At age 59, you’re just one year from reaching preservation age, which means you can start drawing down on your superannuation if you’ve stopped working.

It’s one of the most important crossroads in life, and one where the decisions you’ll make over the next few years will determine the quality of life you have in retirement. 

But do you know what it costs to retire comfortably versus on a budget? And how much should you have in your super at age 59 to support yourself when the time comes?

Let’s take a look.

What does it cost to retire?

According to the Association of Superannuation Funds of Australia (ASFA) figures, there are two main options for your retirement. A comfortable retirement lifestyle, and a modest one.

A modest retirement means you’d need to live on a tight budget after you quit working. It assumes you can cover very basic needs and requirements, including basic food costs, enough to cover essential bills, low-tier health insurance, and minimal leisure activities or meals out. It assumes you own your home outright and that you’ll receive at least a partial Age Pension payment.

ASFA estimates this will cost single retirees around $36,434 per year, and closer to $52,473 for a couple combined. 

Then there is the comfortable retirement option. This is one that allows retirees to have a good standard of living well above the bare minimum. It allows Australians enough money to finance top-tier private health insurance, a reasonable grocery budget, home repairs, and regular leisure activities or meals out. It also includes a budget for an occasional holiday.

A comfortable retirement is estimated to cost single retirees around $55,923 per year or $78,566 for couples. Again, it assumes you’ll receive a part Age Pension and that you own your home in full. 

How much do I need in my superannuation to finance a comfortable retirement?

ASFA has calculated that single Australians will need around $630,000 in their superannuation, and couples will need around $730,000.

The catch is these figures assume that you’ll be retiring from age 67 and that you’ll need to fund around 10 to 15 years of retirement living. 

OK, so how much should I have in my superannuation at age 59 to reach this goal?

I’ve crunched the numbers using ASFA’s online super detective tool and, assuming you have an income of around $100,000 per year, Australians should aim to have a superannuation balance of around $434,500 by age 59. 

How does this compare to your own superannuation balance?

What if I want to retire a couple of years earlier at age 65? How much would I need to have today to be considered on track?

That’s very achievable, but you’d need to have enough in your superannuation at age 65 to fund those two extra years.

Your annual costs will be around the same: $55,923 per year for single Australians and $78,566 per year combined for a couple living together.

But, as I mentioned above, you’ll need to fund an additional two years above what ASFA accounts for.

That means, at age 65, singles will need to have around $742,000 in their superannuation, and couples will need a combined balance closer to $888,000 at the same age. 

To be considered on track for this amount at age 59, you’d need to have around $481,000 in your superannuation.

Is it possible to retire at age 60 and still live comfortably in retirement?

Yes. Again, this is very achievable if you have the funds to be able to support yourself for those additional seven years until age 67. 

At age 60, singles will need to have closer to $1 million in their superannuation. Meanwhile, couples will need a combined balance of around $1.3 million at the same age.

That means that at age 59, your superannuation balance should be very close to these levels. If not, you’d have just one year to make up the difference.

The post How much should I have in my superannuation at age 59? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor Samantha Menzies has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP) shares slipped fractionally to $60.78 during Monday afternoon trading. That follows a softer month, with the mining giant down around 7%.

But zoom out, and the picture flips completely: BHP shares have surged roughly 34% year to date and a stunning 53% over the past 12 months.

After a run like that, the obvious question is whether there’s anything left in the tank. Here are five reasons the answer might be yes.

1. BHP is quietly becoming a copper giant

Forget the old image of BHP shares as an iron ore miner with side hustles. Copper is now doing the heavy lifting. In FY 2026, copper contributed more than half of BHP’s underlying EBITDA for the first time ever, with production hitting roughly 2 million tonnes.

It gets bigger from here. BHP’s copper growth pipeline could lift attributable production by around 40% by FY 2035. That’s a full-throttle bet on a metal the company believes is set to ride the electrification, digitalisation, and power-demand supercycle.

2. Iron ore hasn’t gone anywhere

None of this means BHP is walking away from iron ore. WA Iron Ore delivered record production in FY 2026 and, according to BHP, remains the world’s lowest-cost major iron ore operation. The target now is production above 305 million tonnes a year.

