The jury described Retirement Manager^TM as “a thoughtful and highly effective application of human-centred design that successfully translates sophisticated retirement modelling into clear, actionable guidance”.

The judges also highlighted the tool’s intuitive language, progressive disclosure and decision-support features, including the Retirement Income Confidence Score, which turns abstract risk concepts into emotionally resonant signals.

The jury commended the Aware Super team for “setting a benchmark that broadens access to personalised retirement advice at scale”.

Aware Super Group Executive Member Growth Steven Travis said: “We are thrilled with this award, which validates that we are succeeding in delivering innovative solutions for our 1.3 million members that support great retirement outcomes.

“Of course, the greatest satisfaction is in seeing our members start their retirement journey with confidence after building their plan with Retirement Manager^TM.”

The post Aware Super’s Retirement Manager wins Gold at 2026 Australian Good Design Awards appeared first on AdviserVoice.

Deanne Stewart

Australians are on track to retire with significantly larger super balances than previous generations, but many risk missing out on the retirement they’ve worked hard for if they’re too afraid to spend their savings.

As the Intergenerational Report projects, median super balances will more than double from around $200,000 in 2024 to almost $450,000 in the next decade^[1], new modelling from Aware Super shows retirees could be spending an extra $24,700 in their first year of retirement.^[2]

Aware Super’s modelling found a couple retiring in 2036 with median super balances and owning their home outright could increase their first-year retirement income from $63,700 to $88,400 a year (in today’s dollars) by adopting a “maximised to last” retirement income strategy.

This strategy shows you how much you can comfortably spend each year while giving you confidence your money will last throughout retirement.

Aware Super CEO Deanne Stewart said the modelling showed how understanding how much you can spend and how long your super could last would support better retirement outcomes for Australians.

“For decades, Australians have been taught the importance of saving, now we need to help them feel confident to spend those savings in a way that supports the retirement they worked so hard for,” Ms Stewart said.

“That means focusing on providing our members with the right guidance, tools and solutions to use those savings well, throughout their retired years.”

Ms Stewart said “fear of running out” of money or FORO was still a major impediment to Australians enjoying their retirement, with Aware Super data showing almost half of new retirees planning to draw down only the legislated minimum income.

“Digital tools like Aware Super’s Retirement Manager help our members create a personalised income and spending plan, and are already giving them the confidence to draw down more of their savings in retirement without the fear of running out,” Ms Stewart said.

While 54 per cent of members who opened an Aware Super retirement income account typically chose to draw down more than the minimum income amount, this increased to 63 per cent for those members who used Retirement Manager.

———–

Notes:
[1] $450,000 balance was deflated to today’s dollars using CPI at 2.5% p.a. over 10 years
[2] Shown in today’s dollars, deflated using CPI at 2.5% p.a. $63,700 is based on minimum drawdown rates and $88,400 is based on “Maximised to last” drawdown strategy where retirement account is projected to deplete at age 95. Projection incorporates Age Pension (September 2026 rates) based on a homeowner couple, with the member and their partner both aged 67, the partner assumed to hold the same Retirement Income account balance as the member and combined personal assets of $50,000. Percentage admin fee is 0.16% and Fixed fee is assumed to be $52 p.a., increasing in line with assumed price inflation of 2.5% p.a. Investment returns are assumed to be CPI + 3.25% p.a., with CPI assumed to be 2.5% p.a. This example is for illustrative purposes only and is not intended to provide a guarantee on outcome. It is a broad illustration of the steps a member could take, but the actions appropriate for an individual will vary depending on their personal circumstances. Based on current regulatory requirements and laws, including tax rates, which may be subject to change. Retirement income and investment earnings are not guaranteed. Payments will cease once the account balance is depleted.

The post Retirees could unlock an extra $25K a year by making better use of their super  appeared first on AdviserVoice.

Deanne Stewart

Aware Super welcomes the start of the Payday Super regime on Wednesday 1 July, one of the most meaningful improvements to Australia’s retirement savings system in a generation.

From Wednesday, employers are required to pay superannuation at the same time as salary and wages, with contributions required to reach an employee’s super fund within seven business days of each payday in most cases. The reform ends a long-standing arrangement under which super could be paid quarterly.

Aware Super CEO Deanne Stewart said: “This is a genuine win for Australian workers. Super is as important to people’s financial wellbeing as the wages in their pocket and should be treated that way. Payday Super fixes an outdated system and Australian workers will ultimately be better off for it.

“This change will help ensure workers receive the right amount of super and can track their payments more easily. It also means contributions will be invested sooner, building retirement savings faster.”

Ms Stewart said the reform would have an especially significant impact on women, many of whom have historically lost super through the gaps created by quarterly payment cycles. “Many of Aware Super’s members are women working in health care, education and community services — often in part-time or casual roles. Payday Super addresses a structural inequity that has cost these workers real money over their working lives. That matters enormously to us,” she said.

