superannuation nomination completion form

A superannuation nomination completion form is used to nominate beneficiaries for your superannuation benefits upon your death, or to inform your employer of your preferred superannuation fund
. The process requires completing the relevant form from your superannuation fund or the ATO, providing your personal details, and in the case of a binding death nomination, getting it signed and witnessed correctly to be valid.
For choosing a superannuation fund (Standard Choice Form)

Purpose: To inform your employer which superannuation fund to contribute to on your behalf.
How to complete: Provide your member number, the name of the fund, and your account number to your employer.
Action: Give the completed form to your employer as soon as possible.

For nominating a beneficiary (Binding Death Benefit Nomination Form)

Purpose: To legally instruct your superannuation fund's trustee on who to pay your death benefit to.
How to complete:
Download and print the specific form for your super fund.
Fill in your personal details and the details of your nominated beneficiaries.
Ensure the percentages of your nomination add up to 100%.
Sign the form on the same day as two witnesses.
Your witnesses must be over 18 and cannot be the people you are nominating.
Action: Send the completed and signed form to your superannuation provider. It is often recommended to use a specific return address or upload it online, depending on the fund's instructions.

Important considerations for nomination forms

Binding vs. Non-binding: A binding nomination is legally required for the trustee to follow, while a non-binding one is a recommendation.
Validity: Binding nominations often expire after three years and need to be renewed.
Witnesses: For binding nominations, the form must be signed by you and two witnesses in front of each other, and they must sign on the same date.
Digital signatures: Digital signatures are often not accepted for binding nominations, and the form must be physically signed and dated.