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As of September 14th, 2020, First State Super rebranded to Aware Super. This rebrand also included the amalgamation of StatePlus.
Aware Super (page 2 of 8)
BelGreater Melbourne (Outer), VIC
- 2 reviews
- 1 like
Don't Do It!
I have been with FSS for over 5 years. In that time I became a single mother and my income dropped to nothing, my account becoming inactive meant that the ATO claimed the funds eventually closing the account.
I recently applied for the early release of my super due to the covid 19 situation and the financial hardship that followed. Because I'd been with the fund for so long I reopened a new account with them to process my claim for early super release. I instructed the ATO to send the funds to my new account number and applied for the super ...
Read morerelease with the same details. FSS closed my new account before the super reached it and I opened another one as soon as I noticed. Finally the funds arrived in my account so I waited for my early release to come through eventually emailing them only to be told they rejected the ATO's decision because the account had been closed. They advised me to reapply for the release with the new details through the ATO which I'm not permitted to do as I can't apply more than once in 12 months. FSS have made this a lengthy and inconvenient process for a struggling single parent with no compassion or admittance of fault by them. They are prepared to bend the rules to accept my money from the ATO but not bend that same rule to release the money to me. I will never deal with them again.2 comments
Thanks but no thanks. Your team are already aware of the issue and I’ve spent enough time on the phone trying to fix the issues FSS caused in the first place. I’m not interested in automated responses...
Read more, my story is there and I’ve gone over the details enough now with no results or response. I just hope that nobody else in a similar situation has to deal with this. Take a close look at the way you process claims and deal with issues. Those are the individuals who require compassion and consideration from you. We are not just money in an account we are real people with real hardships. I know I am one of many you have mistreated, it’s evident in the rest of your reviews. Something has to change.Nick
- 2 reviews
- 2 likes
No confidence
I called circa 21 April to discuss my options on a super matter.
I was booked with one advisor named [name removed] from Gymea office for 5 May with email confirming the same.
Two days later I received an email changing the appt to 28 April with [name removed] from the Wollongong office. No call if I preferred that.
A day later I received a call asking if I wanted an appointment have an advisor that day from the Chatswood. Hell I hadn't even completed the financial report. I explained the 3 different appointments and told them to stop changin...
ErnieHunter Region, NSW
I'm outa here ASAP
Long story short. I contacted State Plus to ask what I thought was a simple question, seven business days later I received a reply that my 10 year old granddaughter could have penned and SPELT better. The reply did not address my question fully, I then contacted the call centre staff and that's when the problems really started. I then asked to speak to the Practice Manager who did call me. She was very polite etc ,unlike the other staff member. She listened to my problem and then rang back to inform me that yes ,they could get around the issue...
Read more after her consulting the Compliance Section. I then received in the mail documents for my wife to sign with the original caveats, which was exactly what the manager informed me was not going to happen. I again rang the call centre staff and another office staff member who informed me that what her manager told me I could do was not correct. I then asked to speak to my planner ( not for financial advice ) but maybe he could help. I was told because I have opted out of advice ,he was not obliged to take my call. Here we have managers advising customers what can be done only for office staff to be advise that the manager is wrong. I'm not complaining about the funds performance. Rude , arrogant staff, maybe they came from First State Super who also get a great score of 1.5 out of 5. I'm outa here ASAP. Also they charged me for advice that my wife and I did not receive, we did get a refund ,only after I complained. I would not advise anyone to join State Plus.Find out how Aware Super compares to other Public Sector Superannuation Funds
Know better, choose better.
Nikki
- 3 reviews
- 4 likes
Terrible service.
If you want to make a complaint you can’t make it as part of the call you have made for service support or assistance. A separate email needs to be sent. First state super then respond I cryptic emails that don’t help or address you’re circumstances. When you call to seek further advice staff refer you back to the email that is not clear. If I was to make an educated this happens because staff do not understand what has been sent out themselves. I would not recommend this super fund to any one based off service.
