Third-party authorities with Australian Retirement Trust

Does Australian Retirement Trust require its own form?

No — for Super Savings accounts ART accepts EITHER its own 'Authority to Access Information' form OR 'the authority form that your practice or AFS Licensee uses' (adviser FAQ, verified Aug 2026). Own-version forms must include the client's full name, date of birth and current address, AND name the servicing adviser. Both versions can be submitted via Adviser Online (Start transaction > Authority to access information — there is an explicit 'Use Your Own' upload option). CAVEAT: QSuper-division accounts are separate — they require QSuper form FO44a 'Authority to Release Information to a Financial Representative'.

Form details

Current Super Savings form: 'Super Savings Authority to Access Information', form code FRM-G0072-0825 (Aug 2025 version — verified by reading the live PDF). URL: https://cdn.australianretirementtrust.com.au/library/media/pdfs/forms/authority-to-access-information-form.pdf. Mandatory fields: member personal details (name, DOB, gender, address, daytime phone) + member number if held; authorised party details; for financial advisers ALSO mandatory: ASIC financial adviser register number, AFSL number and Licensee. Scope tick-boxes: 'All information/documentation' or 'Claim only'. Signature: member wet signature accepted on all forms; digital signature via DocuSign is available when generated through Adviser Online (client validates DOB + SMS one-time PIN; digital approval request expires after 7 days). ID REQUIREMENT: must attach a clear, enlarged copy of a current signature-bearing ID (passport/driver's licence) for the person being GIVEN authority — showing full name, DOB and signature; unreadable ID = access refused; the adviser FAQ also confirms a copy of the client's ID is required. Validity: form must be RECEIVED within 6 months of signing; once in place, a registered adviser's authority has no time constraints — valid until revoked by the member (or an optional nominated expiry date). QSuper accounts: use FO44a instead (qsuper.qld.gov.au/-/media/pdfs/qsuper-public/forms/fo44a.pdf).

Where and how to lodge

Super Savings: (1) FASTEST — upload via Adviser Online (Start transaction > Authority to access information); the fund states AOL-submitted authorities are 'processed with priority' vs other channels (e.g. email); (2) post: Australian Retirement Trust, Reply Paid 2924, Brisbane Qld 4001; (3) online upload via art.com.au/contact-us. No adviser-facing lodgement email is published for Super Savings authorities — registered_adviser@art.com.au is for queries. QSuper-division accounts: email FO44a to advisers@qsuper.qld.gov.au; on receipt of a valid authority QSuper automatically sends a Client Summary. Revoking an authority: contact us online or 13 11 84 option 4.

Published turnaround

No published SLA for processing an authority to access (unverified — fund states only that Adviser Online submissions are 'processed with priority' over email/post). Related published standards: adviser registration + AOL access confirmed within 2 business days; data feed starts ~48 hours after approved consent uploaded; DocuSign digital-approval requests expire after 7 days; complaints acknowledged generally within 1 business day.

Watch-outs

(1) BIGGEST: all Super Savings authorities EXPIRE automatically when the adviser changes AFS Licensee (reinstatement only 'in some circumstances' via their Client Transfers process) — a silent mass-revocation event for practices that switch licensees. (2) The signed form must reach ART within 6 months of signing or it is rejected. (3) Strict ID attachment rules: a clear ENLARGED copy of current signature-bearing ID for the person receiving authority (plus client ID per the FAQ); unreadable copies = refusal — a common silent rejection. (4) Two-fund trap: ex-QSuper (Government division) accounts are invisible to Adviser Online and need the separate FO44a form via advisers@qsuper.qld.gov.au — lodging the Super Savings form for a QSuper account fails. (5) DocuSign digital-consent requests die after 7 days if the client doesn't sign; rollback requires phoning ART. (6) AOL processes queued forms sequentially — one stuck form blocks the rest ('Waiting' status). (7) Own-version authority forms missing the servicing adviser's name or client DOB/address are rejected. (8) Member-service reputation is weak (Trustpilot ~2/5 'Poor'), so build follow-up escalation in from day one despite the 1-business-day acknowledgement standard.

If they go quiet

Lodge via: (1) phone 13 11 84 (8am–7:30pm AEST Mon–Fri); (2) email using the online complaint form at australianretirementtrust.com.au/contact-us/email-us/complaint — mark it 'Complaint'; (3) post: GPO Box 2924, Brisbane QLD 4001, marked 'Complaint'; (4) in person at a Member Centre. Include full name, member number, complaint details and desired resolution. Commitments: acknowledgement generally within 1 business day; early resolution attempted within 5 business days, else referred to specialist complaints team; written response within 45 calendar days (super administration/insurance), 30 days (financial advice), 90 days (death benefit distributions, after the 28-day objection window). ART explicitly accepts complaints made by any person on the member's behalf. Escalation: AFCA — 1800 931 678, info@afca.org.au, GPO Box 3 Melbourne VIC 3001.

Under s1017C of the Corporations Act, a trustee must make reasonable efforts to comply with an information request within one month. If Australian Retirement Trust exceeds its own published standard, a formal internal-dispute-resolution complaint starts a 45-calendar-day clock under ASIC Regulatory Guide 271 — with AFCA as the next stop.