| Age | Balance for Comfortable Retirement* |
| 23 | $5,000 |
| 24 | $10,000 |
| 25 | $17,000 |
| 26 | $24,000 |
| 27 | $31,000 |
| 28 | $38,000 |
| 29 | $46,000 |
| 30 | $54,000 |
| 31 | $61,000 |
| 32 | $68,000 |
| 33 | $76,000 |
| 34 | $85,000 |
| 35 | $93,000 |
| 36 | $102,000 |
| 37 | $112,000 |
| 38 | $122,000 |
| 39 | $132,000 |
| 40 | $143,000 |
| 41 | $154,000 |
| 42 | $164,000 |
| 43 | $174,000 |
| 44 | $184,000 |
| 45 | $195,000 |
| 46 | $207,000 |
| 47 | $219,000 |
| 48 | $231,000 |
| 49 | $244,000 |
| 50 | $257,000 |
| 51 | $271,000 |
| 52 | $285,000 |
| 53 | $300,000 |
| 54 | $315,000 |
| 55 | $330,000 |
| 56 | $345,000 |
| 57 | $360,000 |
| 58 | $380,000 |
| 59 | $395,000 |
| 60 | $415,000 |
| 61 | $430,000 |
| 62 | $449,000 |
| 63 | $466,000 |
| 64 | $486,000 |
| 65 | $503,000 |
| 66 | $523,000 |
| 67 | $535,000 |
*This data has been sourced from ASFA’s consumer website – SuperGuru.
This table outlines the approximate balance required at certain ages to ensure your super balance is on track to reach the ASFA Comfortable Standard balance by age 67.
ASFA have calculated that a comfortable income to fund living expenses in retirement is $44,412. This is for a single person that owns their own home with no financial dependents and have a comfortable amount of living expenditure as deemed by ASFA.
These figures are estimated for an individual by ASFA for illustrative purposes only under the following assumptions:
Pre-tax wage income of just under $65,000 per annum. The Superannuation Guarantee contribution rate increases in line with current law, from 9.5% to 12% in 2025-26. Contributions tax is deducted at the rate of 15%. Investment returns (nominal), before investment fees and taxes, are 6.7% (investment fees are 0.7 per cent of assets, and the tax rate is 4.5 per cent). Administration fees are $100 per annum. Insurance premiums are $100 per annum.
How to Boost Your Super
Are you in a Top Performing Fund?
The difference in investment returns between the best and worst performing funds is considerable. Just a 2% per annum higher investment return could result in hundreds of thousands more in super over the course of one’s career.
How Much Are You Paying in Fees?
Excessive fees will reduce the growth of a super fund. It’s important to make sure you’re not paying too much. Check out you fund in our fund profiles tab to see what you’re paying.
Additional contributions to super
See here for information on making contributions to super. Salary sacrifice, government co-contribution and non-concessional contributions can all be effective ways to boost your super. If you’re unsure about what the best type of contribution is for your circumstances, then you can consult a financial advisor.