1 comment
Aware SuperAware Super
Hi Nikki,
Thank you for taking the time to provide your feedback. ...
Read more We are sorry to hear that your experience with First State Super has been a negative one, and by your review, it indicates that we haven't provided you with member service that aligns with our values, and for this we do apologise. Your concerns deserve more attention and we hope we can assist you as much as possible. If you would like to discuss this in more detail, please email us at enquiries@firststatesuper.com.au so we can investigate this further, and provide you with clarity to any information that may have previously been unclear. We value you as a member of the fund, and hope we can work together to resolve any concerns you may have. Kind Regards, BeauMikeCentral West, NSW
- 2 reviews
- 3 likes
Happy with there performance
I opened a first state super account approx 10 years ago when i was unable to salary sacrifice to my SASS account .
After reading some of the reviews on this site about low returns and high fees i got my last 3 annual statements out 2016/2017 in growth fund the yearly fees $95.00..investment earnings aprox 12.3%........2017/2018 in growth fund yearly fees $109.00 rate of return 10.1%..............2018/2019 in growth fund fees $121.61 return 7.8% this is an average of over 10% P/A...so as far as the insurance side of things fortunately i have never needed to claim but as far as the fees and returns and the customer phone service which again i have only used 2 or 3 times i am happy with there performance.......
1 comment
Aware SuperAware Super
Hi Mike,
We are happy to hear that we have been able to provide you with steady returns over time. ...
Read moreWe value your feedback, and appreciate you as a loyal member of the fund. Kind Regards, BeauJames LCanberra 2600, ACT
- 11 reviews
- 3 likes
- Verified customer
Fee for no service scandal
This is a company that has compensated its clients to the tune of close to $100 million for charging clients an ongoing advice fee of 0.75% that many clients are not even aware that they are paying a fee for.
Advisors are also remunerated based on how much money they bring in to the firm by way of recommending contributions to a StatePlus super fund.
Bunch of thieves. Stay away.
brett H.Richmond-Tweed, NSW
- 7 reviews
- 49 likes
Warning: you need to know this
I have FSS, including life insurance and terminal illness benefit.
You must have an enduring power of attorney (EPA) in place to claim terminal illness benefit. If you have no EPA in place and cannot communicate or fill in a form, they will not allow you to claim.
I was in a coma with terminal heart failure documented by the surgeon. I was therefore unable to speak to request the forms, or access the website and print them off. I miraculously survived, but now need a heart transplant and can’t work. My wife and the hospital social worker trie...
Read mored to speak with FSS (and my retail fund) but they refused to answer even very general/ hypothetical questions of “what if”. Now I can’t work until 6-12 months post transplant. The terminal illness benefit would have cleared our debts and helped greatly. Interestingly enough, my contact at FSS doesn’t have an EPA either, even though she works in the very industry that has this discriminatory practice. Update: my contact at FSS Super believes that there “needs to be some compassion” in cases like mine. The phone call was recorded by FSS. I don’t blame the poor frontline staff at FSS. They aren’t making the decisions about this, and have been very pleasant and professional. This case will end up going to the Board of Trustee’s (we’ll see if they have any compassion or empathy, as their frontline staff obviously do) and, potentially, the AFCA Ombudsman. Please be aware of this so you don’t fall down the same loophole. I’ve been interviewed about my whole experience with terminal illness, both in an online HR publication and a national radio broadcast. Now my union is interested in raising awareness of this loophole. Even if FSS are not shamed into action in my case, I can still raise awareness.22 comments
First State Super haven’t replied yet.
188 people have read this though. I hope they all get an enduring power of attorney, and tell all their friends.
Maybe something will change. Even if it’s too la...
Still no reply from First State Super.
Over 200 views of this review in 2 weeks.
An article in which I was interviewed about my experience was published online in an Australian HR publication. ...
