
Planning for your retirement can be stressful, especially when you’re trying to work out exactly how much superannuation you need before the time comes.
Working out what superannuation balance you need depends almost entirely on your living situation, your expected retirement age, and what type of retirement lifestyle you’re aiming for.
Do you own your own house? What type of travel do you expect to do after you finish working? Do you have any debts?
By the age of 67, most Aussies will have already retired, or be very close to it.Â
Let’s break down what retiring at 67 might look like.
What does a comfortable retirement look like?
In Australia, your retirement is generally split into two broad categories: modest and comfortable.
A modest retirement, according to the Association of Superannuation Funds of Australia (ASFA), is defined as being able to cover expenses slightly above what the full Centrelink Age Pension would provide.Â
But it goes without saying that every Australian strives to live a comfortable retirement far above the bare minimum.
ASFA defines a comfortable retirement as one that allows retirees to maintain a good standard of living.Â
It assumes you’ll have top-level private health insurance, own a good brand of car, do regular leisure activities, have funds set aside for home repairs and renovations, perhaps even go for the occasional meal out, and an annual domestic trip.
How much will a comfortable retirement cost me?
According to ASFA, a comfortable retirement is expected to cost around $54,840 per year for single Aussies. It is expected to cost roughly $77,375 per year for a couple.Â
These figures also assume that you’ll be entitled to receive a part Age Pension payment once you reach age 67.
How much money do I need in my superannuation to afford that?
I’ve crunched the numbers so you don’t have to.
Using ASFA data, it looks like by age 67, single Australians need a superannuation balance of approximately $640,000 in order to fund a comfortable retirement lifestyle. Meanwhile, couples should have closer to $730,000.
Why are these figures so much lower than the $1 million superannuation benchmark we’re told we’ll need?
ASFA recently did a poll and found that 42% of Australians think that they need $1 million in their superannuation before they can retire. It makes sense, as this is the number that has been repeatedly drilled into us.
The reality is, you don’t actually need $1 million to retire in Australia. In fact, most retirees live comfortably with less if they’re able to combine an adequate superannuation balance with the government Age Pension payment.
But if you’re to live a more luxurious retirement, then a $1 million superannuation goal is definitely something to consider.
You’ll also need to take into account your life expectancy. For example, at a cost of $54,840 per year on a balance of around approximately $640,000. That means your superannuation will only be able to fund around 11 years of a comfortable retirement.
The more years of retirement you have to fund, the thinner your superannuation income will need to spread.
Also, if you don’t own your home outright, you’ll also need to consider how you’ll pay your mortgage or rent on top of your other bills. It’s also wise to have an emergency fund set aside.
All things considered, maybe retiring with a minimum of $1 million of super isn’t as outrageous as you’d first think.Â
The post How much superannuation do I really need to retire comfortably at age 67? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.
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