The fund has worked closely with employers in the lead-up to 1 July, providing guidance and practical support to help them understand and meet their obligations.

Ms Stewart said Aware Super would continue to support employers in the early stages of implementation. “We know that for many employers, especially those who are not large payroll operators, this is a significant change. We’ve been working closely with employer groups in the lead up to 1 July and we’ll continue to support them as the new system beds in. Our goal is to help make this transition as straightforward as possible.”

The fund’s readiness for Payday Super has been underpinned by its Catalyst Project, completed in 2023, which brought member administration in-house and digitised over 90 per cent of Aware Super’s processes — creating a modern, efficient administration platform purpose-built for a more dynamic contribution environment.

The post Payday Super is here and workers are the winners appeared first on AdviserVoice.

CEO Deanne Stewart praised Mr Pendleton’s contribution to Aware.

“We give our heartfelt thanks to Ian for his unwavering dedication, member focus and the genuine care he has shown throughout his time at Aware Super,” Ms Stewart said.   

“Ian’s leadership has had a lasting impact on the professional organisation he helped build – one grounded in integrity, commitment and collaboration.“

Jane Couchman, who currently leads Risk, Compliance & Sustainability, will take the helm of a newly created division as Chief Risk Officer & Group Executive, Governance, bringing together the Risk, Compliance & Sustainability team with Mr Pendleton’s Legal & Company Secretariat.

”I congratulate Jane on her appointment to this crucial role. Joining our risk and legal divisions is designed to enhance operational alignment, further enable cohesive decision-making and positions us to continue to deliver effectively on our operational and strategic priorities,” Ms Stewart said.

”In an environment of evolving risks and opportunities, strong governance and prudent risk management are critical to fulfilling our obligations as the stewards of our 1.3 million members’ retirement savings.​”

This change has enabled a number of internal promotions including appointing Greg Gokavi-Whaley to the newly created Deputy Chief Risk Officer role. Belinda Dent steps into an expanded General Counsel role and Anthia Lepouris takes on an expanded Company Secretary role, reporting to Ms Couchman.

Mr Pendleton will formally conclude his Group Executive role on 29 June 2026, when the new structure takes effect. 

The post Aware Super farewells Ian Pendleton and combines Risk and Legal divisions appeared first on AdviserVoice.

Troy Smith

Aware Super is strengthening its support for financial advisers as part of its growth strategy, investing in new capability to help advisers deliver better retirement outcomes for their clients.

Financial advisers play an important role in Australia’s advice ecosystem, particularly for clients seeking tailored advice to navigate complex financial and retirement decisions. Aware Super has seen strong growth in the number of registered advisers using its services, alongside the establishment of new licensee partnerships.

Against this backdrop, the fund is continuing to expand its Advice Relationships capability with a focus on providing advisers with trusted, practical support, local relationship management and deep technical expertise.

As part of this focus, Aware Super has created a new role, Senior Manager, Technical Services, appointing Troy Smith.

The role sits within its Advice Relationships team and is responsible for developing and delivering technical education to licensees and advisers through professional development days, industry association events and webinars, as well as providing technical support to financial advisers working with the fund across complex client scenarios.

Mr Smith brings more than 15 years’ experience across technical and advice-facing teams at Insignia and ANZ/OnePath, including the role of National Manager, Technical Services at Insignia. Most recently, he worked at Zurich as Partnership Disputes Resolution Manager.

Aware Super General Manager Growth and Partnerships Natalie Jarvis said Mr Smith’s appointment would further strengthen the fund’s adviser proposition.

“As adviser engagement continues to grow, it’s critical we invest in deep technical capability that advisers can rely on,” she said.

“Troy brings extensive industry experience and a strong ability to translate complex technical issues into practical guidance, which will further enhance the support we provide to advisers and, ultimately, their clients.”

Mr Smith will report to Aware Super National Manager Advice Relationships Warwick Gribble.

Ms Jarvis said the appointment reflected the $235 billion Fund’s long‑term commitment to working constructively and collaboratively alongside the advice profession.

“We understand that advice is not one size fits all, and that many of our members value the personalised guidance that comes from working with a trusted financial adviser,” Ms Jarvis said.

“Our role is to support that advice ecosystem by equipping advisers with strong local relationships, high‑quality technical support and education, while ensuring members can access advice in the way that suits them best.”

The post Aware Super strengthens investment in financial adviser support as advice partnerships grow appeared first on AdviserVoice.

Steve Travis

Aware Super has received the rare Adviser-Ready Fund accreditation under the new national framework jointly developed by the Financial Advice Association Australia (FAAA) and Chant West.

