Average Super Balance at 60 in Australia
Preservation age hit — full access from 65 or retirement.
ATO median for the 60-64 age band is $201,000.00. Projected to 67 at band-average salary: $411,033.00. ASFA single comfortable target: $595,000.00.
Between 18 and 80. ASFA Retirement Standard anchors on age 67.
Sum of all your super accounts. Check myGov for an up-to-date total.
Used for SG projection. Defaults to ABS average for your age band.
ASFA Retirement Standard Dec 2025 quarter. Assumes home-owner and partial Age Pension.
Where 60 sits in the life-stage map
At 60, preservation age is reached. You can access super if you've 'retired' under the condition of release, or start a TTR if still working. Tax-free super pension income becomes possible. For many, this is the 'final sprint' — maximising contributions, paying down the last of the mortgage, and setting up the retirement income structure.
Why the balance at 60 matters: The 60-64 median ($201,000) is the last-chance snapshot — either it's on track, or working past 67 enters the plan, or the retirement lifestyle target drops from comfortable to modest. The arithmetic is transparent at 60 in a way it isn't at 40.
Biggest lever at 60
Non-concessional contribution bring-forward — up to $360,000 in one year (3 years of the $120,000 cap brought forward) if you're under 75 and your TSB is under the transfer balance cap. Common use: inheritance or asset sale proceeds parked into super before retirement pension phase starts.
Common traps at 60
- Retiring and re-starting work without declaring — triggers the condition-of-release retrospectively and can invalidate access. IRD-like rules also apply if you re-contribute withdrawn amounts.
- Forgetting the $1.9M transfer balance cap (2025-26) when starting a pension — amounts above go back to accumulation phase at 15% earnings tax instead of 0%.
- Taking a lump sum when an account-based pension would be more tax-efficient — pension income after 60 is tax-free; lump sums may have tax consequences if your TSB structure isn't right.
The numbers at 60 — how the projection works
| Your current age | 60 |
| Years to age 67 (ASFA anchor) | 7 |
| Peer median (60-64) | $201,000.00 |
| Band-average salary (ABS) | $85,000.00 |
| SG contribution at 12% (annual) | $10,200.00 |
| Projected at 67 (median + SG only, 7% p.a.) | $411,033.00 |
| ASFA single comfortable target at 67 | $595,000.00 |
| Shortfall | $183,967.00 |
| Extra monthly contribution to close the gap | $1,771.00/mo |
Compare adjacent ages
Next tools for 60
Retirement (FIRE) Planner
When can you retire — super + non-super modelled together.
Carry-forward cap
5-year unused concessional — catch up in a high-income year.
Contribution optimizer
Salary sacrifice vs non-concessional vs co-contribution.
Downsizer contribution
$300k per person from home sale, outside contribution caps.
How long will my super last
Drawdown runway from a given balance at 67.
Frequently asked questions
What is the average super balance at 60 in Australia?
How much super should I have at 60?
Is 201,000.00 enough at 60?
How do I catch up super at 60?
Should I salary sacrifice at 60?
Is the calculator projection realistic?
Sources: ATO Taxation Statistics 2021-22, ASFA Retirement Standard Dec-2025 quarter, ABS Average Weekly Earnings 6302.0.