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Challenger Retirement Fund vs Virgin Money Super

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.

Virgin Money Super

Retail fund brand

Virgin Money Super is a Mercer Super Trust product with an age-based LifeStage Tracker default and index-oriented choices.

Membership

Public membership under the Virgin Money product 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.

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 Virgin Money Super: product features and conditions
What to compareChallenger Retirement FundVirgin Money Super
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.

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Public membership under the Virgin Money product rules.

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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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Virgin Money Super.

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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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LifeStage Tracker changes the asset mix with age. Choice investments include diversified and sector index strategies and Cash.

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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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Automatic and tailored cover are available subject to eligibility. Premiums and a separate insurance cost-recovery charge apply.

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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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The reviewed super pages do not establish a dedicated Virgin Money pension account; check the intended retirement-income pathway.

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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 correct LifeStage cohort or selected option, including all relevant costs.

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Advice and support

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

Member support can explain the product. Ask which personal advice services are available and what they cost.

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Fee details to check

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

The current fee page separates a $58 annual fixed administration fee, a balance-based administration charge, administration costs, option fees and transaction costs. A low investment fee is not a low total fee by itself.

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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.

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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 Virgin Money Super

Editorial assessment

Worth comparing for someone seeking that default structure or who can use the product's specific benefits.

What deserves a closer look

  • The Baby Break discount applies to one fee component and has application conditions.
  • Virgin and Mercer share a legal fund but not necessarily member pricing.

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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 Virgin Money Super

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 Virgin Money Super profile · Choose another comparison

Sources for Challenger Retirement Fund

Checked 2026-09-11. Documents and product terms can change after this date.

  1. Challenger Retirement Fund product status and retirement strategy
  2. Challenger Retirement Fund trustee disclosures
  3. Challenger forms and product documents

Sources for Virgin Money Super

Checked 2026-09-11. Documents and product terms can change after this date.

  1. Product
  2. Fees
  3. FAQs and Baby Break
  4. Insurance