Aug 28, 2026 – 9.00amThere is a quiet shift occurring in superannuation law that expands the rights of stepchildren to claim a share of a deceased step-parent’s retirement savings.Historically, super funds treated the death of a biological parent as instantly severing legal ties between their offspring and a stepmother or stepfather. This barred adult stepchildren from claiming death benefits unless they were financially dependent.Subscribe to gift this articleGift 5 articles to anyone you choose each month when you subscribe.Subscribe nowAlready a subscriber? Jessica PennyWealth reporterJessica Penny is a wealth reporter for The Australian Financial Review in the Sydney newsroom. Email Jessica at jessica.penny@afr.comFetching latest articles