3 weeks. 226 people viewed. This must be a concern for many people.
TPD and Customer service
I've been with them for 16 years. I see they have no problem deducting their fees, but submit a TPD claim and try following up. Good luck!! I've been nothing but nice and screwed around from the start. They never answer the phone or reply to email. Promise to update and never call back. Not once.
I was going to say that maybe you have to actually die for something to happen, but i read a previous review and even that seems unlikely.
On a positive note, they are polite but it's at the stage where being nice is pointless.
I'm just going to ring them 10 times a day until they are as annoyed as me.
I hope they don't expect my business following this matter. FSS are no better than their bottom dwelling insurer.
1 comment
Aware SuperAware Super
Hi Rick
Thank you for taking time to share your feedback. ...
Read more We are sorry to hear that your experience with First State Super has been a negative one, and want you to know that the experience you have had does not align with our values or purpose as a fund, and for that we do apologise. Generally, a claim for Total & Permanent Disablement (TPD) can take some time to be assessed as they can be very complex as there are many forms of documentation which assist in the assessment process such as medical reports, evidence of employment and other information. For this reason it's difficult to provide a time frame for claims, and may take time to provide you with particular updates of your claim. If at all you would like to further discuss your account with one of our Consultants, please contact us our Service Centre on 1300 650 873, Monday Friday, 8:30am 6:00pm. Thanks, BeauNon existent support in progressing an insurance claim.
My Lawyer first submitted an insurance claim to First State Super nearly 18 months ago. I understand that TAL (the insurer) will do virtually anything to delay, deny and dispute claims but First State Super provided no support at all and made no effort to progress the claim, which is still stalled. First State Super don't help, support or advocate for their members through this process at all. I don't know if other superannuation companies are any better but they couldn't be any worse. If you have insurance products with First State Super and you are in the unfortunate experience where you need to claim, you can expect similar treatment. This is why I changed my superannuation. I would advise you do the same.
2 comments
Aware SuperAware Super
Hello,
We are sorry that your experience with First State Super was a negative one.
...
Thankyou for your response.
This isn't a review about TAL (people can head there to see all the 1 star reviews). This review is about the lack of support and information provided by First State Super to their members....
Read moreIf there even was a case manager provided to "look after" my claim, I never once spoke to them, I don't know their name and they have done nothing to support me or assist my legal representative in obtaining meaningful information from TAL about the progress of the claim. I feel it is necessary to advise members that if they have insurance products with First State - be prepared to spend about 22K in lawyers fees and don't expect any support at all from First State Super during the claims process. To members: Don't give up, just hang in there as best you can. As you can see, First State will just keep repeating the same mantra and platitudes that TAL does about "complexity and verification" long after all the requested documents have been recieved, reviewed and asked for again and ultimately sat on for the best part of a year.Find out how Aware Super compares to other Public Sector Superannuation Funds
Know better, choose better.
Nikolai T.
- 4 reviews
- 1 like
Worse returns than the All Ords Index
Compared my super performance with the All Ords and it consistently does worse! What's the point of paying fees if their advisors can't even beat the All Ords Index!?
Their online platform is a whole other issue. In this digital age it is extrutiatingly painful to fill out forms for what should be self service.
1 comment
Aware SuperAware Super
Hi Nikolai,
Thank you for taking time to share your feedback. ...
