Financial hardship
Payment of benefits under financial hardship
If you are experiencing severe financial hardship, you may be able to access some of your super under strict Government guidelines.
You may be able to access your preserved or restricted non-preserved benefits if:
- you are receiving Commonwealth income support payments, and have been for a continuous period of 26 weeks; and
- you are unable to meet reasonable and immediate family living expenses.
If you are aged 55 years and 39 weeks or more, you can take your whole benefit if:
- you have received Commonwealth income support payments for 39 weeks (not necessarily continuously) after reaching your preservation age; and
- you are not working at the time of the application.
How to apply
If you satisfy the above criteria, you must provide an original letter from a Government income support agency which is no more than 21 days old to prove that you are in receipt of the required payments and send it to Maritime Super, along with copies of documents which detail your immediate living expenses.
Any benefits approved for release will be limited to a single payment of no more than $10,000 and no less than $1,000 in a twelve month period.
Phone Maritime Super on 1800 757 607 to obtain an application form.
Payment of benefits on compassionate grounds
If you have not been receiving Commonwealth income support for the appropriate time but are experiencing financial hardship, you can approach APRA to have your super benefit released on one of the following compassionate grounds:
- to prevent foreclosure of a mortgage;
- to meet the costs of treatment for a serious medical condition;
- to meet the costs of medical transport in respect of that medical condition;
- home and vehicle modifications to accommodate the special needs of a severely disabled person;
- to provide palliative care;
- to pay funeral expenses.
How to make an application to APRA
Phone Maritime Super on 1800 757 607 or APRA on 1300 13 10 60 to obtain an application form, or click here to download a form. The completed form should be returned to APRA, not to Maritime Super.