Contributions
How much?
As a Scheme Member, you are required to contribute 5.5% of your fortnightly salary for superannuation purposes. Your superannuation salary is the maximum incremental rate of pay for your substantive, provisional or probationary rank and includes any service allowance or recognised environmental allowance that is payable. Your contributions are paid into the Consolidated Revenue Fund (CRF) and do not earn any interest.
Contributions after forty years’ service
After forty years of effective service, you are no longer allowed to contribute to the Scheme. Should this apply to you, ComSuper will maintain a record of your salary for superannuation purposes, so that when you leave the Defence Force, your benefit is based on your final salary.
Leave without pay (LWOP) provisions
If you go on LWOP for 21 days or less, you must continue to pay contributions.
However, for periods of LWOP that exceed 21 days, you cannot continue to pay contributions, and such periods will be counted as non-effective service. This is important because your retirement pay is based on your years of effective service.
Providing your Tax File Number to DFRDB
From 1 July 2007 superannuation funds cannot accept contributions from Members who do not provide their Tax File Number.