Colonial First State: Providing Investment, Superannuation and Retirement Products

Colonial First State is a globally recognised asset management company and division of the Commonwealth Bank of Australia.

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.

With the help of a team of investment specialists, you have the opportunity to secure a pension fund that will keep you living comfortably long after your retirement.

What you need to know about Colonial First State

Colonial First State was established as a wealth management group in 1988, and as of 2014 has grown to managing over $164 billion in Australian worker’s assets. They provide superannuation, investment and retirement products to individual employees, as well as corporate based and superannuation investors.

You have access to over a 100 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.

Is online banking easy and simple for Colonial First State?

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

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:

• Wholesale Superannuation. 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 147 funds and options designed for superannuation growth.
• FirstChoice Personal Super. The number of funds available drops to 143 with this account, but you have the same balance and investment obligations to keep as with the Wholesale Superannuation.
• FirstChoice Employer. This employer based fund requires a minimum investment of $5,000, and provides you with access to 52 managed funds and options.
• FirstChoice Employer Super. Also requiring a $5,000 account balance and regular investments of $100, the Employer Super is an opportunity to provide employees with a competitive super fund to help grow their pension accounts.
• 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 investments.

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 150 different funds and options.

Things you need to know before you 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.