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Statistics explanatory notes

Information about the statistics explanatory.

Last updated 27 November 2017

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.

Additional information

From the March 2017 quarter report, the data tables can be accessed in XLS format. Access the data tables for September 2017 in XLS format – see Appendix 1 (XLXS, 260KB)This link will download a file.

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 20 December 2016, we released Self-managed superannuation funds: A statistical overview 2014–15. 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 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 12 October 2017.

Population table – annual data

Date

Establishments

Windups

Net establishments

Total number of SMSFs

Total members of SMSFs

Jun 2013

39,618

11,080

28,538

501,664

949,200

Jun 2014

33,822

12,242

21,580

523,244

990,781

Jun 2015

34,425

12,258

22,167

545,411

1,032,494

Jun 2016

33,208

11,100

22,108

567,519

1,069,290

Jun 2017

30,540

6,078

24,462

591,981

1,115,790

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 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 data was extracted on 12 October 2017.

Population table – quarterly data

Date

Establishments

Wind-ups

Net establishments

Total number of SMSFs

Total members of SMSFs

Jun 2013

9,560

7,264

2,296

501,664

949,200

Sep 2013

9,341

1,685

7,656

509,320

966,774

Dec 2013

7,962

829

7,133

516,453

979,530

Mar 2014

7,890

1,097

6,793

523,246

991,648

Jun 2014

8,629

8,631

-2

523,244

990,781

Sep 2014

9,562

1,127

8,435

531,679

1,009,138

Dec 2014

8,043

1,005

7,038

538,717

1,021,626

Mar 2015

8,060

1,187

6,873

545,590

1,033,798

Jun 2015

8,760

8,939

-179

545,411

1,032,494

Sep 2015

9,708

665

9,043

554,454

1,046,947

Dec 2015

7,179

818

6,361

560,815

1,058,252

Mar 2016

7,677

1,045

6,632

567,447

1,070,018

Jun 2016

8,644

8,572

72

567,519

1,069,290

Sep 2016

8,003

410

7,593

575,112

1,086,161

Dec 2016

6,778

644

6,134

581,246

1,097,077

Mar 2017

7,390

839

6,551

587,797

1,108,719

Jun 2017

8,369

4,185

4,184

591,981

1,115,790

Sep 2017

6,708

69

6,639

598,620

1,130,721

Asset allocation tables ($m)

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 June 2017 and other 2016–17 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 12 October 2017.

Asset allocation tables ($m)

Date

Listed trusts ($m)

Unlisted trusts ($m)

Insurance policy ($m)

Other managed investments ($m)

Cash and term deposits ($m)

Debt securities ($m)

Loans ($m)

Jun 2013

$16,757

$42,605

$183

$21,220

$142,657

$4,658

$3,518

Sep 2013

$17,865

$45,424

$190

$22,731

$143,706

$4,692

$3,547

Dec 2013

$18,609

$47,315

$195

$23,767

$144,934

$4,732

$3,567

Mar 2014

$19,066

$48,477

$197

$24,817

$146,476

$4,782

$3,590

Jun 2014

$20,281

$48,932

$166

$24,833

$145,148

$6,262

$3,748

Sep 2014

$20,414

$49,253

$167

$25,236

$145,968

$6,297

$3,755

Dec 2014

$21,044

$50,774

$171

$26,250

$147,011

$6,342

$3,757

Mar 2015

$22,455

$54,177

$180

$28,003

$148,368

$6,401

$3,768

Jun 2015

$24,501

$56,600

$155

$29,284

$148,957

$7,616

$4,055

Sep 2015

$23,995

$55,432

$152

$29,501

$149,525

$7,645

$4,056

Dec 2015

$24,872

$57,458

$154

$30,443

$150,259

$7,683

$4,058

Mar 2016

$24,653

$56,952

$151

$30,206

$151,133

$7,727

$4,048

Jun 2016

$28,564

$65,005

$144

$31,470

$155,027

$9,496

$4,422

Sep 2016

$29,568

$67,291

$110

$35,088

$155,249

$9,510

$4,434

Dec 2016

$31,044

$70,650

$110

$36,008

$155,695

$9,537

$4,444

Mar 2017

$32,296

$73,499

$110

$36,896

$156,430

$9,582

$4,459

Jun 2017

$32,658

$74,321

$112

$37,854

$157,793

$9,666

$4,480

Sep 2017

$32,834

$74,724

$111

$37,684

$158,071

$9,683

$4,459

Asset allocation tables ($m) 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