That’s not a dying business propping up a new one. It’s a cash-printing machine that can bankroll the next growth chapter of BHP shares without forcing shareholders to gamble on unproven ventures.

3. A massive potash bet flying under the radar

BHP is about to add an entirely new commodity to its arsenal. The Jansen potash project in Canada was 84% complete at the end of FY 2026 and remains on track for first production in mid-2027 — with an expected operating life beyond 60 years.

That’s exposure to global food security and agricultural demand, sitting alongside BHP’s traditional commodity mix. It’s a diversification play most miners simply can’t match.

4. The cash machine just got louder

BHP generated US$9.8 billion of free cash flow in FY 2026 — an 83% jump. Net debt fell below US$9 billion, and the company handed shareholders US$8.7 billion in dividends, its biggest annual payout in four years.

For income investors in BHP shares, that’s not a footnote. That’s the headline.

5. Growth without losing the plot

Here’s the part that should reassure the sceptics: BHP isn’t just throwing cash at new mines and hoping for the best.

Management is squeezing productivity and technology out of existing operations, with unit costs running 6% lower on average across major assets in FY 2026 — despite inflation and rising diesel costs working against them.

Should investors keep watching BHP shares?

A 53% gain over 12 months means valuation and commodity price risk can’t be brushed aside. But the real story here isn’t the share price, it’s that BHP itself is changing shape.

This isn’t the old BHP shares wearing a higher price tag. It’s a copper-led growth business, propped up by a world-class iron ore operation, a brand-new potash division, and a cash engine running hotter than ever.

The real question for investors isn’t whether BHP has already run too far. It’s whether this reinvention can deliver another leg of growth, without BHP losing the shareholder return discipline that made it a market darling in the first place.

The post BHP shares are up 53%. Here are 5 reasons why they may not be done yet appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor Marc Van Dinther has positions in BHP Group. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended BHP Group. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

It has been a strong start to the week for Ramelius Resources Ltd (ASX: RMS) shares.

The gold miner is up 6.98% to $3.83 in midday trade on Monday after releasing its latest update to the market.

However, the stock is still down around 8% since the start of 2026.

So, what’s behind the sudden buying?

Gold output could triple by FY30

According to the release, Ramelius expects to produce between 205,000 and 225,000 ounces of gold in FY27.

All-in sustaining costs (AISC) are forecast at between $2,150 and $2,350 per ounce.

From there, though, production is expected to really start stepping up.

Ramelius is guiding for 250,000 to 300,000 ounces in FY28, before climbing again to 410,000 to 460,000 ounces in FY29.

By FY30, the company is targeting annual production of 560,000 to 610,000 ounces, with AISC of $2,100 to $2,400 per ounce.

That would be 11% above its previous FY30 production plan and around 205% higher than FY26 output.

A lot of that growth should come from Mt Magnet, which could produce 420,000 to 460,000 ounces in FY30.

Rebecca-Roe is expected to contribute another 140,000 to 150,000 ounces that year.

Ramelius is spending heavily to get there

Of course, getting production up to those levels won’t be cheap.

Ramelius expects growth capital expenditure of between $480 million and $570 million in FY27.

A large chunk of that is set to go towards Mt Magnet.

The cost of expanding the processing plant has now increased to around $280 million, up from the previous estimate of $223 million.

The company said the increase reflects higher costs, greater fixed-price coverage, and extra infrastructure work.

The expanded plant is targeted for completion in the December 2027 quarter and should lift total throughput to 4.3Mtpa.

Commercial production is expected to start in the March 2028 quarter.

Ramelius has plenty of firepower

The good news is Ramelius isn’t heading into this spending phase short on funding.

The company said its cash, gold, and investment holdings currently sit above $1 billion.

That includes proceeds from the recent Edna May hub sale, which brought in $210 million in cash and another $90 million worth of Forrestania Resources Ltd (ASX: FRS) shares.

Ramelius said the growth plan remains fully funded, which gives it a bit more breathing room while spending ramps up.

Management also expects the stronger production profile to start showing up in cash flow later in the decade.

By FY30, Ramelius is forecasting free cash flow of as much as $1.5 billion, based on a gold price of $5,500 per ounce.

The post Why is this ASX gold share rocketing 7% on Monday? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor Aaron Teboneras has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.