Your preservation age is the age you can access your super if you are retired (or start a transition to retirement income stream). If you were born before 1 July 1960 you have already reached your preservation age of 55 years. You can access your super once you have met a condition of release.
As a general rule, most people will need 70% of their take home pay to maintain their lifestyle in retirement.
Once you've reached your preservation age and you retire from the workforce, you can access your super. However, if you access your super prior to turning 60, you may have to pay tax on any payments you receive, regardless of the type of payment you get (i.e. lump sum or super pension).
Once you reach age 60 you can normally access your super tax free.
How much super you'll need in retirement depends on the lifestyle you want. According to the government's MoneySmart website, if you own your home, the rule of thumb is that you'll need two-thirds (67%) of your current income each year to maintain the same standard of living.
You can get your super when you retire and reach your 'preservation age' — between 55 and 60, depending on when you were born. There are special circumstances where you can access your super early.
It's all about your age. If you were born before 1 July 1960 you can get access to your super when you turn 55. If you were born later the age varies between 55 and 60. People aged 65 or over can access super and work as well.
Eligible applicants could be approved to withdraw up to $10,000 from their superannuation account. To be eligible, you'll need to: currently (and for the last 26 consecutive weeks) be receiving an income support payment from Centrelink or the Department of Veteran's Affairs (DVA)
If you withdraw some of your super benefit before you reach 60, you will generally pay tax on your super savings (there are exceptions if you have a terminal illness, or the amount is a death benefit).
Generally you can only access your super if you have reached your preservation age and meet a condition of release (such as retiring or turning 65). Your preservation age is between 55 and 60, depending on your date of birth.
The most common conditions of release are that the member: has reached their preservation age and retires. has reached their preservation age and begins a transition-to-retirement income stream. ceases an employment arrangement on or after the age of 60.
Social Security and Early Retirement
The common question is, “Can I retire at 50 and collect Social Security?” While you can begin collecting Social Security benefits as early as age 62, retiring at 50 means, you'll need to find other income sources until you're eligible.
Yes, you can! The average monthly Social Security Income in 2021 is $1,543 per person. In the tables below, we'll use an annuity with a lifetime income rider coupled with SSI to give you a better idea of the income you could receive from $500,000 in savings.
Can I retire at 50 with $300k? The problem with having a $300,000 nest egg, as opposed to $500,000 or $1 million, is that retiring early isn't as viable an option. At age 50, you'll have to stretch that $300,000 out further, so it will be important to find an investment with a high return.
Can I withdraw super to pay off debts? Yes, but it's important to understand that early super payments made under the severe financial hardship provision can only be used to pay your reasonable living expenses. Funds are also only available for payments that are in arrears, not for future repayments or to clear debt.
WILL ACCESSING MY SUPER AFFECT MY CENTRELINK PAYMENT? If you withdraw money from your super fund, you must tell Centrelink within 14 days. Money withdrawn from super is not treated as income for a person receiving a social security payment.
You can use super to pay off a loan, provided you are eligible to access your super. Whether you are using your super to pay off a home loan, investment loan, car loan or personal loan, there is no difference in your eligibility. In all instances you are required to first satisfy a superannuation condition of release.
A lump sum withdrawal is a cash payment from your super to your bank account. You can request to withdraw a lump sum if you've met certain conditions set by the Government.
Tax on withdrawals of taxable component
Your marginal tax rate or 32%, whichever is lower – unless the sum of the untaxed elements of all super lump sum benefits received under the super plan exceeds the untaxed plan cap. Amounts above the cap will be taxed at the top marginal rate.
You may be able to access your superannuation early if you're experiencing financial hardship after losing your job. There are additional circumstances that may also be considered, including: incapacity - if you're unable to work or need to work fewer hours because of a medical condition.
In the case of early retirement, a benefit is reduced 5/9 of one percent for each month before normal retirement age, up to 36 months. If the number of months exceeds 36, then the benefit is further reduced 5/12 of one percent per month.
If you retire at age 55, you probably won't be eligible to receive Social Security retirement benefits for several years or be able to withdraw money from your retirement accounts without paying a 10% early withdrawal penalty. Additionally, for most people, Medicare won't kick in for another 10 years.