When can I access my super?

Your preservation age – or access age – is the minimum age that your super must be ‘preserved’ until. The government sets the age limit and for all Australians, it's generally age 60. If you're already over the age of 60, you've hit your preservation age.

When you reach your preservation age, super normally becomes available for you to withdraw or convert to an income stream once you've retired or stopped an employment arrangement. If you're still working when you reach your preservation age, you can start a Transition to Retirement account instead.

Keep in mind the preservation age for super is different to the government's Age Pension eligibility age.

If you stop an employment arrangement on or after turning 60, you're able to access the super you have got up until that point.

If you decide to return to work, you can still access the super you had before you returned to work. But for any contributions from your new employer, you'll need to wait until you leave that job and/or permanently retire before you can access that super.

Once you turn 65, you generally have full access to all your super, whether you're working or not.

If you're aged 60 years old and not ready to retire, you could access some of your super while you’re still working by opening a Transition to Retirement (TTR) Income account.

You can use a TTR Income account to reduce your work hours without reducing your income, or as part of a tax strategy in the lead up to retirement, saving you tax while your savings continue to grow.

Depending on your age, withdrawals and income payments from your super may be taxed. If you're over age 60, it's generally tax-free. If you're under age 60, the taxable portion of any income payments will generally be taxed at your marginal tax rate (plus Medicare levy).

Lump sum withdrawals are tax-free if you're over age 60.

Read our Tax Explanation factsheet for more.

Yes, lump sum withdrawals and payments from your super can also impact any benefits you're getting from Centrelink.

Managing government benefits such as the Age Pension can be complex, and small changes can have a big impact, consider getting personal financial advice to help you maximise your retirement income.