Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-rcrh6 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-22T12:56:38.206Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Cost, performance and portfolio composition of small pension funds in Australia

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 May 2008

WILSON SY
Affiliation:
Australian Prudential Regulation Authority (APRA), Level 26, 400 George Street, SydneyNSW2000 (e-mail: [email protected])

Abstract

Compared with large institutional pension funds, there is relatively little published research on small funds, which are defined in the Australian superannuation legislation as pension funds with less than five members. Small funds account for more than 20% of total pension assets and they are one of the fastest growing sectors and therefore play a significant part in the savings strategy for national retirement income. This paper contributes to the needed research by analysing the more granular audited accounting data collected for the subset of small funds regulated by the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority (APRA) over the last few years. The analysis provides new insights into the operating costs involved in running the funds, the investment performances and portfolio compositions of Small APRA Funds (SAF).

Type
Articles
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2008

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

APRA (2005) Statistics Superannuation Trends September 2004 (issued 11 January 2005). Available online at http://www.apra.gov.au.Google Scholar
APRA (2006a) Statistics Annual Superannuation Bulletin June 2004 (revised 20 April 2006). Available online at http://www.apra.gov.au.Google Scholar
APRA (2006b) Statistics Annual Superannuation Bulletin June 2005 (issued 20 April 2006). Available online at http://www.apra.gov.au.Google Scholar
APRA (2006c) Statistics Quarterly Superannuation Performance March 2006 (issued 29 June 2006). Available online at http://www.apra.gov.au.Google Scholar
Asher, A. (2004) Short changed: conflicted superstructures. Paper presented at the 12th Annual Colloquium of Superannuation Researchers, Sydney, July 2004.Google Scholar
ASIC (2005) Industry fund services agree to change advertising. ASIC Media and Information Release 05-148, 3 June 2005. Available online at http://www.asic.gov.au.Google Scholar
ASX (2005) 2004 Australian share ownership study. The Australian Stock Exchange, 24 February.Google Scholar
Barrett, J. (2007) Future favourable for index funds. The Australian Financial Review, 13 June.Google Scholar
Bateman, H. and Thorp, S. (2007) Decentralized investment management: an analysis of non-profit pension funds. Journal of Pension Economics and Finance, 6(1): 2144.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Benartzi, S. and Thaler, R. (1995) Myopic loss aversion and the equity premium puzzle. The Quarterly Journal of Economics, 110(1): 7392.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bogle, J. C. (2006) Investment wisdom and human values. Speech to the United States Military Academy West Point, April 2006.Google Scholar
Brinson, G. P., Hood, L. R., and Beebower, G. L. (1986) Determinants of portfolio performance. Financial Analysts Journal, July/August: 3948.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Brinson, G. P., Singer, B. D., and Beebower, G. L. (1991) Determinants of portfolio performance II: an update. Financial Analysts Journal, May/June: 4048.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Brown, S. J., Goetzmann, W. N., and Bing, Liang (2004) Fees on fees in funds of funds. Yale ICF Working Paper No. 02-33, 14 June 2004.Google Scholar
Brown, J. R., Liang, N., and Weisbenner, S. (2007) Individual account investment options and portfolio choice: behavioral lessons from 401(k) plans. Journal of Public Economics, 91: 19922013.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Burtless, Gary (2003) What do we know about the risk of individual account pensions? Evidence from industrial countries. The American Economic Review, 93(2): 354359.Google Scholar
Coleman, A. D. F., Esho, N., and Wong, M. (2003) The investment performance of Australian superannuation funds. Australian Prudential Regulatory Authority, Working Paper 2003–01.Google Scholar
Coleman, A. D. F., Esho, N., and Wong, M. (2006) The impact of agency costs on the investment performance of Australian pension funds. Journal of Pension Economics and Finance, 5(1): 126.Google Scholar
Drew, M. E. and Stanford, J. D. (2003) Principal and agent problems in superannuation funds. QUT Discussion Papers in Economics, Finance and International Competitiveness, Discussion Paper No. 142, March 2003.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Esho, N., Coleman, A., Thavabalan, N., and Bullock, M. (2004) Superannuation do-it-yourself? APRA Insight, 1st Quarter 2004, pp. 1018.Google Scholar
Faruquee, H., Li, S., and Yan, I. K. (2004) The determinants of international portfolio holdings and home bias. IMF Working Paper WP/04/34.Google Scholar
Huberman, G. and Jiang, W. (2006) Offering versus choice in 401(k) plans: equity exposure and number of funds. The Journal of Finance, 61(2): 763801.Google Scholar
Ibbotson, R. G. and Kaplan, P. D. (2000) Does asset allocation explain 40, 90, or 100 percent of performance? Financial Analysts Journal, January/February: 2633.Google Scholar
Izan, H. Y., Jalleh, B. R., and Ong, L. L. (1991) International diversification and estimation risk. Australian Journal of Management, 16(1): 7391.Google Scholar
Levy, H. and Sarnat, M. (1970) International diversification of investment portfolios. The American Economic Review, 60(4): 668–75.Google Scholar
OECD (2007) Pension markets in focus. OECD Directorate of Financial and Enterprise Affairs, Issue 4, November 2007.Google Scholar
Rice, M. (2007) Superannuation fees report. Paper prepared by Rice Walker Actuaries Pty Ltd. for IFSA, May 2007.Google Scholar
Roberts, M. (2002) Self-managed superannuation funds – overview. Paper presented at the 10th Annual Colloquium of Superannuation Researchers, Sydney, July 2002.Google Scholar
Rothman, G. P. (2007) The adequacy of Australian retirement incomes – new estimates incorporating the Better Super reforms. Paper presented at the 15th Australian Colloquium of Superannuation Researchers, Sydney, July 2007.Google Scholar
Valentine, T. (2003) Is superannuation safe? The Australian Economic Review, 36(1): 108–17.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Valentine, T. (2004) Regulation of DIY superannuation funds. The Australian Economic Review, 37(2): 215–21.Google Scholar
Venkatramani, R. (2004) Superannuation industry overview. APRA Insight, 4th Quarter 2004: 212.Google Scholar
Vivian, R. (2006) Self managed super funds – Our role in the superannuation system. Speech to the National SPAA Conference, Sydney, 3 March 2006. Available online at http://www.ato.gov.au.Google Scholar