First Super lets you choose how your super is invested by selecting one, or a combination, of five investment options:
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Shares Plus
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Growth
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Balanced (default option)
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Conservative Balanced
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Cash
You can change your investment choice as long as you have an account balance of $1,000 or more.
What’s the difference between the five options?
Generally investments can be said to be growth investments or defensive investments. Growth investments (such as shares) tend to go up and down in value more often and to a greater degree than defensive investments. Over the long term, growth investments tend to out perform defensive investments. Defensive investments (such as cash) tend to be 'safer' than growth investments, but can still drop in value.
The Shares Plus option has more growth investments than the Balanced (default) option, which has more growth investments than Conservative Balanced. The Cash option has no growth investments.
Choosing an option that suits you
Investments, such as shares, property or cash, can be grouped into asset classes. Each asset class has particular characteristics that you, as an investor, should understand.
The mix of asset classes in each investment option gives them a unique risk/return profile. It’s important to choose the investment risk/return profile that suits you.
It’s also important to consider investment diversification (not putting all your eggs in one basket) when choosing investment options.
If you don’t choose an investment option, we automatically put you into the default Balanced option.
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