This accreditation recognises the Fund’s investment in the systems and support which empower independent financial advisers to deliver better outcomes for their shared clients, who have almost doubled in number since June 2024.

Aware Super is one of only three profit-to-member funds to receive the accreditation, which assesses operational capability across 24 adviser-focused criteria developed with direct input from practising advisers.

Accreditation is awarded to funds meeting at least 16 criteria, covering: adviser access to client information; the ability to transact on behalf of clients; advice fee deduction processes; digital authorisations and dedicated adviser support.

Aware Super has led the industry in investing in a layered advice model that meets members at each stage of their financial life.

The Fund’s 1.2 million members can access:

• digital tools, calculators and education to support everyday decisions;
• personal advice when their circumstances become more complex; and
• retirement-focused advice and income solutions as they approach or enter retirement.

Where members work with an independent financial adviser, Aware Super’s adviser-ready systems and dedicated support are designed to make that relationship as productive as possible.

Significant enhancements to Aware Super’s Adviser Portal underpinned the Adviser-Ready accreditation, including:

• direct data feeds into Xplan
• online adviser registration and digital client authorities
• expanded transaction capability
• simplified advice fee deduction processes

With Aware Super also holding the Epic Retirement Institute’s Epic Retirement Tick, the double accreditation makes the Fund only one of two profit-to-member funds to hold both accreditations.

Aware Super Group Executive Member Growth Steve Travis said the recognition reflected the Fund’s ability to support members across the full advice journey, from early engagement through to retirement.

They also highlighted Aware Super’s tangible commitment to making it easier for advisers to do their best work.

“The Adviser Ready Fund accreditation recognises the practical investments we’ve made to support independent financial advisers – from improving digital access and transaction capability through to providing dedicated adviser support,” Mr Travis said.

“When combined with the Epic Retirement Tick, it reflects our focus on meeting members where they are in their advice journey, whether they’re looking for straightforward guidance or more comprehensive retirement advice, and supporting advisers to deliver that advice efficiently.”

Aware Super also provides advisers with access to a national Business Development Manager network and a specialist Adviser Engagement and Support team.

The Adviser-Ready Fund accreditation supports the shared objective of strengthening alignment between the superannuation and financial advice sectors, helping to improve access to professional advice and better retirement outcomes for Australians.

The post Aware Super recognised as an Adviser-Ready Super Fund  appeared first on AdviserVoice.

Steve Travis

Estate planning services will be a key gateway for driving greater engagement from super fund members in their savings and retirement, says Aware Super, as it expands its online wills service after a successful pilot program.

Aware launched its estate planning pilot in January 2025, in partnership with industry experts SafeWill, and recently made the service available to all members, which includes a simple will at no additional cost to their Aware membership.

Group Executive Member Growth Steven Travis said early take-up of online wills had exceeded expectations.

“The need for a robust and accessible online estate planning solution is immense,” Mr Travis said.

“It’s estimated $5 trillion will be passed down to the following generations over the next two decades¹ and there’s widespread understanding of the importance of having a legal will, yet up to 60 per cent of Australians don’t have one.

“Enabling our members to start their estate planning journey online, in their own time and with no additional fees for a simple will, substantially lowers the barriers to getting started.”

Mr Travis said super funds were in a unique position to reach millions of Australians with a message about the importance of estate planning, drive will uptake, and leverage that to open a broader conversation around savings and retirement.

“We believe estate planning will be an important gateway to encouraging our members to engage with their broader financial plan, including for their super and retirement,” Mr Travis said.

Aware Super has carefully integrated estate planning into the member journey, encouraging members to take other positive financial steps, such as updating the nominated beneficiaries of their super death benefit, consolidating their super, reviewing their insurances or booking an appointment with a financial adviser.

“These behavioural `nudges’ can be effective at motivating members to take other positive financial steps,” Mr Travis said.

Founder and chief executive of Safewill Adam Lubofsky said estate planning was deeply connected to other important decisions people make about their lives and families. ”Integrating it into super helps make those decisions simpler and more connected to their long-term financial future,” he said.

All Aware Super members can create a simple, legal will at no additional cost, with the process typically taking about 20 minutes to complete.

Additional services are available for a small fee, including a customised will for members with more complex estates and the option to create a power of attorney.

The post Online wills key to driving greater engagement in super and retirement appeared first on AdviserVoice.

Steve Travis

Aware Super’s industry-first digital retirement planning and management platform has led to a big uplift in retirees choosing more than the minimum pension, demonstrating its ability to boost members’ confidence in their retirement planning.

Retirement Manager^TM, which launched this month to all eligible Aware Super members 60 and over, helps answer the two most important questions for those in retirement or about to retire: how much can I spend and how long will my money last?

