How Much Super Do I Need to Retire in Australia?

Short answer

For a comfortable retirement in Australia, ASFA's benchmark says a couple needs roughly $730,000 in super and a single person about $630,000 — assuming you own your home outright and receive a part Age Pension. For a modest lifestyle, the figure drops to around $120,000 (couple) or $110,000 (single), because the Age Pension does most of the heavy lifting.

The honest catch? Those big numbers are targets for age 67. The average Australian has far less — most of us fall well short. But knowing the target is the first step to getting on track, and there are plenty of simple ways to catch up.

Where these numbers come from

The figure most people quote comes from the ASFA Retirement Standard, produced by the Association of Superannuation Funds of Australia. It's updated every quarter, and it's the closest thing Australia has to an official "how much do I need?" answer.

ASFA works backwards from a lifestyle, not forwards from a salary. It budgets what a retiree actually spends on food, health, transport, hobbies and the odd holiday, then works out the super balance needed to fund it.

There are two levels:

ASFA's annual budgets for retirees aged 65–84 (March 2026 quarter) look like this:

For context, the full Age Pension pays about $31,223 a year for a single and $47,070 for a couple. So "modest" is not much more than the pension alone.

The lump sums at age 67

The real question most people ask is: how big does my balance need to be? ASFA's answer, assuming you own your home outright and receive a part Age Pension:

Notice the modest figures are surprisingly small. That's because the Age Pension already covers most of a modest budget — your super just needs to top it up.

If you're still renting in retirement, the picture changes a lot. ASFA estimates a modest retirement for renters needs about $385,000 for a couple or $340,000 for a single, because you'll be paying rent every week with no pension-free home behind you. It's a big reason why paying off the home is such a powerful part of a retirement plan.

What the average Australian actually has

Here's where it gets sobering. The average super balance by age is well below the comfortable target:

Source: ASFA data, supplied October 2025.

A 50-year-old with around $222,000 is a long way from $630,000. But before you panic, remember three things:

1. You're not at 67 yet. Your super keeps growing through contributions and investment returns, and those returns compound on a bigger base every year.
2. You can catch up. Catch-up (carry-forward) contributions let you use unused concessional caps from the previous five years.
3. The Age Pension helps. The lump sums already assume you'll get a part pension, so you don't need to fund 100% of retirement from super.

A quick worked example

Let's say Priya is 45, owns her home, and wants a comfortable retirement. Her balance is $170,000.

• Target at 67 (single): $630,000
• Years to go: 22
• Her employer pays 12% super on her $95,000 salary — that's $11,400 a year into super.

Even before investment growth, $11,400 × 22 years is another $250,800, taking her to about $420,000. Add investment returns of roughly 6% a year on a growing balance, and she's likely to land close to — or past — the comfortable target by 67. In other words, the gap is smaller than it first looks, as long as she keeps working and contributing.

The people most at risk aren't those with "low" balances at 45 — they're those who stop working, take long breaks, or cash out early without a plan. That's where the real shortfall comes from.

How to get on track (no jargon, just three steps)

1. Check your balance and compare it. Log in to your super fund's app and compare your balance to the table above for your age. Don't panic at the gap — just notice it.
2. Find and merge lost super. Most Australians have a little super scattered across old funds. You can see and combine them through myGov — every bit compounds.
3. Add a little extra when you can. Even $50 a fortnight makes a real difference over 10–20 years. If you're a parent returning to work after a break, this is where small top-ups matter most.

The goal isn't to hit $730,000 tomorrow. It's to make sure your balance is heading in the right direction.

The bottom line

The headline number — $730,000 for a couple, $630,000 for a single — is a target at age 67, not a bill due now. Compare where you are, merge your lost super, and add what you can. Most of us won't hit the comfortable target exactly, but every extra dollar in super is a dollar less you'll need to worry about later.