Definitions of fees

Investment fee

An investment fee is a fee that relates to the investment of the assets of a superannuation entity and includes:

(a) fees in payment for the exercise of care and expertise in the investment of those assets (including performance fees); and
(b) costs, other than indirect costs that are not paid out of the superannuation entity that the trustee has elected in writing will be treated as indirect costs and not fees, incurred by the trustee of the entity or in an interposed vehicle or derivative financial product that:

(i) relate to the investment of assets of the entity; and
(ii) are not otherwise charged as an administration fee, a buy-sell spread, a switching fee, an exit fee, an activity fee, an advice fee or an insurance fee.

Administration fee

An administration fee is a fee that relates to the administration or operation of a superannuation entity and includes costs, other than indirect costs that are not paid out of the superannuation entity that the trustee has elected in writing will be treated as indirect costs and not fees, incurred by the trustee of the entity or in an interposed vehicle or derivative financial product that:

(a) relate to the administration or operation of the entity; and
(b) are not otherwise charged as an investment fee, a buy-sell spread, a switching fee, an exit fee, an activity fee, an advice fee or an insurance fee.

Buy-sell spread

A buy-sell spread is a fee to recover transaction costs incurred by the trustee, or the trustees, of a superannuation entity in relation to the sale and purchase of assets of the entity.

Switching fee

A switching fee for a MySuper product has the meaning given by subsection 29V(5) of the SIS Act and, for superannuation products other than a MySuper product, is a fee to recover the costs of switching all or part of a member’s interest in a superannuation entity from one investment option or product in the entity to another.

Advice fee

A fee is an advice fee if:

(a) the fee relates directly to costs incurred by the trustee, or the trustees, of a superannuation entity because of the provision of financial product advice to a member by:

(i) a trustee of the entity; or
(ii) another person acting as an employee of, or under an arrangement with, a trustee or trustees of the entity; and

(b) those costs are not otherwise charged as an administration fee, an investment fee, a switching fee, an exit fee , an activity fee or an insurance fee.

Activity fee

A fee is an activity fee if:

(a) the fee relates to costs incurred by the trustee, or the trustees, of a superannuation entity that are directly related to an activity of the trustee, or the trustees:

(i) that is engaged in at the request, or with the consent, of a member; or
(ii) that relates to a member and is required by law; and

(b) those costs are not otherwise charged as an administration fee, an investment fee, a buy-sell spread, a switching fee, an exit fee, an advice fee or an insurance fee.

Indirect cost ratio

The Indirect cost ratio (ICR) for a MySuper product or an investment option offered by a superannuation entity, is the ratio of the total of indirect costs for the MySuper product or investment option, to the total average net assets of the superannuation entity attributed to the MySuper product or investment option.

Insurance fees

A fee is an insurance fee if:

(a) the fee relates directly to either or both of the following:

(i) insurance premiums paid by the trustee, or the trustees, of a superannuation entity in relation to a member or members of the entity;
(ii) costs incurred by the trustee, or the trustees, of a superannuation entity in relation to the provision of insurance for a member or members of the entity; and

(b) the fee does not relate to any part of a premium paid or cost incurred in relation to a life policy or a contract of insurance that relates to a benefit to the member that is based on the performance of an investment rather than the realisation of a risk; and

(c) the premiums and costs to which the fee relates are not otherwise charged as an administration fee, an investment fee, a switching fee, an exit fee, an activity fee or an advice fee.