In Australia, the average age of retirement is 65 years old. But did you know you can access your superannuation a lot earlier, at age 60?

That’s because, at age 60, you’re officially at preservation age. Which means if you’ve ceased working, you’re eligible to start your retirement and begin drawing down on your superannuation balance.

Of course, the only catch is that you’ll need enough in your super to fund a comfortable retirement lifestyle. 

But what could a comfortable retirement starting at age 60 actually look like? 

Let’s investigate.

What does a ‘comfortable retirement’ mean?

The Association of Superannuation Funds of Australia (ASFA) divides retirement into two broad lifestyle categories: comfortable and modest.

A comfortable retirement is defined as one that enables retirees to maintain a good standard of living well beyond the Age Pension and a modest retirement. It budgets for expenses such as top-tier private health insurance and regular leisure activities. It allocates funds for home repairs or renovations, the occasional meal out, and perhaps even an annual holiday.

Meanwhile, a modest retirement is defined as being able to cover expenses just slightly above what the full Centrelink Age Pension would provide from age 67.

How much does a comfortable retirement cost?

ASFA estimates that a comfortable retirement will cost around $55,923 per year for single Australians. A couple living together can expect to spend around $78,566 per year combined.

In order to fund this lifestyle level, ASFA has calculated that at age 67, single Australians will need around $630,000. Couples will need a combined superannuation balance closer to $730,000.

But the catch is that these figures are based on the understanding that you’ll retire at age 67, that you will only need to fund around 10 years of retirement, will be eligible to receive a part Age Pension, and you own your home in full.

So, if you want to retire at a much earlier age of 60, you’ll need to work towards a different goal to be able to fund those extra seven years.

I want to retire at age 60. How much superannuation do I need?

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 seven years that ASFA figures haven’t accounted for.

I’ve done a quick calculation to work out the amount you actually need in your superannuation to retire at age 60 and maintain the same comfortable quality of life.

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. 

But note, if you don’t own your home outright, you’ll also need to consider how you’ll pay your mortgage or rent.

Is your superannuation on track to retire early?

The post How much do I need in my superannuation to retire comfortably at age 60? 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.

The FireFly Metals Ltd (ASX: FFM) share price is on the move today after releasing key results from its Green Bay Copper-Gold Project study, including a preliminary economic assessment (PEA) showing robust project economics and a major resource upgrade.

What did FireFly Metals report?

• After-tax NPV_7% of ~A$2.2 billion and IRR of 42% over a 32-year mine life for the 1.8Mtpa base case
• Steady-state annual copper equivalent production of 50kt (base case) and 90kt (4.6Mtpa alternative)
• Average post-tax annual free cash flow of ~A$290 million (base case) and ~A$550 million (4.6Mtpa alternative)
• Average C1 cash costs in the lower quartile, at US$2.05/lb CuEq (base case) and US$1.84/lb CuEq (4.6Mtpa alternative)
• Updated Mineral Resource Estimate: 60.2Mt at 2.4% CuEq (Measured & Indicated), plus 23.5Mt at 2.5% CuEq (Inferred)
• Existing cash and investments of A$183 million and plans for up to A$190 million in new equity funding

What else do investors need to know?

FireFly’s PEA assessed two scenarios for restarting the Green Bay Ming Mine: a 1.8Mtpa base case and a larger 4.6Mtpa option, both indicating a long-lived, high-margin project in Canada’s Newfoundland and Labrador. A significant portion of production targets is supported by higher-confidence resource categories, which helps underpin future development.

With all key environmental permits granted, the company is already underway with select early works intended to fast-track construction. Six drill rigs are active, targeting high-grade extensions and new discoveries near the existing resource, aiming to grow resources and support further mine life extensions.

What did FireFly Metals management say?

FireFly Managing Director Steve Parsons commented:

The findings of the economic study prove that Green Bay is one of the best undeveloped copper projects in the world based on a range of key metrics, ranging from scale and production profile through to financial returns and growth. The base case of 50,000t a year generates strong returns and we have a clear pathway to double that. And that is before allowing for the growth we aim to unlock through our ongoing drilling programs in the high-grade areas of the mine and the highly prospective regional exploration program now cranking up. The project simply ticks every box and is clearly poised to generate outstanding returns for all our stakeholders. The highly enviable nature of Green Bay is reflected in the fact that we have just launched a A$180m share placement across the ASX and TSX exchanges. Once in production, Green Bay has the potential to be one of the biggest copper mines in the world outside those owned by the multi-nationals and diversified mining giants. This means FireFly offers investors virtually pure copper exposure via an asset with genuine world-scale in a tier-one location. Our scale, our concentrated copper exposure and our outstanding growth outlook is a very rare combination in global markets. It is unique on the ASX. FireFly offers concentrated exposure to high-grade copper production in a tier-one location with ongoing growth potential.