$140,136

$5,287

$8,866

$56,891

$17,317

$494

$12,838

Sep 2013

$153,920

$5,329

$9,167

$58,823

$17,905

$498

$12,941

Dec 2013

$158,905

$5,361

$9,633

$61,815

$18,816

$501

$13,017

Mar 2014

$162,308

$5,394

$9,901

$63,529

$19,337

$504

$13,098

Jun 2014

$165,135

$5,619

$15,619

$60,767

$20,061

$440

$14,459

Sep 2014

$163,660

$5,629

$15,964

$62,108

$20,503

$441

$14,484

Dec 2014

$168,528

$5,632

$16,475

$64,096

$21,160

$441

$14,492

Mar 2015

$186,097

$5,648

$16,966

$66,005

$21,790

$443

$14,533

Jun 2015

$176,298

$6,377

$21,543

$65,138

$23,540

$412

$16,962

Sep 2015

$163,920

$6,378

$22,165

$67,021

$24,221

$413

$16,966

Dec 2015

$174,031

$6,382

$22,419

$67,788

$24,498

$413

$16,976

Mar 2016

$169,113

$6,365

$22,658

$68,510

$24,759

$412

$16,931

Jun- 2016

$181,389

$6,995

$26,461

$68,139

$29,100

$328

$17,823

Sep 2016

$189,891

$7,014

$27,082

$69,738

$29,783

$329

$17,873

Dec 2016

$199,119

$7,030

$28,469

$73,310

$31,309

$329

$17,913

Mar 2017

$208,453

$7,053

$29,431

$75,786

$32,366

$330

$17,972

Jun 2017

$205,755

$7,086

$30,470

$78,463

$33,510

$332

$18,055

Sep 2017

$206,231

$7,054

$30,730

$79,131

$33,795

$330

$17,974

Asset allocation tables ($m) 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

$1,959

$106

$212

$390

$1,952

Sep 2013

$2,151

$117

$233

$428

$2,144

Dec 2013

$2,221

$121

$241

$442

$2,214

Mar 2014

$2,268

$123

$246

$452

$2,261

Jun 2014

$1,847

$114

$238

$488

$2,247

Sep 2014

$1,830

$113

$236

$484

$2,227

Dec 2014

$1,885

$116

$243

$499

$2,293

Mar 2015

$2,081

$128

$268

$550

$2,532

Jun 2015

$3,496

$117

$260

$708

$2,697

Sep 2015

$3,251

$108

$242

$658

$2,508

Dec 2015

$3,451

$115

$257

$699

$2,663

Mar 2016

$3,354

$112

$250

$679

$2,587

Jun 2016

$4,035

$125

$257

$737

$2,580

Sep 2016

$4,224

$131

$269

$772

$2,701

Dec 2016

$4,430

$137

$282

$810

$2,832

Mar 2017

$4,637

$144

$295

$848

$2,965

Jun 2017

$4,577

$142

$291

$837

$2,926

Sep 2017

$4,588

$142

$292

$838

$2,933

Asset allocation tables ($m) continued

 

Total Australian and overseas assets ($m)

Borrowings ($m)

Other Liabilities ($m)

Total net Australian and overseas assets ($m)

Jun 2013

$478,048

$9,823

$3,986

$464,239

Sep 2013

$501,811

$10,312

$4,184

$487,315

Dec 2013

$516,404

$10,611

$4,305

$501,488

Mar 2014

$526,827

$10,826

$4,392

$511,609

Jun 2014

$536,405

$13,836

$4,768

$517,801

Sep 2014

$538,769

$13,897

$4,789

$520,083

Dec 2014

$551,208

$14,218

$4,900

$532,090

Mar 2015

$580,394

$14,971

$5,160

$560,263

Jun 2015

$588,718

$18,251

$5,515

$564,952

Sep 2015

$578,157

$17,923

$5,416

$554,818

Dec 2015

$594,620

$18,434

$5,570

$570,616

Mar 2016

$590,600

$18,309

$5,533

$566,758

Jun 2016

$632,097

$20,587

$5,439

$606,071

Sep 2016

$651,058

$21,205

$5,602

$624,251

Dec 2016

$673,459

$21,934

$5,795

$645,730

Mar 2017

$693,552

$22,589

$5,968

$664,995

Jun 2017

$699,327

$22,777

$6,017

$670,533

Sep 2017

$701,604

$22,851

$6,037

$672,716

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