How superannuation works

An understanding of the stock market and superannuation can help your teenager make informed decisions about their personal finances in the future.

Things you need

Internet access.

The challenge

If your teenager is looking for their first job, they'll need to choose a super fund. The performance of any super fund is influenced by the stock market, which will affect how much money you have when you retire. That might seem a long way off for your teen, but an early understanding will help.

Ask your teen to explore ASIC’s MoneySmart guide to superannuation.

Tip:

Want to learn more? The Australian Stock Exchange has some short 15-minute online courses for curious beginners.

The conversation

Encourage your teenager to ask questions around super, and if you don’t know the answer, you can investigate them together on the government’s MoneySmart site.

The career

Superannuation is compulsory in Australia, so understanding the stock market is useful across all careers, especially when it comes to getting the best performance out of your nominated super fund.

If your teen is particularly interested in this aspect of mathematics, they may wish to consider banking, super fund management, accountancy, stock trading, financial advice or business journalism.