How much super do I need?

If $50,000 a year sounds like your kind of retirement, the next step is to work out how much super you will need to fund it.

According to the ASFA Retirement Standard, a couple can live a ‘comfortable lifestyle’ with a retirement balance of $640,000 while singles can enjoy the same with $545,000. But these are guidelines only.

A million dollars is often talked about as the gold standard of retirement savings, but it is a suspiciously round number. Depending on your personal circumstances, you might live well on much less, say $750,000, especially if you are not a big traveller or you intend to continue working well into your 70s.

A million dollars is often bandied about as the gold standard of retirement savings. It certainly sounds like a lot of money, but is it enough to retire on not just comfortably but in style?

Since 1 July 2017 there has been a $1.6 million limit on the amount you can transfer into a super account in pension phase. The question is, is this an arbitrary figure dreamed up by bureaucrats or is it enough for a dream retirement?

A million dollars is often cited as the gold standard of retirement savings. It certainly sounds like a lot of money, but it may not provide the income you require if you are a couple or if one of you has high healthcare needs.

How much will $3.2m in super generate in retirement income for a couple across 25, 30 or 25 years?

If $40,000 a year sounds like your kind of retirement, the next step is to work out how much super you will need to fund it.

If $60,000 a year sounds like your kind of retirement, the next step is to work out how much super you will need to fund it.

So, you’ve done some preliminary sums and think you will need around $80,000 a year to live well in retirement. The ASFA Retirement standard suggests couples can enjoy a ‘comfortable lifestyle’ on around $60,000 a year and singles on about $43,000 a year. By this yardstick, $80,000 a year should support a more than comfortable retirement.