Super is the one big pile of money most Australians barely look at. It comes out of your pay automatically, it sits with a fund you may not have chosen, and unless you go looking you have no idea whether the balance is healthy for your age or quietly falling behind. So let's put some real numbers next to it.
What people actually have
The ATO's taxation statistics show the median super balance by age, which is the honest middle. Half of people in each age group have more, half have less. Roughly, that median sits around $33,000 in your early thirties, around $72,000 in your early forties, around $115,000 in your early fifties, and around $201,000 in the years just before retirement.
Those are the balances people really have, not the balances they are told they need. It is worth knowing both, because the two numbers can be a fair way apart.
What you are aiming for
The Association of Superannuation Funds of Australia (ASFA) publishes the widely used target for a comfortable retirement. As of the March 2026 quarter, a single homeowner is estimated to need about $630,000 in super by age 67, and a couple about $730,000 (ASFA Retirement Standard). A comfortable retirement in ASFA's terms means around $54,840 a year for a single person and $77,375 for a couple, covering private health cover, the odd trip away and a reasonable car.
The bit that does the heavy lifting
Your employer now has to pay 12% of your wage into super, up from 11.5%, since 1 July 2025. On top of that, the money already in there keeps earning, and those earnings earn too. That compounding is why starting early matters so much, and why a balance that looks small in your thirties still has decades to grow.
Let's say two people both have $50,000 in super at age 35 and both add nothing extra beyond their employer contributions. The one whose fund returns a bit more each year, or who pays lower fees, can end up tens of thousands ahead by retirement without ever putting in a dollar more. So the two things worth checking are your balance against your age, and what your super is actually invested in.
You can find your balance in your super fund provider's app, website or annual statement. You can also see it in myGov. It takes five minutes and it is the first step to knowing whether you are on track or have some catching up to do.
The free Financial Fitness Check is 9 quick questions and about 5 minutes. No sign-up. You get an honest score across five areas — cash flow, savings, debt, super and protection — and your three next steps.
Take the free Financial Fitness CheckCommon questions
- How much super should I have at my age?
- The ATO taxation statistics show median super balances of roughly $33,000 in your early thirties, $72,000 in your early forties, $115,000 in your early fifties, and $201,000 in the years before retirement. Those are what people actually have. As a target, ASFA estimates a single homeowner needs about $630,000 by age 67 for a comfortable retirement, and a couple about $730,000 (ASFA Retirement Standard, March 2026 quarter).
- How much super do I need to retire comfortably in Australia?
- ASFA estimates a single homeowner needs about $630,000 in super by age 67 and a couple about $730,000. A comfortable retirement in ASFA terms means around $54,840 a year for a single person and $77,375 for a couple, assuming you own your home.
- How do I check my super balance?
- You can find your balance in your super fund provider’s app, website or annual statement. You can also see it in myGov. It takes about five minutes, and it is the first step to knowing whether you are on track.
This guide is general information, not personal financial advice.