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Challenger Retirement Fund vs National Mutual Retirement Fund

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

Challenger Retirement Fund

Closed retail fund

Challenger Retirement Fund holds legacy super, pension and insurance contracts. Its products are closed to new members.

Membership

The provider confirms all products in this fund are closed to new members. Existing holders should use the documents for their particular contract.

National Mutual Retirement Fund

Closed retail fund

National Mutual Retirement Fund holds a range of older superannuation and insurance policies administered by Resolution Life.

Membership

The trustee's March 2026 assessment describes the fund as closed to new members. Existing-member contributions and successor transfers are different from opening a new retail account; the rules depend on the policy.

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.

Choose an investment option to see the figures

The costs and returns belong to the selected product, option or lifecycle stage.

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

Challenger Retirement Fund and National Mutual Retirement Fund: product features and conditions
What to compareChallenger Retirement FundNational Mutual Retirement Fund
Membership and access

The provider confirms all products in this fund are closed to new members. Existing holders should use the documents for their particular contract.

Sources123

The trustee's March 2026 assessment describes the fund as closed to new members. Existing-member contributions and successor transfers are different from opening a new retail account; the rules depend on the policy.

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Accounts and products

Existing products inside Challenger Retirement Fund. This entry does not describe every annuity currently sold by Challenger Life.

Guaranteed Personal Superannuation

Guaranteed Income Pension Plan

Guaranteed Lifetime Pension Plan

Term Allocated Pension

Term Life under super

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Resolution Life legacy superannuation products, including the separate former Super Retirement Fund section from 1 July 2026.

Accelerator Personal Superannuation Plan

Investment Linked Personal Superannuation products

MultiFund Superannuation Bond

Resolution Life MyLife Super

Whole of Life and Endowment super policies

Former Super Retirement Fund section

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Investment choices

Some contracts provide a guaranteed rate or income; others have cash or market-linked features. There is no single investment menu or balanced option that represents the whole fund.

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Menus vary by policy. Some are unit-linked investment accounts; others combine insurance, guarantees or bonuses. The product and investment option on the member statement are essential identifiers.

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Insurance

Term Life is a separate insurance product in the fund. Holding a pension does not mean a member has that insurance.

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Insurance and whole-of-life features belong to specific policies. The label National Mutual Retirement Fund does not establish a member's cover, premium or surrender value.

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Retirement income

Income, withdrawal rights and indexation depend on the original contract. Fixed terms may have break costs, while some lifetime pensions have no withdrawal value.

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Pension and super policies have their own withdrawal, payment and maturity rules. Annual and terminal bonuses should be distinguished; terminal bonuses may depend on the eventual claim or withdrawal.

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Comparing investment performance

Do not present this fund as an available destination for a new accumulation account.

Guaranteed-income contracts and ordinary market investment options need different comparisons.

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Compare the actual policy and option. Do not average different contracts into one fund return.

This is an explanatory profile for existing members, not a new-account recommendation.

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THE SUPERGURU VIEW

Our take on Challenger Retirement Fund

Editorial assessment

This entry is useful for someone trying to understand an existing policy. A modern super comparison can miss the promise built into a legacy pension. Start with the contract, its payment schedule and any surrender value before weighing a change.

Who this profile is for

  • Existing policyholders and pensioners reviewing their entitlements.
  • People helping a family member identify an older Challenger policy.

What deserves a closer look

  • The fund's closed status does not mean every product sold under the Challenger brand is closed.
  • A guarantee, if provided, has terms and a named provider. Check both in the contract.
  • Legacy pension exit rules and the treatment of benefits require a separate assessment; a fee table cannot establish whether leaving is worthwhile.

Sources123

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 National Mutual Retirement Fund

Editorial assessment

The legal fund name is a starting point, not enough detail for a switch decision. With older policies, the useful questions are what you own, which benefits would survive a transfer and what would be paid if you left today.

Who this profile is for

  • Existing Resolution Life policyholders identifying their super fund.
  • Former Super Retirement Fund members checking the account and contribution details that changed in July 2026.

What deserves a closer look

  • Do not treat every legacy policy as a standard accumulation account.
  • June 2026 figures for Super Retirement Fund predate its transfer. They should not be presented as new July pricing for the receiving section.
  • An APRA public-offer classification does not override the trustee's notice that the fund is closed to new members.

Sources1234

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

Before choosing between Challenger Retirement Fund and National Mutual Retirement Fund

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 Challenger Retirement Fund profile · Read the full National Mutual Retirement Fund profile · Choose another comparison