ASFA publishes age-based super benchmarks — but they assume you started working at 25 and contributed 9-12% your entire career. This guide explains what the benchmarks mean, why yours might differ, and what to do if you are behind.
The Association of Superannuation Funds of Australia (ASFA) publishes indicative super balance benchmarks at various ages, based on what someone would need to have accumulated to retire at 67 on a "comfortable" income. These assume consistent contributions from age 25 at the Superannuation Guarantee rate.
| Age | ASFA Benchmark Balance | ABS Median (most recent) |
|---|---|---|
| 25 | ~$14,000 | ~$6,000 |
| 30 | ~$37,000 | ~$18,000 |
| 35 | ~$65,000 | ~$35,000 |
| 40 | ~$105,000 | ~$55,000 |
| 45 | ~$160,000 | ~$90,000 |
| 50 | ~$230,000 | ~$130,000 |
| 55 | ~$320,000 | ~$185,000 |
| 60 | ~$430,000 | ~$210,000 |
Enter your current balance, salary, and age to see your projected balance at 67.
Open Superannuation Calculator →The benchmark assumes working from 25 to 67 on a consistent income with full SG contributions. In practice, many Australians experience:
ASFA defines two retirement standards for 2025-26:
| Standard | Single (annual) | Couple (annual) | Super needed (no pension) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Comfortable retirement | $51,630 | $72,663 | ~$595k (single), ~$690k (couple) |
| Modest retirement | $33,134 | $47,387 | ~$100k (pension supplements rest) |
Most Australians will retire at modest to comfortable levels combining super with a full or partial Age Pension. The Age Pension (currently $1,200.90/fortnight for singles) significantly reduces the super balance needed to fund retirement — someone on a full Age Pension needs very little super to achieve the modest standard.
Women retire with approximately 23% less superannuation than men on average (ASFA, 2024). This reflects lower average wages, more frequent career breaks, higher rates of part-time work, and longer periods outside the workforce for caregiving. The gap is most pronounced between ages 30-50 — the period with the highest career impact from family responsibilities.
The government has taken several steps to address this: super is now paid on Commonwealth Parental Leave Pay (from 1 July 2025), the SG contributions threshold was removed (1 July 2022), and payday super from July 2026 will particularly benefit workers with irregular income.
How much superannuation should I have at 40?
ASFA's benchmarks suggest an average super balance of approximately $100,000-$120,000 for a 40-year-old aiming for a comfortable retirement. The ABS reports the median super balance for Australians aged 35-44 is approximately $50,000-$70,000 — significantly below the benchmark, partly because many people had career gaps, lower incomes in early career, or periods of self-employment.
How much super do I need to retire comfortably in Australia?
ASFA defines a comfortable retirement as requiring $72,663 per year for couples and $51,630 for singles (2025-26). To sustain this income at age 67 using only super (no Age Pension), you would need a balance of approximately $690,000 for a couple and $595,000 for a single. Many Australians combine super with a partial Age Pension, reducing the required balance significantly.
What is the average superannuation balance in Australia?
The ABS Household Income and Wealth Survey (2021-22, most recent data) shows average super balances: men 45-54 average approximately $190,000; women 45-54 average approximately $120,000. The gender super gap remains significant — women tend to have lower balances due to career breaks for caregiving, part-time work, and historically lower wages.
What can I do if my super is below the benchmark for my age?
Main strategies to catch up: maximise salary sacrifice within the $30,000 concessional cap; make after-tax (non-concessional) contributions up to $120,000/year; use the carry-forward rules to contribute unused cap space from prior years (if balance under $500,000); and check whether you have lost super accounts consolidated that you have not claimed.