How much super should I have for my age?
ASFA benchmarks: $61k at 30, $131k at 40, $240k at 50, $411k at 60 for a comfortable retirement. These are medians — your target depends on your desired retirement lifestyle.
The Association of Superannuation Funds of Australia (ASFA) publishes balance benchmarks linked to the Comfortable Standard — a retirement that includes a reliable car, some travel, good food, and private health insurance.
Benchmark balances (ASFA, comfortable)
- Age 30: $61,000
- Age 40: $131,000
- Age 50: $240,000
- Age 60: $411,000
- Age 67 (retirement): $595,000 single / $690,000 couple
Why most people are behind
The median super balance in Australia by age is well below these targets. Compulsory SG at 12% alone is not enough to hit the comfortable standard for most people — meaningful voluntary contributions (salary sacrifice, personal deductibles) are usually required.
What to do
Use our retirement projection calculator to plug your own balance, contributions, and desired retirement age. If there's a gap, salary sacrifice is usually the cheapest way to close it.
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Related
General information only — not financial advice. Super decisions are long-term; verify with a licensed adviser.