What’s next for FireFly Metals?

FireFly plans to complete a definitive Feasibility Study and its maiden Ore Reserve estimate in the first quarter of 2027, aiming to enable a final investment decision and begin full construction soon after. The early works already underway, together with regulatory approvals and available funding, position the company to begin first concentrate production targeted for mid-2029.

The company is also pursuing further resource growth through underground and regional drilling, and is actively working on additional exploration and government funding opportunities to enhance project economics and reduce funding risk for future development phases.

FireFly Metals share price snapshot

Over the past 12 months, FireFly Metals shares have risen 64%, significantly outperforming the All Ordinaries Index (ASX: XAO), which has risen 1% over the same period.

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The post FireFly Metals reveals robust Green Bay PEA and resource boost appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor Laura Stewart 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. This article was prepared with the assistance of Large Language Model (LLM) tools for the initial summary of the company announcement. Any content assisted by AI is subject to our robust human-in-the-loop quality control framework, involving thorough review, substantial editing, and fact-checking by our experienced writers and editors holding appropriate credentials. The Motley Fool Australia stands behind the work of our editorial team and takes ultimate responsibility for the content published by The Motley Fool Australia.

The Integral Diagnostics Ltd (ASX: IDX) share price is in the spotlight after the company reported a 25.6% rise in revenue to $788.7 million, alongside a 50% boost in operating NPAT to $47.4 million for FY26.

What did Integral Diagnostics report?

• Revenue grew 25.6% to $788.7 million
• Operating EBITDA jumped 30.3% to $164.8 million, with margins up to 20.9%
• Operating NPAT climbed 50.1% to $47.4 million
• Operating diluted EPS increased by 23.6% to 12.6 cents
• Fully franked final dividend of 6.0 cents per share (total FY26: 9.3 cents), up 50%
• Operating free cash flow up 30.7% to $106.4 million, with conversion at 82%

What else do investors need to know?

Integral’s strong FY26 performance reflects both organic growth and successful integration of the Capitol Health merger, with more than $14 million in annual synergies realised—well above initial expectations. Patient volumes and Medicare indexation drove much of the revenue uplift, and there was continued momentum in higher value imaging services like CT, MRI, and PET scans.

The balance sheet remains on solid footing. Net debt edged up slightly to $298.9 million, but leverage fell to 2.3x Operating EBITDA, within the company’s target range. Management also reported a reduction in the average interest rate on core debt and confirmed all banking covenants are being met.

What did Integral Diagnostics management say?

Jason Martinez, Managing Director and CEO, said:

IDX delivered a strong FY26 result, with solid revenue growth, improved margins and disciplined execution across the business, resulting in performance in line with our guidance. This translated into enhanced shareholder returns, with operating diluted EPS increasing 23.6% and a fully franked final dividend of 6.0 cents per share, up 50.0% on the prior year.

What’s next for Integral Diagnostics?

Integral Diagnostics says it’s well placed to ride favourable industry trends like increasing demand for diagnostic imaging and the shift to higher-value modalities. Priorities for FY27 and beyond include disciplined core growth, selective network expansion, people and culture investment, and digital innovation.

The company is targeting sustainable revenue growth, ongoing margin expansion above 21%, further productivity gains, and improved patient access. Expected capex for FY27 is $50 million to $60 million for replacement and growth initiatives.

Integral Diagnostics share price snapshot

Over the past 12 months, Integral Diagnostics shares have declined 16%, trailing the All Ordinaries Index (ASX: XAO), which has risen 1% over the same period.

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The post Integral Diagnostics posts profit and dividend growth in FY26 appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor Laura Stewart 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. This article was prepared with the assistance of Large Language Model (LLM) tools for the initial summary of the company announcement. Any content assisted by AI is subject to our robust human-in-the-loop quality control framework, involving thorough review, substantial editing, and fact-checking by our experienced writers and editors holding appropriate credentials. The Motley Fool Australia stands behind the work of our editorial team and takes ultimate responsibility for the content published by The Motley Fool Australia.