Read more We are sorry to hear that you are unhappy with your investment performance. At First State Super we have 12 investment options, and each investment option has an objective. These objectives vary with the level of risk associated with the asset(s) that make up the option. For our pre-mixed investment options, the investment objective is to achieve investment returns above inflation (as measured by the Consumer Price Index) over rolling time periods. To benchmark the performance of our single asset class options, we use internationally recognised standard indices. Please refer to our Member Booklet Supplement for more information: https://firststatesuper.com.au/content/dam/ftc/digital/pdfs/member/pds/mbs/MBS_Investments.pdf Our investments are focused on delivering strong long-term returns. Although past performance is not indicative of future performance, our Growth and Balanced Growth investment options have achieved above industry median returns over 5 years based on SuperRatings benchmark report 2019, and we’ve also been named in the top ten Growth options for super for the year ending 30 June 2019 by Chant West. If you would like to discuss your account with one of our Consultants, please contact us our Service Centre on 1300 650 873, Monday Friday, 8:30am 6:00pm. Thanks, BeauJohn C
- 2 reviews
- 7 likes
Thieves
State Super has boosted its fee income by linking products to overpriced and pretty lame financial advice services. I have been charged for financial advice services not provided on many occasions. State Super self disclosed fees for no service to avoid royal commission scrutiny. Getting my money back has been a draining experience. As soon as I have my money I will join an industry fund - avoid this fund- they are a bad smell from the eighties.
DonCanberra Central 2601, ACT
Poor Customer Service.
It has been almost two weeks since I have requested to merge two of my accounts and I am still waiting to hear from First State Super to complete my request. I can imagine what will be kind of customer service I can expect when it can be something more serious. Luckily, It has not been long for me since my employers started my account & I think it is time I look for super with better service. I am sure they would look into my open request to investigate further, FYI it is ticket No: 157049.
1 comment
Aware SuperAware Super
Hi Don,
Thank you for providing valuable feedback. We are sorry to hear about your recent experience with First State Super as this is not what we aim to achieve....
Read moreI can confirm you will receive a response to your enquiry by close of business today (Monday). If you are not happy with the response, please call our Service Centre on 1300 650 873, Monday - Friday, 8.30am- 6pm AEST and request to speak to Trish. Kind regards, Trish Acamporagtp
- 6 reviews
- 13 likes
Ok but you could do better.....
I was a commonwealth employee for 34 years under the comsuper scheme. State super financial services, now State plus are contracted to look after the financial advice etc for comsuper.
Now as a private super fund things are a bit different. I have never kept a financial advisor for more than one appointment, they just disappear and I have found out at a much later date. I really cant keep up it it really annoys me.
Personally I kept asking myself, are they trying to steer me in a direction that maximises their profit and not mine? Never con...
Read morevinced my self either way but I always feel uneasy about how advice is tilted. The advice I got was ok but I did a lot of research and virtually had to argue what I wanted/needed, this is not the way to do business. I think I can do better so it will be bon voyage to them soonGrieving WidowMurray Region, NSW
Very Poor Treatment of Reversionary Beneficiary
My Spouse opened an Allocated Pension Fund on his retirement in 2012 and nominated me as his Reversionary Beneficiary. While he was alive we were quite satisfied with the fund. I expected that the transfer would be automatic but since his death in July 2019 I have been treated with contempt by this Company. Firstly they told me that there was no Nomination on the Fund although they had been listing me on the Centrelink Statement each year. When I challenged this they ignored me until I hired a Solicitor to write to them. They only responded to ...
Read moreher after two more requests for response. Having finally admitted I was the rightful beneficiary they gave a phone number for me to ring and set up an appointment to complete the transfer. I was told they were "very busy"and it would be some time before I could get an appointment but the Manager would call me back the next day. No call has eventuated. I would not recommend them to anyone.Jacqueline AbercrombieGreater Melbourne (Outer), VIC
Disability Insurance shameful time frames
Please people be aware that when you really need your insurance you will be in for a long wait, I am 14 months in and still no decision. Documents sent to wrong insurers, requests not actioned with myself having to call weekly to make sure the claim is progressing, 3 weeks to send a document from one insurer to another insurer. I have a lawyer but hasn't made a bit of difference. Im now facing eviction from my home because I can't pay my mortgage. No regulatory body to look at how fund handles claim until a decision is made seems wrong to me. Please if anyone else is in same position please email me. This is not fair and certainly not ethical.
