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How much super should I have?

Superannuation Finance

15 July 2025 5 min read

One of the ways to check if your super’s on track is to compare your balance with the average for Australians at your age. Let’s see how ready you are to retire.

How much super do you need?

The Association of Superannuation Funds of Australia (ASFA) has created a Retirement Standard to help out with this question. This guide helps you figure out what lifestyle your savings may give you when you retire.

ASFA updates their guide quarterly to reflect inflation. It has detailed budgets for both singles and couples to show how much the lifestyle you want will cost.

ASFA’s March quarter 2025 figures show:

For a ‘comfortable’ retirement single people will need $52,383 a year and couples will need $73,875 a year.¹
To retire modestly, singles will need $33,386 a year and couples will need $48,184 a year.

ASFA’s also worked out how much you’ll need to save in total to retire at age 67. If you want to retire comfortably:

singles will need $595,000
couples will need $690,000.

How much super do most people have?

The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) has crunched the numbers for the average super balances of Aussies at different ages.²

Here’s the average super account balance for Australians at each age:

Age	Average balance (men)	Average balance (women)
15 to 24 years	$6,500	$5,100
25 to 34 years	$42,100	$34,500
35 to 44 years	$107,700	$76,900
45 to 54 years	$219,300	$136,000
55 to 64 years	$326,200	$246,300
65 to 74 years	$435,900	$381,700
75 years and over	$370,900	$314,100

Source: ABS, Household Income and Wealth, accessed 10 June 2025.

How much super should you have?

It's helpful to see how average super balances compare. But many Australians' super balances are falling behind what they should be.

Websites like Super Guru show roughly how much you should have at each age to help you save for a comfortable retirement.

Here's the super balance to aim for at each age:³

25 years old	$26,000
30 years old	$66,500
35 years old	$111,500
40 years old	$168,000
45 years old	$226,000
50 years old	$296,000
55 years old	$377,000
60 years old	$469,000
65 years old	$571,000

Source: Super Guru, Super Balance Detective, accessed 23 May 2025.

Ways to grow your super

If your super balance isn’t where you want it to be, there are still plenty of ways to help it grow.

Consolidate your super⁴
Find and combine lost super into one account – it could save you money on fees. It’s easy to search for super and combine it through Member Online.
Salary sacrifice to your super
When you pay money into your super from before-tax salary, you may pay less tax. Check if it’s right for you.
Make voluntary contributions
Even small amounts from your after-tax pay could make a big difference to your savings. And you may be able to get a tax deduction. Every little bit counts!
Top up your spouse's super
Contributing to your spouse’s super could get you a tax offset of up to $540. It’s not for everyone, so check the rules.
Get advice
Being a member with us includes advice about your super account.⁵ Speak to a financial adviser to learn how you can build your super for retirement.

1. Association of Superannuation Funds of Australia, Retirement Standard March 2025, at Retirement Standard - ASFA
2. Australian Bureau of Statistics, 28 April 2022, Household income and wealth 2019-20, Table 12.3 superannuation account balances, at www.abs.gov.au, accessed 10 June 2025.
3. Figures are calculated using the Super Guru Super Balance Detective calculator. Accessed 23 May 2025.
4. Before you consolidate your super, think about whether it’s right for you. You may lose access to benefits such as insurance or pension options, and you need to consider tax implications.
5. Representatives of ART Financial Advice Pty Ltd (ABN 50 087 154 818 AFSL 227867) give financial advice. ART Financial Advice Pty Ltd is responsible for the advice it gives and is a separate legal entity. Read the Financial Services Guide for more information.