Self-managed super fund quarterly statistical report – December 2017

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:

SMSF population and asset allocation tables
- population of SMSFs and members
- asset allocation (break-up of assets into various classes)
Annual SMSF population analysis tables
SMSF quarterly establishment tables

See also:

A number of tables no longer report historical data from before 2013 – to view all data from before 2013, refer to historical data.
The data tables can be accessed in XLS format. To access the data tables for December 2017 in XLS format – see Appendix 1 (XLXS, 223KB)This link will download a file.
We also produce an annual SMSF statistical publication – see Self-managed super funds: a statistical overview 2015–16.

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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 two months after the end of the quarter. The next report will cover the period up to 31 March 2018 and should be available in May 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.

In the December 2017 quarter, the ATO processed the cancellation of ABNs for a number of SMSFs that had no evidence of operating. As a result, there was an upward revision in the number of SMSFs that wound up in the September 2017 quarter. This also led to flow-on revisions of previously reported estimates for the total number of SMSFs and SMSF members for the quarter.

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:

Self-managed super fund statistical report – June 2017
Self-managed super fund statistical report – June 2016
Self-managed super fund statistical report – June 2015
Self-managed super fund statistical report – June 2014
Self-managed super fund statistical report – June 2013

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 11 January 2018.

Population table – annual data
Date	Establishments	Wind-ups	Net establishments	Total number of SMSFs	Total members of SMSFs
Jun 2013	39,619	11,106	28,513	501,622	949,120
Jun 2014	33,823	12,279	21,544	523,166	990,633
Jun 2015	34,416	12,417	21,999	545,165	1,032,028
Jun 2016	33,213	11,353	21,860	567,025	1,068,356
Jun 2017	30,597	8,779	21,818	588,843	1,109,854

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.

In this report, there was an upward revision of wind-ups that occurred in the September 2017 quarter, due to the ATO’s cancellation of ABNs for almost 9,000 SMSFs. This also led to flow-on revisions of previously reported estimates for the total number of SMSFs and SMSF members for the quarter.

The data was extracted on 11 January 2018.

Population table – quarterly data
Date	Establishments	Wind-ups	Net establishments	Total number of SMSFs	Total members of SMSFs
Jun 2013	9,559	7,271	2,288	501,622	949,120
Sep 2013	9,339	1,705	7,634	509,256	966,653
Dec 2013	7,963	835	7,128	516,384	979,399
Mar 2014	7,892	1,096	6,796	523,180	991,523
Jun 2014	8,629	8,643	-14	523,166	990,633
Sep 2014	9,560	1,164	8,396	531,562	1,008,916
Dec 2014	8,042	1,028	7,014	538,576	1,021,358
Mar 2015	8,058	1,213	6,845	545,421	1,033,477
Jun 2015	8,756	9,012	-256	545,165	1,032,028
Sep 2015	9,710	712	8,998	554,163	1,046,397
Dec 2015	7,178	841	6,337	560,500	1,057,656
Mar 2016	7,677	1,067	6,610	567,110	1,069,381
Jun 2016	8,648	8,733	-85	567,025	1,068,356
Sep 2016	8,010	479	7,531	574,556	1,085,110
Dec 2016	6,788	755	6,033	580,589	1,095,833
Mar 2017	7,404	993	6,411	587,000	1,107,210
Jun 2017	8,395	6,552	1,843	588,843	1,109,854
Sep 2017	7,296	8,820	-1,524	587,319	1,109,303
Dec 2017	5,456	117	5,339	592,658	1,118,848

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 11 January 2018.

Asset allocation tables ($ million)
Date	Listed trusts	Unlisted trusts	Insurance policy	Other managed investments	Cash and term deposits	Debt securities	Loans
Jun 2013	16,747	42,606	184	21,200	142,565	4,656	3,521
Sep 2013	17,855	45,424	190	22,664	143,612	4,690	3,549
Dec 2013	18,599	47,315	195	23,652	144,838	4,730	3,570
Mar 2014	19,055	48,477	197	24,649	146,378	4,780	3,592
Jun 2014	20,254	48,920	166	24,804	144,992	6,253	3,759
Sep 2014	20,387	49,241	167	25,156	145,812	6,288	3,766
Dec 2014	21,017	50,761	171	26,116	146,851	6,333	3,768
Mar 2015	22,425	54,162	180	27,805	148,203	6,391	3,778
Jun 2015	24,425	56,517	155	29,196	148,607	7,588	4,067
Sep 2015	23,922	55,353	151	29,356	149,182	7,617	4,068
Dec 2015	24,797	57,379	154	30,234	149,920	7,655	4,070
Mar 2016	24,579	56,875	151	29,941	150,794	7,699	4,060
Jun 2016	28,214	65,032	142	31,103	153,868	9,363	4,465
Sep 2016	29,207	67,321	109	34,604	154,094	9,377	4,477
Dec 2016	30,666	70,684	108	36,160	154,542	9,404	4,488
Mar 2017	31,904	73,536	109	36,977	155,276	9,449	4,502
Jun 2017	32,261	74,359	111	38,190	156,629	9,531	4,523
Sep 2017	32,399	74,678	110	38,848	156,891	9,547	4,531
Dec 2017	33,738	77,763	110	38,716	157,262	9,570	4,516