Jacaberc@aol.com
2 comments
Aware SuperAware Super
Hi Jacqueline,
We are sorry to hear about your experience.
So we can further assist you and understand your situation can you please contact us on 1300 650 873 Monday to Friday, 8.30am to 6pm AEST. A...
There realy is no point i have submitted a formal complaint which has taken almost rhe 90 days to get a response. I just wanted other people know of the poor service you provide when we really need it.
Find out how Aware Super compares to other Public Sector Superannuation Funds
Know better, choose better.
CamelliaSydney, NSW
- 4 reviews
- 2 likes
Highway robbery, they will steal all your money until there is nothing left
I have been with this fund for 3 years and they continually charge fees until there is nothing left in my account. They are poorly investing money also as it has made little returns. I cancelled the un needed insurance and they started it back up again just because they could. Stay away and switch funds as soon as you can.
2 comments
Aware SuperAware Super
Hi Camellia,
Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback with us. I am sorry to hear that you are unhappy with our fund’s recent investment performance and fees....
Read more Our pre-mixed options are designed to generate above inflation long-term returns through a blend of asset classes that offer diversification. While market downturns and short-term volatility can affect your account balance, they are a normal part of investing. To help you make an informed decision about your investments, we provide help through a team of phone based super advisers and educational seminars. These services come at no extra cost. As one of Australia’s largest superannuation funds, we use our size and stability to keep costs down. Your fees go directly towards the costs of managing your investments and providing great member services such as seminars and financial advice. As previously mentioned you can book these with myself or our service centre. I’ve included a link to our fees and costs booklet below for your information. https://firststatesuper.com.au/content/dam/ftc/digital/pdfs/member/pds/mbs/MBS_FeesandCosts.pdf Insurance in superannuation has recently undergone changes due to new legislation. Read more on the Protecting your Super laws here. However, If you join us through a participating employer, we are legally required to provide automatic insurance cover once we start receiving your super guarantee contributions. This cover is not compulsory and you can cancel it anytime. If you would like to discuss your account in more detail please call us on 1300 650 873 8.30am to 6pm AEST, Monday to Friday. Kind regards, TrishThere’s a reason you have terrible reviews.
LJDSydney Surrounds, NSW
- 2 reviews
- 2 likes
Income stream balance heading in the right direction!
I've been in the income stream phase of my super since 2014. I have always taken the minimum amount out each month and although the sharemarket has had some instability over this time I note that I now have more money in my account now than when I first entered retirement. This was certainly not my expectation. I'm happy with their performance.
1 comment
Aware SuperAware Super
Hi LJD,
Thanks for taking the time to share your positive feedback. I'm very pleased to hear that you're happy with our strong long term returns....
Read more Kind regards, Reecekonrad s.Murrumbidgee Region, NSW
- 6 reviews
- 4 likes
They poorly invest my money and still charge.
Very unhappy with performance to date. Paid all year only to be in the red at end of year. Very poor investment choices and NO accountability . Customer service very lackluster with the attitude of we have your money so too bad! Literally would have been better off putting my money under my mattress
1 comment
Aware SuperAware Super
Hi Konrad.
Thank you for taking the time to provide your feedback....
Read more I am sorry to hear that you are unhappy with our fund’s recent investment performance. Our pre-mixed options are designed to generate above inflation long-term returns through a blend of asset classes that offer diversification. While market downturns and short-term volatility can affect your account balance, they are a normal part of investing. Long-term returns for the fund have been strong in an environment of low interest rates. However, as economic growth improves, some of those measures are being pulled back and this can cause episodes of market volatility as we have seen recently. More information on market volatility can be found in our blog - https://firststatesuper.com.au/member/forms-and-downloads/supernews/market-volatility If you would like to discuss your account with one of our Consultants, please contact us our service centre on 1300 650 873, Monday – Friday, 8:30am – 6:00pm. Thanks, DanLaura M.Sydney Surrounds, NSW
- 2 reviews
Great Service
I have recently been reading the on line State Plus reviews and have been shocked by the negative tone of some reviewers as this is totally at odds with my own experience.
