Investigating why voluntary super contributions are not being made
If the results do not reflect your expectation that an individual would be making voluntary super contributions, here are some things you can investigate.
| Possible cause | How to investigate it |
|---|---|
| Pathfinder has not been allowed to make contributions | Go to the Cash flows & Goals > Retirement planning step and check the options set for the Voluntary super contribution options field. If in doubt, choose robot |
| The individuals cannot afford to make contributions because they need to meet other goals | Go to the Results > Cash flows & action items step. Check expenses that happen in the year and in subsequent years, these expenses may mean they cannot afford to direct funds to voluntary super contributions. |
| The individual's super balance is above the threshhold that allows voluntary super contributions | To check an individual's super balance and the caps, go to the Results > Detailed reports step, then on the left menu, select the individual's name, then Cash flows > Super deposits summary. At the top of this report the super balance and caps will be listed. For more, see Retirement Planning and Build Super results. |
| Pathfinder needs to keep funds outside super because the individuals retire before their preservation age | If the individuals are retiring before their preservation age, then Pathfinder may keep funds outside super to fund their retirement before they can access their super. To check this, see if any assets are being drawn down during their retirement, and then see if deposits are being made to them in earlier years. |
| Investments outside super have a better return | In the year you are expecting to see voluntary super contributions, check the cash flows report to see where funds are going instead, if they are going to a particular asset, check if the asset has better returns than in super. For more, see How to see and edit the assumptions. |
