Colonial First State: Investment, Superannuation and Retirement Products

Colonial First State (CFS) is one of Australia's biggest financial services organisations. As one of the largest managers of superannuation funds they have access to a wealth of growth products ranging from low risk cash investments to highly active foreign investments.

Colonial First State offers a huge range of investment funds to choose between, with 140 different investment options.

Quick facts about Colonial First State

• Colonial First State has been offering retirement solutions for more than 30 years
• It has close to 1 million members and more than 140 different investment products to choose from
• Colonial First State was the winner of Roy Morgan's Customer Satisfaction Award (FirstChoice – Major Retail Super Fund of the Year 2020).
• It was named winner of Chant West's Super Fund Award (FirstChoice Wholesale Super – Best Longevity Product 2021).
• Winner of Finder's Super Fund Award (FirstChoice Wholesale – Best Rated Retail Super Fund 2021).

What you need to know about Colonial First State

Colonial First State was established in 1988 and has close to 1 million members. They provide superannuation, investment and retirement products to individual employees, as well as corporate based and superannuation investors.

You have access to over 140 different investment options, some of which are managed by Colonial First State, while others are overseen by expert investment managers. You manage your super funds growth as well, with constant online access to the account so that you can keep track of how well your superannuation funds are performing.

As of 31 May 2022, Avanteos Investments Limited (AIL) will be the trustee for all of the CFS super funds. Colonial First State Investments Limited (CFSIL) will manage non-super investments.

Is the online platform easy to use?

Colonial First State has developed FirstNet, an online platform which allows you personal access to your super fund account from any device connected to the web. Through FirstNet you are able to:

• See your current balance
• Check past transactions
• Study investment details
• Make changes to your investment options
• Make contributions to your fund

A mobile friendly dashboard, FirstNet Investor, is also available. With this product you can quickly catch up with your investment funds even when you are on the go.

Let’s take a look at what Colonial First State have to offer

When comparing wealth managers across Australia, Colonial First State will give you a lot to think about with their wide range of products suitable for both individual and company superannuation funds:

• FirstChoice Personal Super and Wholesale Personal Super. Overseen by a number of investment managers, the Wholesale Personal Super requires a minimum balance of $1,500 and regular investments of $100. This gives you access to over 140 funds and options designed for superannuation growth.
• FirstChoice Employer Super. This employer based fund provides access to a range of multi-manager portfolios and single manager investments.
• FirstRate Saver. This is a low risk cash account which helps you to preserve your capital as it earns a competitive interest rate through conservative investments.
• FirstWrap. This full service wrap platform gives you access to a diverse number of products including direct shares, managed funds, term deposits and unlisted

What pension accounts are offered by Colonial First State?

The FirstChoice Wholesale Pension is available to Australians who are ready to retire from the work force and have a minimum of $20,000 to investment into a pension account. You are permitted to allow your funds to continue to grow with access to over 140 different funds and options.

How to apply for a Colonial First State super fund

If the options given to you with Colonial First State meet your investment needs, you can apply for any one of their superannuation online through their website. Be sure that you first read through the product information before deciding on any one investment product. Once you have completed that step, the online application process will be broken down into five parts:

• Your details. You will need to give your name, address and contact information along with your tax file number (TFN) and the type of product you will be investing in.
• Account details. In this step you will be asked how you will be funding the investment. This could be with direct debit, direct credit, BPAY or a cheque. Your bank account details will be required as well as rollover or contribution information if you are opening a super of pension account.
• Transaction details. The amount you are able to invest and the specific options will be chosen by you will be required in this step of the application.
• Confirmation. Review the online application to ensure that all of the information is correct before submitting the application.
• Your account. After submitting the application your account will be opened, but will not become active until after your initial deposit has cleared.