Retire With Confidence
Your Complete Guide - 2026

To fund $50,000 per year from age 67 to 90 without any Age Pension support, you’ll need around $897,071 in super.

However, if you’re eligible for the Age Pension and own your home:

• Couples may only need about $65,906 in super.

• Singles may need around $377,047.

These calculations are based on inflation and return assumptions, so getting personalised advice is recommended.

However, the answer to how much super you need for $50,000 a year depends on your unique situation, like how you invest your super savings, your expected retirement age and your desired lifestyle. There’s no one-size-fits-all answer.

To retire at 65 and fund a comfortable lifestyle (as defined by ASFA at $78,566 per year for a couple from age 65 to 84):

• Without the Age Pension: You’ll need around $1,505,073 in super.

• With the Age Pension: You’ll need approximately $736,043 in super.

The exact amount of super you need depends on your lifestyle goals, risk tolerance, home ownership, and whether you’re single or part of a couple. Other income sources and eligibility for the Age Pension can significantly reduce the amount of super required.

These calculations are based on inflation and return assumptions, so it’s always wise to seek professional advice to figure out exactly what you’ll need.

The average retirement income in Australia sourced from the Association of Superannuation Funds Australia is:

For a modest lifestyle:

• Singles (home owners) –  $36,434 per year
• Couples (home owners) – $52,473 per year
• Singles (renters) –  $51,164 per year
• Couples (renters) – $69,002 per year

For a comfortable lifestyle:

• Singles  –  $55,923 per year
• Couples  –  $78,566 per year

Importantly however, what you actually need will be determined by your age, lifestyle, if you are homeowner and what lump sum expenses you need or want to fund throughout retirement.

The problem with an Australian median for someone living in Sydney or Melbourne for example, is that the cost of living is typically higher, so the median retirement income of the place you live can be the most relevant guide.

The best first step is to seek personal advice, as this will help you determine how much you need and provide strategies for how you can make your money last the distance.

Figuring out how much money you need in your super depends on your age and the lifestyle you want in retirement. It also depends on what other assets you have and what your age pension eligibility is. Starting to grow your super early is ideal because it gives your super more time to compound and grow.

Super is generally the best place to have money for retirement, as it is tax concessioned and purpose built to fund retirement income needs, but it also has rules that limit what you can get in. So, it is important that you get expert financial advice to determine how much money you should have in your super and strategies to help it grow.

To retire at 60 with no age pension, couples aiming for a comfortable lifestyle should target approximately $1,728,253, while those opting for a modest lifestyle could aim for around $1,154,273.

This is based on median data from ASFA, who conduct an annual study and say a modest retirement for a couple costs $52,473 p.a. and a comfortable retirement costs $78,566 p.a.

By not factoring in Age Pension it dramatically increases the amount you need, as with Age Pension we estimate a comfortable lifestyle could be funded with $1,049,484 and a modest lifestyle with $446,860.

What this highlights is that it’s crucial to assess your personal financial circumstances and retirement aspirations to identify what is needed and what the most suitable savings strategies are for you.