Background to retirement income stream products
Product providers can request information from government agencies that regulate retirement income stream products.
Since 1 July 2017, pension and annuity standards in the Superannuation Industry (Supervision) Regulations 1994 set out required features and terms of innovative retirement income stream (RIS) products.
Products that meet these standards will meet the definition of a superannuation income stream for the purposes of the Income Tax Assessment Act 1997. They will qualify for tax exemptions on asset earnings when they are in the retirement phase.
These pension and annuity standards remove regulatory barriers to the creation of innovative RIS described in Treasury’s 2016 Review of retirement income streams.
The review also recommended developing a coordinated administrative process to streamline the way product providers interact with multiple government agencies. This cross-agency process is the government’s response to that recommendation.
The government intends these changes to facilitate:
- product providers bringing new innovative income streams to market
- greater choice and flexibility for retirees to
- manage the risk of outliving their retirement savings
- enhance their standard of living in retirement.
An innovative retirement income stream product is a product designed to meet regulation 1.06A of the Superannuation Industry (Supervision) Regulations 1994.
The cross-agency process can also be used to consider products that don’t satisfy the requirements of an innovative retirement income product in regulation 1.06A, if they:
- satisfy the pension and annuity standards in regulation 1.05 or 1.06 of the Superannuation Industry (Supervision) Regulations 1994
- are innovative in nature.
Intention of the cross-agency process
The cross-agency process allows product providers to raise topics or issues arising from innovative retirement income stream products with the government agencies that regulate these products and the entities that provide them.
The cross-agency process will:
- facilitate engagement by providing a single-entry point to the relevant government agencies
- allow product providers to
- test concepts
- seek information and high-level guidance on topics or issues
- provide their view on how the product meets the requirements of the relevant legislation
- complement existing processes within the individual agencies.
Note: Review of the cross-agency process will occur regularly. It may be refined and enhanced as it receives requests and is presented with new products.
Agency roles within the cross-agency process
The cross-agency process involves the following government agencies:
- Australian Taxation Office (ATO)
- Australian Prudential Regulation Authority (APRA)
- Australian Securities & Investments Commission (ASIC)
- Department of Social Services (DSS) and Services Australia
The following section outlines their roles and responsibilities within superannuation (super) and life insurance.
Australian Taxation Office
The ATO takes lead responsibility as the coordinator for the cross-agency process.
We administer a range of tax, product distribution, disclosure and reporting obligations that can apply to:
- product providers
- super funds and their members
- life insurance companies and their policy holders.
A number of these obligations may be relevant when developing innovative income stream products.
We can help with:
- general information about those obligations
- identifying options on how the tax law applies to specific products and their features, for example, a private ruling or a product ruling.
- applications for a private or product ruling that need to be made outside the cross-agency process. The ATO advice products – rulings provides information on how to apply for a ruling.
Australian Prudential Regulation Authority
APRA doesn't approve or authorise retirement income stream products. APRA’s approach recognises that the board and management of registerable superannuation entity (RSE) licensees and life companies are primarily responsible for the sound and prudent management of their operations.
APRA seeks to promote prudential practice by helping product providers interpret, understand and comply with prudential requirements and guidelines. It ensures they have appropriate frameworks in place to manage risks arising from their retirement income stream products.
APRA’s engagement with product providers will form part of its ongoing supervision of regulated entities. Product providers should benefit from the focused nature of the engagement and the simultaneous engagement with other relevant agencies.
Australian Securities & Investments Commission
ASIC doesn't formally approve super or other products or provide legal advice. However, as with APRA, it can provide input to regulated entities on issues of concern.
ASIC can help product providers with:
- consumer disclosure documents –to deliver high quality information about the product and comply with the specific disclosure requirements of the Corporations Act 2001
- licensing requirements – Australian Financial Services (AFS) licensing authorisations, including financial product advice
- conduct requirements – what is expected from participants in the financial services sector, including design and distribution obligations under the Corporations Act 2001 as well as other aspects of their relationship with consumers.
In some instances, ASIC can provide relief from certain provisions of the Corporations Act 2001 or Superannuation Industry (Supervision) Act 1993 as they apply to a person, where they may result in atypical or unforeseen circumstances or unintended consequences. This might be of relevance to new and innovative product providers.
For more detail about how to apply to ASIC for relief, see ASIC Regulatory Guide 51 Applications for reliefOpens in a new window – on the ASIC website.
Department of Social Services & Services Australia
DSS can advise on policy relating to asset and income testing arrangements for retirement income products under Social Security law. Services AustraliaOpens in a new window is responsible for administering social security means testing and associated reporting and assessment arrangements.
Role of product providers in the cross-agency process
Product providers using the cross-agency process should include as much information as possible. This includes assessing how the product meets the requirements outlined in the Superannuation Industry (Supervision) Regulations 1994.
Product providers using the cross-agency process must:
- consider any issues on how the law or regulatory framework might apply to the product and provide a preliminary view or position on these issues
- provide all information needed as part of the request email to all agencies
- respond to requests for further information within the requested timeframe
- advise of any changes to the names or contact details of representatives
- actively engage with all agencies throughout the process
- be open and transparent and engage with full and accurate disclosure.
