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Calculating your retirement savings: How much is enough?

21 November 2024

Financial wellnessSuperannuation

When you picture your retirement, how does it look? Will you be travelling the world trying out daredevil adventures? Or are you more interested in forging local connections and enjoying the home you’ve created? Whatever your vision, keeping your superannuation on track will help fund the lifestyle you choose.  

But how do you tell how it’s tracking? Checking your super balance can just feel like staring at a number on a screen. How do you know if this number will grow to be enough for your retirement lifestyle? 

Taking the mystery away from your super balance is simple. And the good news is, the information you need is easy to access, and our free calculators help you crunch the numbers. It’s one of the simplest and most effective ways to demystify your super.

Let our calculators do the heavy lifting to demystify your super, see if you're on track and identify any gaps early.

Before you start, you’ll need to know your numbers

1.        When do you want to retire?

Some people have a clear plan for when they will retire. For others, retirement may be a long time away, and answering this is harder. If you’re unsure, using age 65 is common because that’s when you will have access to your super even if you’re still working. It's a good place to start your planning and thinking.

2.        What’s your current super balance?

Log in to your GuildSuper account or App and check your balance. If you have more than one account, add the balances together. You may also want to consider combining your accounts  as you could save on fees. However, you should consider the different fees and costs, amount of insurance cover offered and any other relevant information before deciding to combine your super.

3.        How much do you earn before tax?

You should be able to see your before tax income on your pay slips or through your HR portal (depending on your employer).

You’re ready to crunch some numbers!

Try our free Retirement Income calculator. Use the numbers you collected above and follow the on-screen instructions to see where your super balance might land at retirement. The calculator also allows you to add other information such as extra contributions or details about your partner if you have one.

Understanding the results

The results will show your life expectancy and the age your super is estimated to runout. Are they near each other? If your super looks like it might not last long enough then you may consider:

·      Increasing your retirement age

·      Making extra contributions to your super

·      Changing your investment risk

·      Adjusting your retirement spending (target income)

·      Adding your partner/spouse (if you have one)

Don’t forget to take your personal objectives, financial situation or needs into account before taking any action, and consider speaking with a GuildSuper Coach or financial adviser.

Accessing help and support 

Unsure what to do with your results?

Our Coach team is here to answer your questions and provide retirement advice at no extra cost.

We’d love to hear from you!
Call or email
1300 COACH 0 (1300 262 240) OR coach@guildsuper.com.au

Our free super calculators help take the guesswork out of planning for retirement by turning that daunting, abstract balance into clear, actionable insights. Instead of seeing your super balance as a vague number, you can begin to see it as a tool that shapes your plans for your future.

All information is general only and does not take into account your personal objectives, financial situation or needs. Calculators rely on assumptions that if varied could change the result. It does not take into account the potential impact of taxes, fees and costs on your savings. Actual outcomes will be different if the assumptions don’t replicate your personal circumstances. Any intra-fund advice is provided by or on behalf of Future Group Financial Services Pty Ltd.