How much superannuation should you have right now to be on track for a comfortable retirement

Australians can now find out if their balance is where it should be now to ensure they are on track for a comfortable retirement. Check it here.

Workers are being urged to check on their superannuation balances now to ensure they will have enough money in retirement.

The Association of Superannuation Funds of Australia releases new figures today calculating exactly how much people earning an average annual salary of $80,000 should now have in their super fund.

It found a 32-year-old employee should have $45,000, a 42-year-old should have $148,000, a 52-year-old should have $285,000 and a 62-year-old should have $465,000.

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ASFA chief executive officer Dr Martin Fahy urged Australians to not be afraid of checking their balance status now.

“If you are not where you think you should be, look at how you might be able to tip some extra money in,” he said.

“Look at your discretionary spending - can you make a cup of coffee instead of buying a takeaway coffee?”
Dr Fahy also urged workers to use catch-up measures “because it will have a compounding impact.”

ASFA’s retirement standard says to obtain a comfortable retirement, singles need $545,000 once they stop work and couples need to $640,000. This is presuming retirees own their home outright and have good health.

Employers must deposit 9.5 per cent of your ordinary time earnings into your super fund.

All workers are eligible to receive super if they are aged 18 or older and earn more than $450 in a month.

Australians can make extra contributions to help boost their superannuation before they finish their working lives.

Employees can tip extra into their funds but must be mindful of the caps.

Concessional contributions (pre-tax) are capped at $25,000 per year, while the cap for non-concessional contributions is currently $100,000 per year.

AustralianSuper’s group executive of product brand and reputation, Paul Schroder, said “it’s never too late to do something with your super”.

“For young people it’s really important. For a 25-year-old who puts $50 extra a month into their super they will end up having an extra $175,000 by age 65,” he said.

“That’s compound interest based on AustralianSuper’s long-term performance which is 6.5 per cent.”

Super fund Hesta’s chief executive officer, Debby Blakey, said as we headed towards end of financial year, “it’s a good time to check how your super is travelling.

“The three C’s — consolidate, contribute and check are a great super starting point,” she said.

“It’s important to continue to check to see that your choice of investment options and insurance still suits your needs as they can change over time.”

Originally published as How much superannuation should you have right now to be on track for a comfortable retirement