How much super should I have at my age?+
ASFA publishes an on-track balance for each age β the amount you would need today to reach its comfortable standard ($630,000 single) at 67: $27,500 at 25, $70,500 at 30, $118,000 at 35, $178,000 at 40, $239,000 at 45, $313,500 at 50, $399,000 at 55 and $496,500 at 60. What Australians actually hold is well below that, on ATO Taxation Statistics 2023-24: a median of $21,395 at 25β29, $40,426 at 30β34, $69,200 at 35β39, $100,330 at 40β44, $131,705 at 45β49, $161,375 at 50β54, $185,120 at 55β59 and $203,326 at 60β64. If you are between the two you are ahead of the typical Australian your age but behind a fully self-funded comfortable retirement β which is where most people sit, because the Age Pension covers the difference for many.
What is a good super balance at 30, 40 and 50?+
At 30, the ATO median is $40,426 and ASFA's on-track figure is $70,500. At 40 the median is $100,330 against an on-track figure of $178,000. At 50 the median is $161,375 against $313,500. Two useful readings: the median tells you whether you are ahead of your peers, and the ASFA figure tells you whether you are on course to self-fund a comfortable retirement. They answer different questions, and the second is the harder standard β the gap between them is negative at every single age band, which is normal rather than a sign that something has gone wrong.
Am I behind on super, and how do I catch up?+
Being below ASFA's on-track figure is the norm, not the exception. The fastest lever is salary sacrifice, because contributions are taxed at 15% inside super instead of your marginal rate β on a $100,000 salary that is a saving of roughly 17 cents in the dollar. The FY2026-27 concessional cap is $32,500 a year including your employer's SG. If your total super balance was under $500,000 on 30 June, you can also carry forward unused cap room from the previous five years, which is how a one-off catch-up of $100,000-plus becomes possible. Beyond contributions: consolidate lost accounts through myGov, check you are not paying for duplicate insurance, and check your investment option β a default 'balanced' option in your 30s is a common, quiet drag.
How much super do I need to retire in Australia?+
ASFA's comfortable retirement standard requires $630,000 for singles and $730,000 for couples, revised upward in February 2026 from $595,000 / $690,000. Both assume you own your home outright and retire at 67. However, your actual target depends on desired lifestyle, retirement age, and whether you qualify for the Age Pension. Our calculator projects your balance based on current contributions and growth rate.
What is the superannuation guarantee rate in 2026?+
The Superannuation Guarantee (SG) rate is 12% of ordinary time earnings, and stays 12% in FY2026-27. It reached 12% on 1 July 2025 β its final legislated step, up from 11.5% in 2024-25 β and no further increases are scheduled. From 1 July 2026, payday super also requires contributions to reach your fund within days of each payday rather than quarterly.
Can I make extra contributions to my super?+
Yes. You can salary sacrifice pre-tax income into super (concessional contributions up to $32,500/year for FY2026-27, including employer SG) or contribute after-tax money (non-concessional, up to $130,000/year). Both strategies reduce your tax and boost your retirement balance.
How do concessional vs non-concessional contributions work?+
Concessional contributions are pre-tax (salary sacrifice, employer SG) and taxed at 15% inside super β much less than your marginal rate. The cap is $32,500/year for FY2026-27, up from $30,000 after indexation to wages. Non-concessional contributions are after-tax money β not taxed again in super, with a cap of $130,000/year (or $390,000 over 3 years using the bring-forward rule).
What happens to my super if I retire early?+
You generally cannot access super until you reach preservation age (60 for most Australians). If you retire early, you need a 'bridge' portfolio of non-super investments to fund living costs until 60, at which point super kicks in. This is the 'two-phase retirement' approach. Once you do start an account-based pension at 60+, super earnings switch from 15% (accumulation phase) to 0% (pension phase) up to the $2.1M general transfer balance cap (FY2026-27) β see /au/tools/smsf-pension-phase-calculator for the SMSF-specific tax projection.
Does the calculator include the Age Pension?+
This calculator focuses on your super balance projection. The Age Pension (available from age 67 if you meet the assets and income test) acts as a floor income in retirement. If your super+assets are below the full pension threshold, you may receive the Age Pension, which with supplements is about $31,223/year (single) or $47,070/year (couple) on ASFA's March quarter 2026 figures.
