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Super Access Age Calculator
Preservation age is set by your birth date, and the rules are frozen in legislation — which means the answer will not change. The date, however, is worth knowing precisely.
Preservation age · Age Pension age 67
At a glance
Interactive calculator
Live — results update as you type
When can you reach your super?
Preservation age depends on your birth date, not your age on a given day.
Your access date
—preservation age
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Three dates people confuse
Preservation age
The earliest you can access super, and only if you also meet a condition of release such as retiring. It runs from 55 for those born before July 1960 up to 60 for anyone born after June 1964.
Age 65
At 65 you can access super regardless of whether you are still working. No condition of release is needed.
Age Pension age
67 for anyone born on or after 1 January 1957. This is separate from super and is means tested on income and assets.
Born 12 May 1984
Preservation age is 60, reached on 12 May 2044 — about 17 years and six months from now. From that date, and with a condition of release such as retiring, you can start an account-based pension and draw tax-free income.
If you keep working, unconditional access waits until 65, in May 2049. The Age Pension does not begin until 67. Three different ages, three different rules, and only one of them is set by your birthday.
Super access questions
Can I access super before preservation age?
Only on compassionate grounds, for terminal illness, permanent incapacity, or severe financial hardship — each with strict criteria and, in the hardship case, a limit on how much can be released. Early access on hardship is taxed and should be a last resort.
What is transition to retirement?
From preservation age you can start a transition to retirement income stream while still working. Since 1 July 2017 the earnings on that pension are taxed at 15%, not 0%, so the main benefit is supplementing reduced working hours rather than tax arbitrage.
Does my preservation age change if I keep working?
No. Preservation age is fixed by birth date. But reaching it does not automatically give you access — you also need to meet a condition of release, and continuing to work full time is not one.
Is super paid out tax-free after 60?
Withdrawals from a taxed fund are tax-free once you are 60 and retired. Between preservation age and 60, the taxable component is taxed at your marginal rate less a 15% offset.
What about the transfer balance cap?
$2.0 million from 1 July 2025. It limits how much you can move into the tax-free pension phase, not how much you can hold in super. Amounts above the cap stay in accumulation, where earnings are taxed at 15%.
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Turn these numbers into a decision
A calculator gives you a range. An adviser gives you a decision — pressure-tested against your super, your tax position and the life you actually want to fund.
General advice only · No obligation · No product push
Preservation age is determined by legislation based on date of birth. This tool reflects the current rules and does not account for future legislative change. Access also requires a condition of release. General information only.
Reviewed November 2026 · FY2026–27 rates and thresholds