Australian Super Retirement Calculator
Project your superannuation balance at retirement with employer contributions and investment returns.
How Much Super Do You Need to Retire?
The ASFA Comfortable Retirement Standard suggests a single person needs approximately $595,000 and a couple needs $690,000 in super at age 67 to fund a comfortable retirement. But these are minimums — your actual needs depend on your lifestyle, location, and health.
Super Guarantee Rate (2026)
From 1 July 2025, employers contribute 12% of your ordinary time earnings to your super fund. This is the Super Guarantee (SG) rate.
At a salary of $90,000/year:
- Employer SG contribution: $10,800/year ($900/month)
- Your take-home is unaffected — SG is on top of salary
Super Fund Returns
Historical balanced super fund returns:
| Period | Median Return |
|---|---|
| 10-year average | 7.0-7.4% |
| 20-year average | ~6.5% |
| Long-term (since inception) | ~8.5% |
After fees (typically 0.5-1.0%), net returns for balanced options average 6-7% long-term.
The Age 60 Tax Advantage
Australia's single biggest retirement benefit: super withdrawals after age 60 are completely tax-free. Both lump sums and pension income — zero tax.
Before 60, the taxable component of withdrawals is taxed at up to 22% (including Medicare levy). This makes the age-60 threshold extremely valuable.
Transfer Balance Cap (2026-27)
You can transfer up to $2,100,000 into the tax-free pension phase. Any excess stays in accumulation phase (taxed at 15% on earnings — still favorable compared to marginal rates).
Timing matters: If you start a pension early when the cap is lower, your personal cap never increases. Starting a $1.6M pension when the cap was $1.6M means you miss out on future indexation.
Contribution Caps
| Type | Annual Cap | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Concessional (employer + salary sacrifice) | $30,000 (rising to $32,500 from 2026-27) | Taxed at 15% in fund |
| Non-concessional (after-tax) | $120,000 | Can bring-forward 3 years ($360K) |
| Carry-forward (catch-up) | Unused caps from prior 5 years | If total super below $500K |
Age Pension Interaction
The Age Pension provides up to $31,223/year for singles and $47,070/year for couples. Your super balance affects eligibility:
- Single homeowner: full pension below $321,500 in assets
- Part pension cut-off: $722,000
- For every $1,000 above the lower threshold, pension reduces by $3.00/fortnight
Use the Calculator
Enter your details to project your super balance at retirement. For a complete analysis including Age Pension interaction, tax optimization, and withdrawal strategies, continue to the full planner.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Start your projectionThis is a generic calculator under ASIC Corporations (Generic Calculators) Instrument 2026/41. It provides general information only and does not consider your personal objectives, financial situation, or needs. Consider consulting a licensed financial adviser.
Super Projection
Projected
A$3.01M
Today's Money
A$841,938
Monthly Income
A$10,893/mo