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Retirement
What age can I retire in Australia?
You can retire at any age, but for most people the age at which they can access their super or the Centrelink Age Pension is the deciding factor. Other factors include super pensions being tax free once you pass 60 and the Centrelink Age Pension starting age which is rising towards 67.
If you're thinking about retirement, you've probably had a look at your super and are wondering how best to use it to make your retirement more comfortable. That's what it's there for - whether you use it to supplement the Centrelink Age Pension or to replace the pension completely.
Accessing your super
To see when you can retire and access your super pension, see Find out when you can access your super.
A tip: If you were born after 1 July 1964, the answer is when you turn 60. Retirement Super Pensions are tax free for everyone from age 60.
Government pension age
The age at which you can access the Government Age Pension (if eligible) depends on when you were born.
|
Born |
Pension age |
|
From 1 July 1952 to 31 December 1953 |
65 years and 6 months |
|
From 1 January 1954 to 30 June 1955 |
66 years |
|
1 July 1955 to 31 Dec 1956 |
66 years and 6 months |
|
On or after 1 January 1957 |
67 years |
Retirement ages for men and women
There is no difference in the official retirement age for men and women: the rules and ages are the same for both in Australia. ABS data shows men retiring at 59 on average and women retiring at 52 with a wide span from earliest to latest retirement ages.
Super options once you have retired
Once you've retired, you are probably no longer putting money into your super and can choose to do one of three things with your balance.
1. Do nothing and leave your money in super
You don’t have to do anything with your super once you’re retired. If you don’t need the money, you can leave it in your super to withdraw when needed.
2. Open a Retirement Super Pension account
You can put your super into an account to pay yourself an income. You can choose the amount and frequency. Investment earnings and payments are tax free once you meet a condition of release.
3. Withdraw your super
Once you become eligible, you can withdraw part or all of your super. The decision to withdraw your super depends on your aims and circumstances. Please call us on 1800 222 071 between 8am and 8pm (AEST/AEDT) weekdays for more information.
Retirement planning
Our retirement planning overview may include a couple of things you’ve already began to think about or discuss with your family. It’s best to think of this retirement planning overview as the thought-starters to develop your own retirement planning strategies.
More about Retirement Planning
Not yet retired?
Consider contributing more to your super account
If you can afford to do so, there is still time to build your super and potentially benefit from concessional tax treatment available. This means you could pay lower tax as a result of your contributions. Speak to one of our contribution specialists for more information. Call 1800 222 071 between 8am and 8pm (AEST/AEDT) weekdays.
Consider a Pre-retirement Super Pension
At TWUSUPER, a Transition to Retirement (TTR) strategy is implemented with the Pre-retirement Super Pension, which could help you reduce tax and increase your super before you retire. A TTR strategy aims to do one of the following:
- provide some extra income if you reduce your hours (reducing tax and increasing super balance before retirement). This may help you if you want to reduce your work hours and top up your take-home pay.
- provide yourself with extra income so that you can afford to make tax-effective super contributions.
You can dig deeper into TTR here. As it can be quite complex, you can also call us on 1800 222 071 for general advice about starting a TTR. There is no extra cost for this general advice.
Thinking about how your super balance is tracking?
A couple of key questions our members often ask is ‘How much super should I have at my age?’ and ‘How much super do I need to retire?’
How much super should you have at your age?
How much super do you need to retire?
Speak with a retirement specialist
*Let us know your preferred contact number and preferred callback time between 9am and 5pm (AEST/AEDT) weekdays.
Instead of sifting through information to find out what's relevant to you, ask to speak to a retirement specialist. The team's available between 9am and 5pm (AEST/AEDT) on 1800 222 071.
Use the form below to request a call back. Note that the call back service is available for Australian residents only. If you're overseas, please call +61 3 9192 4414.
Request a call back
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General advice on this website has been prepared without taking into account your objectives, financial situation or needs. Before acting on the advice, consider its appropriateness. Refer to our Product Disclosure Statements (PDS). The PDS is relevant when deciding whether to acquire or hold a product. A Target Market Determination (TMD) is a document that outlines the target market a product has been designed for. Find the TMDs at twusuper.com.au/tmd
Easing into retirement?
Transition into retirement with a Pre-Retirement Super Pension.
Fully retired?
Tax-free investment earnings and payments if you’re retired and over 60.
