The FisCalc
// SUPER

Retirement Projection
Calculator

Project your super balance at retirement and see how long your money will last. Model SG contributions, investment returns, fees, inflation-adjusted drawdown, career breaks, and lump sum contributions.Rates current as at 1 July 2025 · ATO FY2025–26

// COUPLE_MODE
Add a partner to model combined retirement
// YOUR_SUPER
Accumulation phase
// ONE_OFF_CONTRIBUTIONS
Lump sum injections — inheritance, property sale, bonus, etc.
No one-off contributions added. Click below to model a lump sum entering your super at a specific age.
// CAREER_BREAK
Non-working period — parental leave, study, carer role, illness
// CONCESSIONAL_CAP
FY2025 limit: $30,000 p.a. (employer SG + extra)
If cap is exceeded, treat excess as:
Pay excess tax
Carry-forward space
Excess taxed at marginal rate with 15% offset. Contributions still enter super — penalty is a personal cash cost.

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Super balance at age 67
$1.68m
$763k in today's dollars · After 32 years of growth
✓ Fully funded to age 90
$3.88m surplus
Remaining balance at age 90
SG contributions p.a.
$10,925
11.5% employer SG
Net contributions p.a.
$9,286
After 15% contributions tax
Net return rate
6.90%
7.5% return less 0.6% fees
Retirement income
$60,000/yr
$5,000/month, indexed
// ACCUMULATION_CHART
Projected balance over time to age 67

Line chart showing your projected super balance growing from your current age to retirement age 67.

// ACCUMULATION_PHASE
Key years to age 67 (sampled)
AgeOpeningContribsGrowthClosing
36$80k$9k+$6k$95k
39$128k$9k+$9k$146k
42$186k$9k+$13k$208k
45$257k$9k+$18k$284k
48$343k$9k+$24k$376k
51$449k$9k+$31k$489k
54$579k$9k+$40k$628k
57$737k$9k+$51k$797k
60$930k$9k+$64k$1.00m
63$1.17m$9k+$80k$1.26m
66$1.45m$9k+$100k$1.56m
67$1.56m$9k+$108k$1.68m
// DRAWDOWN_PHASE
After retirement at age 67 (sampled)
AgeOpeningIncome drawnReturnClosing
68$1.68m−$60k+$116k$1.74m
70$1.79m−$63k+$124k$1.86m
72$1.92m−$66k+$132k$1.99m
74$2.05m−$70k+$142k$2.13m
76$2.20m−$73k+$152k$2.28m
78$2.36m−$77k+$163k$2.45m
80$2.54m−$81k+$175k$2.63m
82$2.73m−$85k+$189k$2.84m
84$2.95m−$89k+$203k$3.06m
86$3.18m−$94k+$219k$3.31m
88$3.44m−$98k+$237k$3.58m
90$3.72m−$103k+$257k$3.88m
General information only. Constant rate of return — no sequence-of-returns risk. Does not account for the Age Pension, tax on withdrawals (tax-free after 60), or legislative changes. Concessional cap FY2025: $30,000. Non-concessional cap: $110,000. Career break models zero SG for the nominated years — Paid Parental Leave government SG contributions not modelled. Spouse contributions may attract an 18% tax offset for the contributing spouse subject to income conditions. Super splitting is capped at 85% of concessional contributions and requires fund support. Carry-forward requires total super balance under $500k at 30 June prior year. Not financial advice.

Next Step

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Verify contribution strategies match structural index limits.

Projected super balance: $1.68m
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How Much Super Do You Actually Need to Retire?

The Association of Superannuation Funds of Australia (ASFA) publishes quarterly retirement expenditure benchmarks. For FY2025, ASFA estimates that a "comfortable" retirement for a single person requires approximately $57,665 per year, and for a couple, approximately $81,785 per year. A "modest" retirement (above the Age Pension but with limited flexibility) costs approximately $34,218 (single) and $49,141 (couple). These figures assume the retiree owns their home outright — they increase significantly if rent or mortgage payments continue into retirement.

The Superannuation Guarantee trajectory

The SG rate — the mandatory employer super contribution — has risen from 9% in 2014 to 11.5% in FY2025, and is legislated to reach 12% from 1 July 2025. This gradual increase is designed to lift the retirement savings of future cohorts, but it means that younger workers today will accumulate meaningfully more super over their careers than their parents did — provided they stay engaged with their fund, select appropriate investment options, and manage fees. For a 30-year-old earning $90,000, the difference between 9% and 12% SG compounded over 35 years at 7% can exceed $250,000 at retirement.

Sequence of returns risk — the retirement decade

The decade immediately before and immediately after retirement is the most financially vulnerable period for a super investor. A sustained market downturn in this window — known as sequence-of-returns risk — can permanently impair your retirement income capacity because you have less time to recover, and you may be drawing down capital into a falling market. This is why most financial advisers recommend gradually de-risking the portfolio in the five years before planned retirement — shifting from growth assets toward more defensive allocations — even if long-run returns are slightly lower.

Is $1 million enough to retire in Australia?
Using the 4% safe withdrawal rate rule — supported by decades of research on portfolio sustainability — $1 million supports approximately $40,000/year in withdrawals with a high probability of not running out of money over a 30-year retirement. For context, the ASFA comfortable single retirement standard is $57,665/year (Source: ASFA Retirement Standard, March quarter 2025). The gap can be partially bridged by the Age Pension (a single homeowner receives approximately $28,514/year at full rate) plus any part-pension amounts. In practice, whether $1 million is "enough" depends heavily on your lifestyle expectations, health costs, and whether you own your home.
What is the Age Pension assets test threshold?
For FY2025–26, a single homeowner can have assets up to $314,000 before the Age Pension begins reducing. Above this threshold, the pension reduces by $3 per fortnight for every $1,000 of excess assets. The pension cuts out entirely at approximately $697,000 for a single homeowner. For non-homeowners, the threshold is significantly higher ($543,750 to start reducing, cutting out at $948,500). These thresholds are indexed twice yearly to CPI and are adjusted when pension rates change.
How does the Transfer Balance Cap affect retirement planning?
The Transfer Balance Cap (TBC) is the maximum amount an individual can transfer into the tax-free retirement phase of super. For FY2025, the TBC is $1.9 million. Any super balance above this must remain in accumulation phase (paying 15% tax on earnings) or be withdrawn. High-balance super members need to plan their TBC position carefully, especially if they have a partner who also has super — each individual has their own TBC. The TBC is indexed to CPI in $100,000 increments and has increased from $1.6 million (2017) to the current level.

// SALARY_SACRIFICE

Model how increasing your concessional contributions today accelerates your retirement balance projection.

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// TRANSITION_TO_RETIREMENT

See how a TTR strategy in the final years before retirement can boost your super and reduce tax.

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General information only. Retirement projections are highly sensitive to return assumptions and contribution patterns. This calculator uses simplified models. For personalised retirement planning, consult a licensed financial adviser. ASFA benchmarks sourced from asfa.asn.au.

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