How much super will you have at retirement?
Your super is built from employer contributions and decades of compounding. Small changes now — especially extra contributions — make an outsized difference by retirement.
Super can feel abstract when retirement is decades away, but the maths is simple and powerful: your employer adds 12% of your salary each year, it is taxed lightly, and it compounds. Here is how the balance builds, and what moves it most.
How the balance grows
Each year, your employer pays 12% of your salary into super (the Superannuation Guarantee). Contributions are taxed at just 15% going in — far below most people's marginal rate — and the balance then earns investment returns that compound year after year. Over a working life, the growth from compounding usually dwarfs the contributions themselves.
Worked example
Emma is 35 with $60,000 in super and a $100,000 salary. Assuming a 7% return (less fees) and modest salary growth, by age 67 she is projected to have around $1.7 million. Most of that is investment growth, not the contributions — that is compounding doing the heavy lifting over 32 years.
The lever that matters most: extra contributions
Salary sacrificing extra into super is taxed at 15% instead of your marginal rate, so it is highly tax-effective — within the $32,500 concessional cap. Even $50 a week, started early, can add well over $100,000 by retirement because it compounds for decades.
How much is enough?
The ASFA 'comfortable' standard for a single is roughly $52,000 a year, typically combining super drawdowns with a part Age Pension. A rough guide is that a 5% drawdown of your balance gives an indicative annual income to compare against that.
Project your super
See your projected balance and retirement income, and test extra contributions.
This is general information, not personal advice. To see the tax saving from contributing more, use our salary sacrifice calculator and carry-forward guide.
Frequently asked questions
How is my super balance projected?
Each year adds your employer's 12% contribution plus any extra, minus the 15% contributions tax, then grows the whole balance by your return net of fees, until your retirement age. Salary growth is included too.
Is the projected figure in today's dollars?
No — it is in future dollars and not adjusted for inflation, so it looks larger than its real spending power. Focus on the income it could provide rather than the headline number.
How much super do I need to retire?
It depends on your lifestyle, but the ASFA 'comfortable' standard for a single is around $52,000 a year, usually combining super and a part Age Pension. The tool shows an indicative 5% drawdown so you can gauge if you are on track.
Are extra contributions worth it?
Usually yes — salary sacrifice is taxed at 15% instead of your marginal rate, and contributing early gives decades of compounding. Even small amounts add up substantially, within the $32,500 concessional cap.