I have been a client of State Plus at Gosford for a long time and for the last few years my advisor has been Bradley. He has done a wonderful job in guiding me through retirement at aged 60 then returning to work part time and his financial advice has proven to be very sound.
I have a Flexible Income Plan with State Plus. I draw out 4% each month as a pension payment ...
Read moreand I have also made several one off lump sum withdrawals for home renovations etc. from the account and my balance has stayed pretty healthy. I could not be happier! My account was originally being debited a small amount each month for financial advice and I was meeting up fairly regularly with Bradley after my retirement but as everything was running so smoothly, I decided to forgo the one on one meetings with Bradley to save on fees. As a result my account is no longer being debited for financial planning fees. I can still make an appointment to see Bradley if the need so arises in the future and I would be charged a one off fee for this at the time. My advice to anyone reading the reviews is to bear in mind that lots of clients with positive reviews of State Plus may not post them on line.MSWONDERLYSydney Surrounds, NSW
- 4 reviews
- 5 likes
Poor returns, high fees on allocated pensions
I had an allocated pension with StatePlus for 10 years. I'm sorry I didn't do more research on the performance of super-funds before I joined, but I was sort of hurried into it by a previous employer when I resigned from full-time work. The Royal Commission last year into financial services got me motivated. I discovered this fund does not perform wonderfully, probably in an average range and its investment fees are higher than many other funds.
I have now switched to another industry fund that has better performance (and I did look at this ove...
Questions & Answers
Feeasked
I have a conservative growth strategy. Why have I lost over $7,000 in 15 days from my super?
The stock market does not reflect these losses and things are improving after COVID, yet I am losing money by the thousands.
Why are your investment strategies so poor? Or please advise why ‘conservative growth’ fund members are losing so much money?
I do not wish to change this investment option as it is meant to be safest and low risk so why the poor performance?
Not at all happy!
1 answer
Aware SuperAware Super
Dear Fee,
Thank you for your question.
Fluctuating returns are a normal part of the investment cycle. We have an investments team who are actively managing the allocation of risk in the fund to manage market volatility. At Aware Super, we remain focused on the long-term performance of your portfolio. There are three main ways we manage exposure to markets over time. These are diversification, active asset allocation and managing foreign currency exposure.
You can read more about our approach to investments on our website here: www.aware.com.au/member/investments-and-performance/how-we-manage-your-investment/investment-approach
If you have any other questions or would like to discuss your investment option with us further, we would love to hear from you. Please call us on 1300 650 873 or send us an email to enquiries@aware.com.au
Kind regards,
Natascha
Ananth Nagesh.asked
How to get payment code?
1 answer
Aware SuperAware Super
Hi Ananth,
Thanks for your message.
If you require any information that relates to your Aware Super account, please feel free to contact our Service Centre on 1300 650 873 or email enquiries@aware.com.au for more assistance.
We're here to help.
Beau
Kate B.asked
What is the interest paid frequency - annually, monthly, quartetly?
1 answer
Your super account consists of a number of units that are invested as you choose. The value of the units will go up and down depending on the strategy you choose. Eg shares, property, cash. Interest is not paid like a bank account. The value of your units will change daily. :)
Details
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Aware SuperAware Super
Hi Bel,
We do appreciate you taking the time to provide us with your feedback. ...
Read more We're sorry to hear that your experience with the fund recently has been a negative one, and we want to do as much as we can to assist. So that we can get a better understanding of the experience you have described, and to assist you with any further requests you may have, please contact us our Service Centre on 1300 650 873, Monday Friday, 8:30am 6:00pm. Or please feel free to send us an email at enquiries@firststatesuper.com.au Kind Regards, Beau