Use this calculator to estimate how long your super balance will last in retirement, based on your starting balance, annual withdrawals, investment returns, and age.
Results are projections only — actual outcomes will vary based on investment performance, inflation, tax, and other factors. This calculator does not account for Age Pension income, which would extend how long your money lasts for most retirees.
Super Drawdown Calculator
How to Use This Calculator
Starting balance: Enter your total super balance at the point you retire (or today, if you are already in retirement).
Age at retirement: Enter the age at which you plan to start drawing down your super.
Annual withdrawal: Enter how much you plan to draw from super each year. The ASFA Retirement Standard suggests approximately $52,000/year for a comfortable single retirement and $73,000/year for a couple.
Annual investment return: A balanced fund has historically returned around 6–8% per year over the long term. In pension phase, returns are tax-free on the amount within the transfer balance cap. A conservative assumption (5–6%) provides a more cautious estimate; use 7–8% for a historical long-run estimate. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future returns.
Important Caveats
This calculator provides a simple projection only. It does not account for:
- Age Pension: Most Australians become eligible for at least a part Age Pension as their super depletes. The Age Pension would extend how long your money lasts significantly beyond what this calculator shows
- Inflation: Over 20–30 years, the purchasing power of a fixed annual withdrawal will decline. Consider increasing your assumed withdrawal by 2–3% per year to reflect this
- Variable returns: Real investment returns fluctuate year to year. A major market downturn in early retirement can significantly reduce how long the money lasts (known as sequence-of-returns risk)
- Tax: Pension phase earnings are 0% tax (under $3M total super balance). Withdrawals are tax-free at 60+. This calculator implicitly assumes post-tax amounts
- Minimum drawdown rules: The ATO minimum drawdown rates require certain percentages to be drawn each year — ensure your annual withdrawal is at least the minimum for your age
For advice tailored to your retirement income situation, speak with a licensed financial adviser. You can find one through the ASIC financial advisers register or MoneySmart.