Friday, November 26, 2021

Defined Benefit vs. Defined Contribution Update

Each time I was given the choice to be in a defined benefit scheme or a defined contribution superannuation scheme, I chose defined contribution. So, now and then I like to check whether I made the right decision. I worked from 1996 to 2001 in the Australian Higher Education sector. In fact, at the same employer I now work for. Originally, defined benefit was the only option. But then they gave us the choice to switch. In 2001, I rolled over my account to Colonial First State and then this year to our SMSF. I have now worked out how much that money is now worth. I estimate that it is AUD 410k. In 2009 I started working at the same employer again and opened a new Unisuper defined contribution account. It now has AUD 477k in it. So, in total I have AUD 888k. Including the 5 years that I worked from 1996 to 2001 my defined benefit lump sum would now be AUD 473k. We are going to need to have a big crash to make those numbers equal...

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