It is the responsibility of the product provider to ensure that all requests are complete and considered.
This includes identifying:
- relevant legislative or other regulatory requirements
- how they apply to the proposed retirement income product
- any issues that need to be clarified by any of the agencies.
Product providers who have an incomplete request won't be able to continue with the cross-agency process until they provide the relevant information.
Constraints and limitations of the process
This cross-agency process streamlines the request process and discussions but doesn't replace existing processes within each agency.
The type of information and guidance provided by each agency will differ depending on their regulatory responsibilities and powers, and:
- shouldn't be seen as providing formal endorsement or a recommendation for a given product
- mustn't be used in any marketing or promotional material, unless explicitly provided for that purpose by the agency within the course of its regulatory or administrative authority.
Participation by a product provider in the cross-agency process doesn't substitute the provider from getting legal and other technical advice. Providers need to understand and manage the key risks arising during the development of an innovative retirement income stream product.
Through the cross-agency process we will aim, where relevant, to provide a consistent position on topics or issues raised.
Note: Maintaining the confidence and confidentiality of product providers is important. This may mean that at times an individual agency may be limited in the information it can share with other agencies.
Using the cross-agency process
When to use the cross-agency process
The cross-agency process is voluntary. It can be used by product providers at any time during the development of their innovative retirement income stream product.
There are 2 key engagement types to assist product providers in determining the most relevant point to use the cross-agency process:
- Concept exploration – this provides the opportunity to test the concepts of the proposed product to seek information and guidance on the relevant legislation, and the preliminary view provided in the request.
- Product review – this provides the opportunity to present a product at a more mature development stage to seek information and guidance on the relevant legislation and the preliminary view provided in the request.
What to expect
Participation in the cross-agency process and the information and guidance provided by each government agency may assist product providers in deciding whether to:
- proceed with the development of the product
- alter the characteristics of the product to better comply with the law, or
- discontinue development of the proposed product.
How to submit a product review request
A product provider can submit a 'concept exploration' or 'product review' request at any time during the product development process.
We will give priority to products that satisfy the requirements of an innovative retirement income product in regulation 1.06A of the Superannuation Industry (Supervision) Regulations 1994 when considering requests.
Send your request via a single email including all the following email addresses:
- retirementincomestreams@ato.gov.au
- retirementincomestreams@apra.gov.au
- retirementincomestreams@asic.gov.au
- retirementincomestreams@dss.gov.au
If you require assistance submitting a request, email retirementincomestreams@ato.gov.au
Concept exploration process
Step 1 – Initial contact
Product providers should advise that the product is at concept exploration stage and provide the following details in their email to the listed addresses:
- type of product
- high-level overview of the product
- design details of the product
- worked examples showing how the product operates
- any legal, actuarial or accounting advice obtained by the applicant
- statement demonstrating an understanding of how the product meets the regulatory requirements for innovative retirement income stream products
- any technical advice obtained of relevance to the request
- list of topics or issues you want the agencies to consider, including your preliminary view and reasoning for this view.
Step 2 – Receive confirmation of request
The cross-agency co-ordinator will email you within 2 business days acknowledging receipt of the request and will provide you with a reference number.
This reference number must be used in any future correspondence.
Step 3 – Outcome
Each agency will consider the information provided in the cross-agency email request , along with any additional supporting information and documents.
You will be provided with a non-binding written summary from the agencies with:
- responses to the topics raised in the request
- next steps or external referral processes you may need to consider and the details of any relevant contacts to help in this process.
Product review process
Step 1 – Initial contact
To raise issues at a more mature development stage of a product, product providers should advise that the product is at product review stage.
Product providers then provide the following details in their email to the listed addresses:
- type of product
- statement demonstrating an understanding of how the product meets the regulatory requirements
- draft term sheet or product specification that specifies the
- product features
- intended income tax treatment
- Superannuation Industry (Supervision) Act 1993 treatment/compliance
- accounting treatment
- for products with a guarantee of any type, a schedule of payments covering the guaranteed periods
- for any indexed payments, provide the estimated rate of indexation (for example, lifetime annuity indexed by CPI where CPI is assumed to be 2.5% per annum)
- worked examples showing how the product operates
- any legal, actuarial or accounting advice obtained by the applicant
- list of topics or issues you want the agencies to consider, including your preliminary view and reasoning for this view
- intended target market, distribution or advice model for the product and information on how this satisfies the Corporations Act 2001.
The following is any additional supporting information:
- draft product disclosure statement
- draft trust deed amendments for super fund offering the product
- draft information brochures or guides that are given to people taking out the products
- any life insurance policy where
- a life insurance company offers the product
- the super fund offering the policy has taken out a life insurance policy in relation to the product.
Step 2 – Receive confirmation of request
The cross-agency coordinator will contact you by email within 2 business days to provide a reference number for the request.
This reference number must be used in any future correspondence.
Note: We will consider applications that don't meet these outlined minimum standards for a concept exploration only.
Step 3 – Outcome
Each agency will consider the information provided in the cross-agency process email request , along with any additional supporting information and documents.
You will be provided with a non-binding written summary from the agencies with:
- responses to the topics raised in the request and during the meeting
- next steps or external referral processes to consider including details of any relevant contacts to help in this process.