We have $250,000 a year to retire on. Here’s how to find your number

Paul and Melissa Bennett were surprised to find they could to retire at 55. But having enough money is only one part of retirement.

Paul and Melissa Bennett from Red Hill, ACT, felt “overwhelming joy” when they found out they had reached their “enough” number much sooner than they expected. James Brickwood

Andrew HobbsWealth reporter

Updated May 16, 2025 – 1.12pm, first published at 5.00am

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Paul Bennett and his wife Melissa sold a franchise business and discovered they had enough money to never work again.

The Canberra couple had settled on an income of $250,000 a year as their “enough” number, but were amazed to learn that they could safely generate that at 55 – well before their planned retirement date.

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Andrew HobbsWealth reporterAndrew Hobbs covers self-managed superannuation funds (SMSFs), financial planning, retirement, inheritance, tax, personal finance and, sometimes, the Perth Bears. He has been a financial journalist for 30 years, previously at Bloomberg and AAP.