Results of Retirement Manager’s ^TM pilot phase of more than 5,000 members showed a 78 per cent increase in the relative number of members choosing more than the minimum pension when using it to build their plan.

54 per cent of retiring members typically choose to draw down more than the minimum pension, but this surged to 96 per cent when using Retirement Manager ^TM.

Group Executive Member Growth Steven Travis said the results from the pilot were powerful evidence that Retirement Manager ^TM was breaking down the barriers to effective retirement planning.

“This is a major breakthrough in retirement planning,” Mr Travis said. 

“Retirement Manager ^TM is giving members the control and confidence to draw a greater income and enjoy their retirement to the fullest.

“When members can build a plan in their own time, optimise it for different scenarios and get immediate feedback on the strength of their plan, it gives them greater confidence to draw down on their savings.”

Retirement Manager ^TM makes it easy to set up and implement a plan online, including choosing an investment option, modelling different income and spending decisions, and setting up an income stream. It can even estimate government Age Pension eligibility.

Retirement Manager ^TM gives users an Income Confidence Score that shows them how likely their plan will support their desired income and helps them adjust their plan to boost their score.

Also important is the integration of human help into the Retirement Manager ^TM experience, with users able to book an appointment with an adviser within the platform to discuss and further refine their plan if they need to.

Mr Travis noted that while Aware Super research found 9 out of 10 Australians were worried about running out of money in retirement, members were leaving up to 25% of their super unspent.

“Retirement Manager ^TM is not just for implementing a retirement plan, it’s like your always-on adviser throughout your retirement, helping you maximise your income and giving you peace of mind that you’re on the right track,” Mr Travis said.

“We believe it will help our members manage their money more effectively throughout their retirement.”

Retirement Manager ^TM builds on the success of My Retirement Planner ^TM, which has helped more than 165,000 Aware Super members in the accumulation phase model their retirement goals and devise an appropriate savings plan.

The post New digital advice platform drives 78% uplift in retirees choosing more than minimum pension appeared first on AdviserVoice.

Mr Warner, who joined Aware Super in 2023 as Head of Portfolio Management, will lead the Fund’s 160-person award-winning investment team that manages its members $205 billion superannuation savings across equities, fixed income, infrastructure, property and private equity.

Aware Super Chief Executive Officer Deanne Stewart said Mr Warner’s appointment ensured continuity of the Fund’s investment strategy and strong governance frameworks.

“Simon has demonstrated exceptional leadership during his two years at Aware Super, contributing to our track record of delivering outstanding returns for members,” Ms Stewart said.

The post Aware Super appoints Simon Warner as Chief Investment Officer appeared first on AdviserVoice.

Richard Exton

Aware Super has appointed Richard Exton as Group Executive, Chief Technology and Data Officer, effective 1 November 2025, reporting directly to its Chief Executive Officer, Deanne Stewart.

“Aware is focused on maintaining our strong reputation as an industry leader in digital by continuing to enhance our personalised member experience, and remaining vigilant about our cybersecurity protections,” Aware Super Chief Executive Officer Deanne Stewart said today.

The appointment elevates technology, data and AI leadership to the executive team, recognising its critical role in delivering better outcomes for the Fund’s 1.2 million members and supporting Aware Super’s strategic priorities to 2030.

During his eight years with Aware Super, Mr Exton has been instrumental to major transformations, including the 2023 insourcing of the Fund’s administration with significant digital capability uplift, and its platform modernisation that reduced technology infrastructure by a third alongside enhancing member self-service.

Ms Stewart says the 200-strong Technology team will “continue to embed AI and digital innovation across the business to deliver even more personalised and secure digital experiences for Aware Super members, with an unwavering focus on retirement outcomes.”

“Richard’s leadership will continue to be instrumental as we accelerate our digital capabilities and ensure technology remains a key enabler of member outcomes and competitive advantage for Aware Super,” Ms Stewart added.

“This appointment demonstrates how integral AI, data and technology is in supporting our strategic priorities to 2030.”

Under his leadership, female representation has grown to 35% of the Aware Super’s Technology workforce. Mr Exton achieved #4 nationally and #1 in financial services in Australia’s CIO50 Awards, with his team recognised as Australia’s Best Technology Team for Culture (2024).

Mr Exton brings three decades of experience delivering transformational outcomes across global financial services, including senior technology roles at Macquarie Group, ANZ Bank, and Commonwealth Bank of Australia across APAC markets.

Mr Exton holds a Masters in Financial Technology from UNSW and a Graduate Certificate of Commercial Law from Deakin University and has completed executive education at Harvard Business School and the Australian Institute of Company Directors (AICD).

The post Aware Super elevates technology, data & AI to accelerate leadership position and drive strategy  appeared first on AdviserVoice.