Project your super balance at retirement. See how employer contributions, voluntary contributions, and compound investment returns grow your superannuation over time. Model different scenarios to plan your retirement savings.
| Age | Balance | Contributions | Returns |
|---|---|---|---|
| 30 | $50,000 | — | — |
| 40 | $226,531 | $8,670 | $14,820 |
| 50 | $573,795 | $8,670 | $37,538 |
| 60 | $1,256,916 | $8,670 | $82,228 |
| 67 | $2,098,615 | $8,670 | $137,293 |
Even a small voluntary contribution can have a big impact over decades. Try adding $200/month ($2,400/year) and see how compound growth amplifies it over your working life.
Try 5% (conservative), 7% (balanced), and 9% (growth) to see how investment choice affects your projected balance. The difference over 30+ years is enormous.
Working just 2 extra years gives you more contributions, more compound growth, and fewer years of drawdown. Increase your retirement age to see the impact.
Voluntary super contributions via salary sacrifice are taxed at 15% instead of your marginal rate. Use the salary sacrifice calculator to see the tax benefit, then model the extra super here.
Salary sacrifice lets you contribute to super from your pre-tax income — saving tax while growing your retirement balance. You can also salary sacrifice into a novated car lease for the same tax benefit with an asset you use today.
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There's no single 'right' amount — it depends on your income, lifestyle goals, and when you started working. As a rough guide, the Association of Superannuation Funds of Australia (ASFA) suggests aiming for a balance of around 1-2x your salary by age 30, 3-4x by 40, 6-7x by 50, and 8-10x by 60. This calculator helps you project your own trajectory based on your actual circumstances.
The super guarantee (SG) is the minimum percentage of your ordinary time earnings (OTE) that your employer must pay into your super fund. From 1 July 2025, the rate is 12%. This is the final scheduled increase under the legislated SG schedule. The default in this calculator is 12%.
Yes. You can make additional contributions as concessional (pre-tax, including salary sacrifice) or non-concessional (after-tax). Concessional contributions are taxed at 15% inside the fund and capped at $30,000 per year (including employer contributions). Non-concessional contributions have a higher cap of $120,000 per year. This calculator models voluntary concessional contributions.
Long-term average returns for balanced super funds in Australia have been around 7-8% per year (before fees, after tax). The default in this calculator is 7%. Actual returns vary significantly year to year and depend on your fund's investment option — growth options may average higher over long periods but with more volatility.
Super contributions from your employer and salary sacrifice are taxed at 15% when they enter the fund (concessional contributions tax). Investment earnings inside the fund are also taxed at up to 15%. When you withdraw super after age 60, it is generally tax-free. This calculator applies the 15% contributions tax to employer and voluntary concessional contributions.
You can generally access your super when you reach your preservation age (between 55 and 60 depending on your birth year) and retire, or when you turn 65 regardless of work status. From 1 July 2024, the preservation age is 60 for anyone born after 30 June 1964. Early access is only available in limited circumstances like severe financial hardship or specific medical conditions.
This calculator uses a gross return rate and does not separately model fees. In practice, super fund fees (administration, investment, insurance) reduce your effective return by 0.5-1.5% per year depending on your fund. If you want to account for fees, reduce the expected return rate accordingly — for example, use 6% instead of 7% to approximate a 1% fee drag.
The results are projections based on constant assumptions (salary growth, return rate, contribution rate) applied over the projection period. Actual outcomes will vary due to market returns, salary changes, career breaks, fee changes, legislative changes, and other factors. Use these projections for planning and goal-setting, not as guaranteed outcomes.
Results are estimates only and should not be relied upon for financial decisions. Actual superannuation repayments will depend on the lender, your credit profile, and the specific terms offered. Interest rates used are for illustration purposes only and may not reflect current market rates.
Subject to lender approval, terms and conditions apply.
This calculator is general information only and is not financial advice.