How it works
Every month between now and preservation age, your Super Guarantee and any voluntary contribution are invested at the expected return you enter, compounding on top of your current balance. The Super Guarantee percentage and voluntary percentage simply add together — there's no cap or matching logic here, unlike an employer-match scheme. This is a nominal projection: the dollar figure is not adjusted for inflation, so it represents future dollars, not today's purchasing power.
n = (preservation age − current age) × 12
monthly contribution = (SG % + voluntary %) × salary ÷ 12
monthly r = expected return % ÷ 12 ÷ 100
balance at preservation age = balance × (1+r)ⁿ + contribution × [((1+r)ⁿ − 1) ÷ r]
This model assumes a constant contribution rate and a constant annual return every year until preservation age — real markets and real salaries both vary year to year, so treat the result as a planning estimate rather than a guarantee.
Worked example
Age 30 with a preservation age of 60, $15,000 starting balance, $90,000 salary, 12% Super Guarantee, 0% voluntary contribution, 7% expected return.
- Months to preservation age: (60 − 30) × 12 = 360 months.
- Monthly contribution: (12% + 0%) × $90,000 ÷ 12 = $900/month.
- Monthly return r = 7% ÷ 12 ÷ 100 ≈ 0.0058333, so (1+r)³⁶⁰ ≈ 8.116.
- Growth on the starting balance: $15,000 × 8.116 ≈ $121,747.
- Growth on contributions: $900 × [(8.116 − 1) ÷ 0.0058333] ≈ $1,097,974.
Total projected balance at preservation age: ≈ $1,219,721 AUD in nominal (not inflation-adjusted) dollars.
Common questions
What is the Super Guarantee rate?
It's the minimum percentage of your salary your employer is legally required to contribute to your superannuation on your behalf, set by legislation — this calculator defaults to the current rate, which you can edit if it changes or if you want to model a different scenario.
What's the difference between preservation age and retirement age?
Preservation age is the earliest age you're legally allowed to access your super, and it is not the same as the age you stop working. It used to depend on your birth year, running from 55 up to 60, but that transition has finished: it is now 60 for everyone who has not already passed it. Reaching 60 is not enough on its own, though. You also need to meet a condition of release, which usually means retiring or ending an employment arrangement after turning 60. From 65 you can access your super whether you are still working or not, and the Age Pension age is different again, at 67.
Should I make voluntary contributions on top of the Super Guarantee?
It can meaningfully grow your balance over a long horizon, especially with concessional (pre-tax) contributions, but caps and tax treatment apply — this calculator only projects the balance from a given contribution rate, it doesn't model contribution caps or tax, so check current limits before acting on the projection.