CareSuper chief executive Julie Lander has warned there is a big difference between a member controlling their own money compared to administering their own fund.
The complexity of reporting, compliance requirements and high costs associated with self-managed super funds (SMSFs) could result in greater financial pressures for retirees.
"Many investors attracted to establishing an SMSF have little understanding of ongoing compliance costs and the severe fines they potentially face if they don't comply with a raft of complex regulatory requirements," Lander said.
Adviser fees pushed costs up even further, according to Lander.
"What brings this cost into question is that a majority of SMSFs are invested in cash, term deposits and Australian equities," she said.
"These investment options are available via CareSuper at a fraction of the cost."
The not-for-profit super fund launched a direct investment option last December in response to the needs of investors who did not want the burden of trustee obligations.
The ASX300 investment option will be expanded to include term deposits, exchange-traded funds and listed securities this year.
Other funds to incorporate direct investment options include Club Plus Super, AustralianSuper, legalsuper and Telstra Super.
Private market assets in super have surged, while private debt recorded the fastest growth among all investment types.
The equities investor has launched a new long-short fund seeded by UniSuper, targeting alpha from ASX 300 equities using AI insights.
The fund has strengthened efforts to boost gender diversity, targeting 40:40:20 balance across its investment teams by 2030.
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