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Average Super Balance at 60 in Australia

Preservation age hit — full access from 65 or retirement.

ATO average for the 60-64 age band: $374,391.00; the middle person aged 60-64 holds $200,000 to $249,999. Average projected to 67 at band-average salary: $569,459.00. ASFA single comfortable target: $630,000.00.

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 the ATO average salary or wages for your age band.

Retirement target

ASFA Retirement Standard Dec 2025 quarter. Assumes home-owner and partial Age Pension.

Projected at 67 (7 yrs to go)$569,459.00
Single comfortable target$630,000.00
Gap (shortfall)$60,541.00
Extra monthly salary sacrifice to close the gap$743.00/mo
ATO average balance (60-64)$374,391.00
Vs ATO average$0.00 above
Middle balance, ages 60-64$200,000 to $249,999
Where you sit56%–77% of people aged 60-64 have less
Assumptions: figures are in today's dollars, like the ASFA targets. Growth 7% p.a. after fees, ≈4.4% real after 2.5% inflation; salary held at today's value; SG 12% from 1 Jul 2025, contributions through to age 67, less 15% contributions tax on SG and salary sacrifice. Does not model concessional cap ($32,500.00 in 2026-27). The low income super tax offset is netted off the contributions tax when your salary does not exceed $37,000.
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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 balance at 60 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 $390,000 in one year (2026-27; 3 years of the $130,000 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. The ATO's anti-avoidance rules can also apply if you re-contribute withdrawn amounts.
  • Forgetting the $2.1M transfer balance cap (2026-27) 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
ATO average balance (60-64) $374,391.00
Band-average salary or wages (ATO, 2023-24) $78,136.00
SG at 12%, after 15% contributions tax (annual) $7,970.00
Projected at 67 (average + SG only, today's dollars) $569,459.00
ASFA single comfortable target at 67 $630,000.00
Shortfall $60,541.00
Extra monthly salary sacrifice to close the gap $743.00/mo

Compare adjacent ages

← Super balance at 55 All ages + hub Super balance at 65 →

Related tools

Useful next steps for your super position at age 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?
For the 60-64 age band, the average balance in ATO Taxation Statistics 2023-24 is $374,391.00. A minority of very large balances pulls the average up. The ATO publishes no median by age, but its counts by balance range show the middle person aged 60-64 holds $200,000 to $249,999.
How much super should I have at 60?
No single answer — it depends on your target retirement lifestyle. To hit the ASFA single comfortable target of $630,000.00 at 67 on SG alone, someone at 60 on the band-average salary ($78,136.00) would need about $419,206.00 now. A lower salary, career breaks or lower returns raise that figure; try your own numbers above.
Is $374,391.00 enough at 60?
$374,391.00 is the ATO average for the 60-64 band. Projected forward to 67 at the band-average salary of $78,136.00, SG alone at 12% grows it to approximately $569,459.00. That's below the ASFA single comfortable target of $630,000.00 by $60,541.00. Closing the gap needs about $743.00 per month of extra contributions.
How do I catch up super at 60?
Non-concessional contribution bring-forward — up to $390,000 in one year (2026-27; 3 years of the $130,000 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.
Should I salary sacrifice at 60?
Generally yes if your marginal tax rate is above 15%. With 7 years of compounding at 4.4% real, every $100 per month salary-sacrificed at 60 becomes roughly $8,152.00 at 67 in today's dollars, after contributions tax. Against a 15% contributions tax vs your likely 30% or 37% marginal rate, the pre-tax math alone saves $15-22 per $100 contributed, before compounding.
Is the calculator projection realistic?
It assumes 7% p.a. after fees and 2.5% inflation, so balances grow at about 4.4% real, and your salary stays at today's value. Every figure is in today's dollars, the same basis as the ASFA targets. The projection does not model market volatility, salary growth, career breaks or the concessional cap, so treat it as a planning anchor and try a lower balance or salary to stress-test it.

Sources: ATO Taxation Statistics 2023-24 Individuals Table 24, Table 22 and Table 3A (salary or wages), ASFA Retirement Standard June 2026 quarter.

Tax Accuracy & Sources

Reviewed: 30 October 2026 · Tax year: 2026-27

This calculator is an estimate tool and may not cover all personal circumstances. For state-based taxes, confirm details with your state or territory revenue office.

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