DFRDB
Closed public sector scheme
DFRDB is a closed Defence pension scheme with benefits determined by salary and service rules.
Membership
The scheme serves eligible existing members and pensioners.
DFRDB vs North
Compare what each fund offers, then choose investment options to put their published costs and returns side by side.
North
Retail platform
North is an adviser-based super and pension platform. Its menu tiers and optional lifetime products make the actual account design more important than the brand-level price.
Membership
A financial adviser is required for MyNorth products. Read the PDS and target market determination for the particular account, including whether it is ordinary super, a pension or a lifetime product.
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
| What to compare | DFRDB | North |
|---|---|---|
| Membership and access | The scheme serves eligible existing members and pensioners. Sources1 | A financial adviser is required for MyNorth products. Read the PDS and target market determination for the particular account, including whether it is ordinary super, a pension or a lifetime product. Sources15 |
| Accounts and products | Defence Forces Retirement and Death Benefits Scheme. DFRDB pension and scheme benefits Separate MilitarySuper ancillary account where eligible Sources1 | MyNorth and North super and pension products in Wealth Personal Superannuation and Pension Fund; separate from AMP SignatureSuper. MyNorth Super MyNorth Pension MyNorth Lifetime Super MyNorth Lifetime Income MyNorth Deferred Lifetime Income North legacy products Sources3 |
| Insurance | Serving members have built-in death and invalidity protection. Sources1 | North supports insurance arrangements, including cover held inside super. The policy and underwriting are separate from the investment platform. Ask the adviser to compare the cover, premium and exclusions with the existing policy before transferring. Sources16 |
| Retirement income | Service and super salary affect retirement pay. Eligible members can consider a pension and an optional lump-sum commutation under scheme rules. Sources1 | MyNorth offers ordinary pension accounts and separate Lifetime and Deferred Lifetime Income arrangements. The PDS says capital-access rules limit withdrawals and death/exit benefits for the lifetime-income accounts. Ordinary super and lifetime-income access terms must not be confused. Sources345 |
| Comparing investment performance | Keep the pension and ancillary accumulation account separate. Sources1 | A platform does not have one investment return. Compare the actual portfolio after its underlying and platform costs, and disclose adviser fees separately if they are excluded. The performance of one managed fund cannot stand in for the account. Show the exact menu mix, account type and advice fee. Keep ordinary super and account-based pensions separate from lifetime-income comparisons. Sources123456 |
| Investment choices | This detail has not been verified for this profile. Check the current product documents. | Investments selected through the product and adviser; not one platform-wide MySuper default. MyNorth uses Grow, Select and Choice menus with different pricing. Members can hold investments across menus, with administration costs reflecting that mix. The cash account also has its own investment and administration charges, so uninvested cash is part of the cost calculation. Sources2 |
| Advice and support | This detail has not been verified for this profile. Check the current product documents. | MyNorth is available through an adviser, making the advice relationship part of the proposition. Fees may include initial, ongoing, fixed-term or ad hoc advice charges. Ask what each service will deliver and what happens to the account if that relationship ends. Sources126 |
| Fee details to check | This detail has not been verified for this profile. Check the current product documents. | Add account and administration fees, underlying investment costs, the cash-account charge, any trustee or lifetime fee, insurance and adviser charges. Menu mix, balance tiers and eligible family aggregation can change the total. A nil administration rate on one menu does not make all holdings or the full arrangement free. Sources23 |
THE SUPERGURU VIEW
Our take on DFRDB
DFRDB belongs in an explanation of retirement entitlements. It does not belong in a league table of funds to switch into. The value of pension income and any commutation decision needs individual calculation.
Who this profile is for
- Current DFRDB members and pensioners reviewing entitlements.
What deserves a closer look
- Any investment menu applies to a separate ancillary account, not to the core DFRDB pension.
- A commutation changes the form of retirement benefits; compare its full effect before deciding.
Sources1
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 North
North is a platform to assess with a specific portfolio and service proposal in front of you. Its menu and retirement features may help an adviser implement a plan, but the justification should be concrete. For a straightforward diversified holding, the comparison needs to show what the extra structure and advice cost buys.
Who might put it on their shortlist
- People working with an adviser who need a broad investment and retirement product range.
- Members examining lifetime-income arrangements and prepared to assess their access restrictions.
- Families checking whether the applicable fee aggregation changes the overall cost.
What deserves a closer look
- MyNorth requires an adviser, and advice charges are additional to investment-platform costs.
- Money held in the cash account has its own charges.
- Lifetime-income products have capital-access and beneficiary restrictions.
- North and AMP SignatureSuper sit in different product and legal-fund structures; one cannot inherit the other's fee or performance result.
Sources3
Based on the cited product features. These are general reasons to investigate the fund, not a personal recommendation. Supporting sources.
Before choosing between DFRDB and North
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 DFRDB profile · Read the full North profile · Choose another comparison
Sources for DFRDB
Checked 2026-09-11. Documents and product terms can change after this date.
Sources for North
Checked 2026-09-11. Documents and product terms can change after this date.