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	140,041	5,290	8,860	56,876	17,324	495	12,842
Sep 2013	153,815	5,332	9,161	58,807	17,912	499	12,945
Dec 2013	158,796	5,364	9,627	61,798	18,823	502	13,021
Mar 2014	162,196	5,397	9,894	63,511	19,345	505	13,102
Jun 2014	164,928	5,617	15,614	60,724	20,076	442	14,460
Sep 2014	163,454	5,627	15,959	62,063	20,519	443	14,486
Dec 2014	168,314	5,629	16,469	64,049	21,176	443	14,493
Mar 2015	185,857	5,645	16,960	65,955	21,806	444	14,534
Jun 2015	175,701	6,385	21,532	65,066	23,573	417	16,958
Sep 2015	163,374	6,387	22,155	66,950	24,255	417	16,963
Dec 2015	173,458	6,391	22,410	67,719	24,534	417	16,974
Mar 2016	168,558	6,374	22,649	68,442	24,796	416	16,929
Jun- 2016	179,065	7,055	26,867	68,467	29,248	337	17,911
Sep 2016	187,465	7,075	27,498	70,076	29,936	338	17,961
Dec 2016	196,580	7,091	28,908	73,669	31,470	339	18,002
Mar 2017	205,801	7,114	29,885	76,158	32,534	340	18,061
Jun 2017	203,138	7,148	30,941	78,849	33,683	342	18,145
Sep 2017	203,588	7,160	31,138	79,351	33,898	342	18,177
Dec 2017	218,450	7,136	31,437	80,114	34,224	341	18,115

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	1,960	107	213	390	1,951
Sep 2013	2,153	117	234	428	2,142
Dec 2013	2,223	121	241	442	2,212
Mar 2014	2,270	124	246	451	2,259
Jun 2014	1,846	114	239	489	2,247
Sep 2014	1,830	113	237	484	2,226
Dec 2014	1,884	117	244	499	2,293
Mar 2015	2,081	129	269	551	2,532
Jun 2015	3,488	118	268	709	2,694
Sep 2015	3,244	109	249	660	2,505
Dec 2015	3,444	116	264	700	2,660
Mar 2016	3,347	113	257	681	2,584
Jun 2016	4,058	125	267	741	2,569
Sep 2016	4,248	131	280	776	2,689
Dec 2016	4,455	137	293	813	2,820
Mar 2017	4,664	143	307	852	2,952
Jun 2017	4,603	142	303	841	2,914
Sep 2017	4,613	142	304	842	2,921
Dec 2017	4,950	152	326	904	3,134

Asset allocation tables ($ million) continued
	Total Australian and overseas assets ($m)	Borrowings ($m)	Other Liabilities ($m)	Total net Australian and overseas assets ($m)
Jun 2013	477,828	9,819	3,987	464,022
Sep 2013	501,532	10,306	4,184	487,042
Dec 2013	516,069	10,605	4,306	501,158
Mar 2014	526,431	10,818	4,392	511,221
Jun 2014	535,945	13,831	4,771	517,343
Sep 2014	538,257	13,891	4,791	519,575
Dec 2014	550,626	14,210	4,901	531,515
Mar 2015	579,707	14,961	5,160	559,586
Jun 2015	587,462	18,255	5,529	563,678
Sep 2015	576,917	17,927	5,429	553,561
Dec 2015	593,296	18,436	5,584	569,276
Mar 2016	589,243	18,310	5,546	565,387
Jun 2016	628,896	20,942	5,522	602,432
Sep 2016	647,663	21,567	5,686	620,410
Dec 2016	670,630	22,332	5,888	642,410
Mar 2017	690,564	22,996	6,063	661,505
Jun 2017	696,653	23,198	6,117	667,338
Sep 2017	699,481	23,293	6,141	670,047
Dec 2017	720,957	24,008	6,330	690,619

Annual SMSF population analysis tables

Demographic information of SMSFs, as well as individual members, as at 30 June 2017.

December 2017 quarter establishment tables

Funds established between 1 October 2017 and 31 December 2017.