From Editors Queensland
On 1 April, Editors Queensland were joined by representatives from MediaSuper to unpack what editors – sole traders and employees – should know about their superannuation.
For those who don’t know, MediaSuper is an industry super fund dedicated to workers and businesses in the creative industries. It invests in the industry and understands that income and retirement often look very different for creatives.
Even though those of us in the editing space may have inconsistent income and may dream of editing and writing to a ripe old age (but, maybe on a beach?), getting started with super now will give you the best returns.
Below are some highlights from the evening.
Planning your retirement
If you don’t know where to start, these guides and calculators can help:
- How super works – Media Super
- How much super is recommended? – ASFA Super Detective
- Setting retirement income goals – Superannuation Calculator Australia (2025–26)
Boosting your super balance
From reducing fees to saving on tax, here are a few ways to make your super contributions go the extra mile:
- If you’ve had a few contracts and roles, make sure all of your super is combined to save on fees.
- Employees can salary sacrifice to get more money into super and decrease income tax.
- Anyone can add directly to their own super or their spouse’s super and may receive a tax benefit from doing so.
- For low-income earners, the government can co-contribute 50¢ on top of every $1 you contribute to your super, up to $500.
- People over 55 can add a larger lump sum to their super when selling and downsizing.
Remembering insurance
Our most important asset isn’t our car or house – it’s our ability to produce income. For editors, this usually includes having a solid supply of caffeine (or other strong drink of choice)! But it’s also important to check in on your income protection, total and permanent disablement, and death (including terminal illness) insurance policies.
Key notes
Income protection is calculated based on your last 12 months of income or your income in the last financial year, depending on the insurer’s policy. When setting your other insurance payouts, be sure to check what taxes apply.
Resources
Understanding investment options
You can choose to invest your super in different ways depending on your goals and risk tolerance. These different investment options can impact your retirement outcome, so consider booking a meeting with your super provider to chat about what could work for you.
Nominating beneficiaries
Even in death, superannuation isn’t always straightforward. Superannuation balances are not covered by wills or standard estate proceedings. Instead, you will need to nominate a beneficiary through your super.
These nominations can be binding or non-binding. Binding nominations provide secure, fast transferal of superannuation funds in the event of your death but require more paperwork to set up and maintain. Non-binding nominations are easier to set up but will be open to claims from certain other people in your life.
More information
MediaSuper hosts regular education sessions for members. You can also get in contact with your super provider’s support team or member advice services to discuss any questions you may have.
Important note
Superannuation laws change. All details are accurate to Australian superannuation at the time of publication. Please seek up-to-date information before making any decisions.
*Due to potential changes in rules, MediaSuper does not allow recording of information sessions and cannot guarantee the current relevance of the advice they provide. In place of a recording, the presenters provided links to important information, which are added in this summary.