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CareSuper vs Perpetual WealthFocus

Compare what each fund offers, then choose investment options to put their published costs and returns side by side.

By SuperGuru Group · Research checked 11 September 2026 · Historical APRA figures to 30 June 2026

CareSuper

Industry fund

CareSuper offers a Balanced default, other pooled investment options and a Direct Investment option. Its merger and recent insurance changes make the date of a comparison especially important.

Membership

Use the current CareSuper PDS and your member category. Continuing members may have legacy insurance arrangements that differ from cover offered to new members.

Perpetual WealthFocus

Retail fund

WealthFocus Super is a personal super product offering managed investments from Perpetual and other investment managers.

Membership

Designed for employees and self-employed people, with regular or one-off contributions subject to contribution rules.

Compare fees and investment returns

Choose the actual investment pathway for each account. For lifecycle products, select the named stage relevant to you. No stage is selected automatically.

APRA product data to 30 June 2026
MeasureCareSuper - MySuperChoose an investment option
Return basisMySuper net return after administration costs, $50,000 representative memberChoose an option
3-year return, per year7.72%Choose an option
5-year return, per year5.88%Choose an option
7-year return, per year6.53%Choose an option
10-year return, per year7.32%Choose an option
APRA strategic growth allocation71.90%Choose an option
Reported total fees, net of tax, at $50,000$470 a year (0.94%)Choose an option
Administration and advice costs, net of tax (included in total)$150 a yearChoose an option
2026 performance testPassChoose an option
New-member status at reporting dateCheck the current product eligibility rulesCheck the current product eligibility rules

Source: APRA Comprehensive Product Performance Package 2026, published 28 August 2026. Fees reflect the reporting year to 30 June 2026, are net of tax, use standard arrangements and exclude member-activity fees. Dollar figures are rounded. They are not a current quote. Check the latest PDS for changes, insurance premiums and any separately charged advice.

Returns are annualised historical results. Different return bases, risk levels and periods cannot be treated as interchangeable. MySuper net returns use a $50,000 representative balance even when you change the fee balance. A lifecycle stage return does not track a person moving between stages. Missing figures mean not reported, not zero. Past returns do not predict future returns. Read our method and APRA's definitions.

How the products differ

CareSuper and Perpetual WealthFocus: product features and conditions
What to compareCareSuperPerpetual WealthFocus
Membership and access

Use the current CareSuper PDS and your member category. Continuing members may have legacy insurance arrangements that differ from cover offered to new members.

Sources5

Designed for employees and self-employed people, with regular or one-off contributions subject to contribution rules.

Sources123
Accounts and products

Current CareSuper following the November 2024 merger; historical CARE Super and Spirit Super are not separate current choices.

CareSuper accumulation

Retirement Income

TTR Income

Direct Investment option

Sources2

WealthFocus Super Plan and pension products.

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Investment choices

Balanced

The pooled menu includes Balanced, Growth, Alternative Growth, Sustainable Balanced and more defensive choices. Eligible members can use the Direct Investment option to choose selected ASX 300 shares, ETFs, listed investment companies and term deposits alongside CareSuper's other investments.

Sources234

Members can select managed funds across different asset classes and managers. Use the super investment menu because other WealthFocus investment products have different tax and product structures.

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Insurance

CareSuper offers death, TPD and income protection, subject to its categories and eligibility rules. Its insurance changes took effect on 1 April 2026 and generally increased costs, changed some cover amounts, and altered terms and definitions. Income protection is unavailable for Category D.

Sources5

Optional insurance is available within super. The current insurance disclosure sets eligibility, cover and cost.

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Retirement income

CareSuper has retirement-income and TTR products with separate options and fees. The Direct Investment option is not available in TTR accounts. Former product names changed through the merger, so check the current account name when reading older material.

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A pension account allows members to choose the amount and frequency of payments within the account rules.

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Advice and support

CareSuper includes some telephone advice about the account within membership. The scope of advice and any extra fee should be confirmed before asking for a broader financial plan.

Sources6

Consider the product with an adviser if selecting and maintaining several managed funds; clarify any advice fee separately.

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Fee details to check

Use current CareSuper fees rather than an old Spirit Super or CARE Super fee table. Direct investing adds a separate administration fee, brokerage and any underlying ETF or listed-fund costs. Insurance premiums need a quote under the post-April 2026 terms.

Sources13

Use the WealthFocus Super PDS and investment menu. Include administration and underlying manager charges, plus any advice and insurance costs.

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Comparing investment performance

CareSuper's current fee page expressly notes that the former CARE Super fund merged into Spirit Super and that the investment options were aligned. Long performance histories can contain predecessor-fund results; identify the basis before interpreting them as the experience of every continuing member.

Use the current legal fund ABN and explain predecessor performance.

Check the insurance category and whether cover is legacy, default or tailored.

Sources1

Compare the exact super option and its fee basis. Returns from a WealthFocus investment fund outside super may have different tax treatment.

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Former names and account history

Spirit Super: Merged with CareSuper on 1 November 2024; the resulting legal fund retains former Spirit ABN 74559365913.

Sources7

This detail has not been verified for this profile. Check the current product documents.

THE SUPERGURU VIEW

Our take on CareSuper

Editorial assessment

CareSuper is useful to compare if you want pooled investment management with an option to take more control later. Existing members have another reason to review their account: the merger history and insurance changes mean old documents may no longer describe what they hold.

Who might put it on their shortlist

  • Members comparing a Balanced default with a broader pooled menu.
  • People who want a direct investment facility within their super fund.
  • Former Spirit Super or CARE Super members checking current fees, investments and cover.

What deserves a closer look

  • The name survived a merger, but that does not make every old fee or insurance term current.
  • Some legacy death, TPD and income-protection age limits changed in April 2026.
  • Direct investing carries extra costs and portfolio-management responsibility.
  • The Direct Investment option is unavailable for TTR accounts.

Sources345

Based on the cited product features. These are general reasons to investigate the fund, not a personal recommendation. Supporting sources.

THE SUPERGURU VIEW

Our take on Perpetual WealthFocus

Editorial assessment

A candidate for members who want to select managed investments and have a clear reason for the managers they choose.

What deserves a closer look

  • WealthFocus is a family of products; tax features on investment accounts do not automatically apply to super.
  • Several funds holding similar assets may provide less diversification than their number suggests.

Sources123

Based on the cited product features. These are general reasons to investigate the fund, not a personal recommendation. Supporting sources.

Before choosing between CareSuper and Perpetual WealthFocus

Use the membership rules to establish which accounts are available to you. Then compare the total price of the investment option and cover you need. A lower fee or higher historical return alone does not tell you which fund is suitable.

Ask both funds to confirm insurance acceptance, exclusions, waiting periods and whether cover would change when you leave your employer. Obtain advice before giving up a defined benefit or an insurance policy you may not be able to replace. ASIC Moneysmart explains the comparison checks.

Read the full CareSuper profile · Read the full Perpetual WealthFocus profile · Choose another comparison