Super Preservation Age: When Can You Actually Access Your Money?
You've been building your super for years. But when can you actually get your hands on it? Understanding preservation age is the first step to planning your retirement.
What Is Preservation Age?
Preservation age is the earliest you can access your super—even if you've retired. It's different from the Age Pension age (currently 67), and it depends on when you were born.
Key Point
Your preservation age isn't when you should retire—it's the earliest you can access your super if you meet a condition of release. Most Aussies can't touch their super until they hit this age.
Preservation Age by Birth Year
| Date of Birth | Preservation Age |
|---|---|
| Before 1 July 1960 | 55 |
| 1 July 1960 – 30 June 1961 | 56 |
| 1 July 1961 – 30 June 1962 | 57 |
| 1 July 1962 – 30 June 1963 | 58 |
| 1 July 1963 – 30 June 1964 | 59 |
| From 1 July 1964 | 60 |
If you were born after 1 July 1964, your preservation age is 60. Full stop. No ifs, buts, or maybes.
Conditions of Release
Reaching preservation age alone isn't enough. You also need to meet a "condition of release" to access your super:
- Reached preservation age and retired — "Retired" means you've left an employment arrangement and don't intend to work 10+ hours per week again
- Reached 60 and left a job — You can access super from that job, even if you start working somewhere else
- Reached 65 — Full access, no questions asked, whether you're still working or not
There are also special conditions for severe financial hardship, permanent disability, terminal illness, and a few other circumstances—but these are rare.
The Gap: Preservation Age vs Age Pension
Here's where it gets interesting for retirement planning. If your preservation age is 60 but the Age Pension doesn't kick in until 67, you've got a 7-year gap to fund.
The gap strategy: Many Aussies retire at 60, live off their super for 7 years, then qualify for the Age Pension at 67. But running down super early affects Age Pension means testing. It's a balancing act.
Transition to Retirement (TTR)
Once you hit preservation age, you can start a Transition to Retirement pension—even while you're still working.
A TTR lets you:
- Access a portion of your super (up to 10% per year)
- Reduce your work hours while supplementing income
- In some cases, salary sacrifice more into super while drawing TTR income for tax benefits
TTR pensions have their own tax treatment and rules. They're useful for some people, but not a magic solution for everyone.
Why This Matters for Planning
Knowing your preservation age is foundational. It determines:
- How long your non-super savings need to last if you want to retire before preservation age
- Whether TTR strategies make sense for your situation
- How to sequence your retirement income between super, investments, and eventually the Age Pension
How Talk Through Wealth Helps
Model different retirement scenarios based on your preservation age:
- Compare retiring at 55, 60, 65, or any age in between
- See how early super access affects your Age Pension eligibility
- Model TTR strategies and their real tax benefits
- Project whether your super will last through retirement
Model Your Super Access Strategy
Join the waitlist to see how preservation age fits your retirement timeline.
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