The age you retire in Australia isn’t set in stone. You can really retire whenever you want to, but a number of factors could play a big part in your decision.
Your financial situation, health, employment opportunities and coordinating with your partner, if you have one, could all play a role in helping you determine when you might retire from the workforce.
Below is a list of things to consider when timing your retirement, noting at last count, the average age people intended to retire in Australia was around 65½, with the main factor influencing their decision, financial security.
Things to think about when timing retirement
When you can access your super
Typically, you can access your super when you’ve reached your preservation age and you retire.
Your preservation age will depend on your date of birth. See table below for details.
Date of birth Preservation age
Before 1 July 1960 55
1 July 1960 – 30 June 1961 56
1 July 1961 – 30 June 1062 57
1 July 1962 – 30 June 1963 58
1 July 1963 – 30 June 1964 59
From 1 July 1964 60
There could also be special circumstances under which you might access your super early.
Whether you’re eligible for the Age Pension
Your eligibility for the government’s Age Pension will come down to three things – your age, residency, as well as your income and assets, which will need to be below certain limits.
Similar to when you can access super, the age you might qualify for the Age Pension will depend on your date of birth. Check out the table below to see at what age you might qualify.
Date of birth Age Pension eligibility age
Before 1 July 1952 65
1 July 1952 – 31 December 1953 65½
1 January 1954 – 30 June 1955 66
1 July 1955 – 31 December 1956 66½
From 1 January 1957 67
Funding a longer retirement
Australians are living longer, so more people require a bigger pool of savings to fund the additional years after they finish working, with many having to explore the possibility of working for longer too.
To put it into perspective, the average life expectancy in Australia for a man around age 65 today is about 85, while for a woman around age 65 today, it’s 88, noting you could live longer depending on your situation.
As for how much money you might need each year, June 2021 figures from the Association of Superannuation Funds of Australia (ASFA) show individuals and couples, around age 65, who are looking to retire today, would need a certain annual budget to fund different types of retirement lifestyle.
ASFA figures are based on the assumption people own their home outright and are relatively healthv. See the suggested annual budgets below compared to current Age Pension rates being paid by the government.
Comfortable lifestyle Modest lifestyle Full Age Pension rate
Single (annual budget) $44,818 $28,514 $24,770
Couple (annual budget) $63,352 $41,170 $37,341
Your current state of health
Health is a key factor when it comes to participating in the workforce, particularly as you get older. This can affect your ability to accumulate super and other savings to fund your retirement.
This means that if you’re saving for retirement or contributing to your super fund, it may be helpful to start sooner rather than later.
Employment opportunities
Employment opportunities will often come down to skills and experience, and there are resources out there to help you if you do feel like working for longer to potentially build more savings for your retirement.
Check out the Department of Education, Skills and Employment website, which includes a Mature Age Hub, as well as details around the government’s jobactive initiative and New Business Assistance for those looking to become self-employed.
There are also websites like Older Workers and Seeking Seniors, which focus specifically on mature-age candidates, if you’re looking for job opportunities.
Your social life and recreational activities
Australians are living longer and more active lives and, according to ASFA, singles and couples living a comfortable lifestyle spend a bit over 20% of their weekly budget on leisure and recreation.
With that in mind, it’s a good idea to give some thought to the hobbies and recreational activities you want to pursue once you exit the workforce. After all, your retirement is hopefully the time to sit back and enjoy some of the things you love.
©AWM Services Pty Ltd. First published Sep 2021
