Celebrating 20 years aviation industry super service


Search AvSuper

Glossary

Accumulation Only Members

Members that are part of the Public Offer or Corporate (Accumulation) Sections of AvSuper. These include members with accounts previously called Deferred Benefit, Voluntary or an Eligible Spouse Member accounts.

Actuary

A professional person qualified to make calculations and valuations for superannuation funds, insurance funds or other forms of investment.

Annual Accounts

A yearly summary of the financial position of the Fund.

Auditor's report

An independent examination of the Fund's records and operations in order to ensure compliance with accounting and regulatory standards.

Average Weekly Ordinary Time Earnings (AWOTE)

A measure of wage and salary levels, excluding overtime earnings, of employees in Australia, published by the Australian Bureau of Statistics.

Award benefit

The compulsory 3% productivity benefit as prescribed by Industrial Award.

Capital guaranteed

Refers to an investment product which includes some form of guaranteed return of the accumulated wealth.

Complying income stream

Retirement income stream products (that is, pensions or annuities) that meet certain requirements set by the government and may increase your eligibility for the age pension and allow you to reduce your tax.

Conciliation

The process of bringing two disputing parties together to seek an agreed outcome, with the assistance of a neutral third party.

Consumer Price Index (CPI)

The measure of the quarterly changes in the prices of a basket of goods and services that account for a high proportion of the spending of metropolitan wage and salary earners.

Corporate Member

Any member receiving employer contributions from Airservices Australia or CASA, whether they hold a defined benefit account, accumulation account or both.

CSS Member

Commonwealth Superannuation Scheme member.

Custodian

An organisation which safeguards and maintains assets on behalf of the fund.

Default option

The investment option in which a member's account is invested in the absence of the member making a choice. The default option for AvSuper is the Growth option.

Defined benefit account

A Corporate member with retirement savings based on a multiple of their Final Average Salary (FAS) rather than having an accumulation account. Note defined benefit accounts were closed to new members in 2002.

Dependant

A person(s) legally entitled to receive your superannuation and insurance benefits if you die. Your dependants will generally be your spouse (including de facto), children and any other person with whom the Trustee determines that you had an interdependent relationship as at the time of your death.

Eligible Termination Payment

A lump sum payment made as a consequence of the termination of employment and/or membership of a superannuation fund. Such a payment may not incur lump sum taxation if suitably rolled over.

Employer (Corporate)

The term employer used in reference to AvSuper Corporate means Airservices Australia or Civil Aviation Safety Authority.

Final Average Salary (FAS)

Your average salary for superannuation purposes as measured by averaging your superannuation salary on your three birthdays prior to leaving the Fund.

Full Member

A Corporate member who is not a CSS Member.

Full Membership

Continuous employment with your employer while a Full Member.

Ordinary Time Earnings (OTE)

The total amount an employee earns during their usual working hours, which may include items such as bonuses, commissions, loadings and allowances.

Performance objectives

The returns that each investment option aims to achieve.

Preservation age

The age determined by the government when you are able to access your superannuation benefit.

Date of birth Preservation age
Before 1.7.60 55
1.7.60 to 30.6.61 56
1.7.61 to 30.6.62 57
1.7.62 to 30.6.63 58
1.7.63 to 30.6.64 59
1.7.64 onwards 60

Public Offer Member

Anyone who chooses to join AvSuper without being a current Airservices/CASA employee. This includes spouses of existing members, former Corporate members, the self-employed and people wanting the benefits of AvSuper's member focussed philosophy.

Risk management plan

A document setting out the measures and procedures a Trustee applies to identify, monitor and manage risks that arise in operating a superannuation fund.

Risk/return profile

A concept used to illustrate that higher anticipated returns are accompanied by incremental increases in risk.

Spouse

A person you are legally married to or who, although not legally married to you, lives with you on a genuine domestic basis in a relationship as a couple. Couples in a de facto relationship, including same-sex couples, are recognised as spouses under Family and superannuation law.

Step-children

Children of your partner's previous relationship are commonly known as your step children and can be named as your dependants. However, the step parent/step child relationship legally ends when the biological parent dies or leaves their relationships with the step parent.

Superannuation Guarantee (SG) minimum benefit

A minimum level of employer-financed benefit determined by the Government's Superannuation Guarantee (SG) Legislation.

Superannuation salary

The normal base salary you were receiving on your last birthday which may include certain allowances such as higher duties, shift penalties, etc. For Corporate members, salary for superannuation purposes changes once a year on your birthday.

Switching

The process of changing investment options.

Transition to retirement

If you have reached your preservation age you can access a Transition to Retirement Income Stream while you are still working. Please refer to our income stream section or Product Disclosure Statement for full details.

Trust Deed

The legal document governing the operation of the Fund and the benefits provided.

Trustee

The persons or corporate body which has legal responsibility for the running of the fund in accordance with the requirements of the Trust Deed. AvSuper Pty Ltd (ACN 050 431 797, AFSL No.239078 & RSEL No. L0000147) is the Trustee of the AvSuper Fund.