, if any. Australian Retirement Trust: It says to expect up to 3 months for a straightforward death claim, and up to 6 months for a more complicated one.

AustralianSuper says it aims to resolve most death benefit claims within four months of receiving the first claim form.

Aware Super says it generally takes 3 to 4 months to finalise a claim from the time the fund is told of the member's death, provided all the required documents are received correctly.

Aware Super says a dedicated case manager will contact the person who told it within 10 business days. That last one is Aware Super's time to make contact, not to decide.

Australia · general information · checked 11 October 2026

Three of these four were not on the list ADNS showed for a death in New South Wales, Victoria or Queensland.

  • AustralianSuper · not on the ADNS list
  • Aware Super · not on the ADNS list
  • Hostplus · not on the ADNS list

One was:

  • Australian Retirement Trust · on the ADNS list

Each fund is told through its own route, in its card above. Who the free notifier reaches, organisation by organisation

Australia · general information · checked 11 October 2026

The ATO says the super fund (or funds) should be contacted directly, to tell them of the death and discuss the release of the super. If there is no authorised legal personal representative, the ATO may inform the fund, which then decides whether to contact the family. So the fund is told directly, and the ATO's own route is separate

Australia · general information · checked 11 October 2026

Where to get help with your situation

This page cannot tell you what applies to the estate you are dealing with. These official routes can point you to someone who can.

New South Wales

New South Wales · general information · checked 10 October 2026

Victoria

Victoria · general information · checked 10 October 2026

Queensland

Queensland · general information · checked 10 October 2026

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