A super calculator for Australia: project your balance by age
This super calculator for Australia projects how much superannuation you could have when you retire. Enter your age, balance, salary and any extra contributions, and it works through every year to your retirement age: employer super at the 12% super guarantee, 15% contributions tax, investment returns, percentage and dollar fees and insurance premiums.
The answer is shown in future dollars and in today’s dollars, so a big number 35 years away is turned into something you can compare with prices now. A chart shows the balance by age and a table lists every fifth year; the full year-by-year projection downloads as CSV. Rules are dated (checked 24 October 2026 on ato.gov.au) and everything runs in your browser. It is an estimate, not financial advice.
How to use the Superannuation Calculator (Australia)
- Enter your age now, the age you plan to retire and your current super balance.
- Enter your salary before tax (not counting super), the employer super rate (12% is the legal minimum) and how fast you expect your pay to grow.
- Add any salary sacrifice or personal deductible contributions and any after-tax contributions.
- Set the yearly return after investment tax, then open “Fees, insurance and inflation” to match your fund.
- Read the projected balance, look at the chart and table, and download the CSV or copy the summary.
Superannuation Calculator (Australia) features
Super guarantee and caps
12% employer super up to the maximum contribution base, with warnings when you pass the $32,500 concessional or $130,000 non-concessional cap.
Contributions tax
15% on before-tax contributions, plus a Division 293 estimate if income and contributions top $250,000.
Real fees
A percentage-of-balance fee, a dollar admin fee and insurance premiums, all taken out every year.
Today’s dollars
Switch the result between future dollars and inflation-adjusted dollars.
Projection by age
Chart, five-yearly table and a full CSV you can open in a spreadsheet.
How the projection works
For each year the calculator grows your salary, works out employer super (rate × salary, capped at the $270,830 maximum contribution base, raised with wages), adds your extra contributions and deducts 15% tax from the before-tax ones. Contributions are assumed to arrive evenly through the year, so they earn half a year’s return: earnings = (opening balance + net contributions ÷ 2) × return. The percentage fee is charged on the same base, and the dollar fee and insurance (raised with inflation) come out at the end of the year.
Worked example: a $100,000 balance and a $100,000 salary for one year at a 10% return with no fees. Employer super is $12,000, less 15% tax = $10,200. Earnings are ($100,000 + $5,100) × 10% = $10,510, so the balance ends at $120,710. A 1% fee on the same base costs $1,051.
| Rule (2026–27) | Figure |
|---|---|
| Super guarantee | 12% of ordinary time earnings |
| Maximum contribution base | $270,830 a year |
| Concessional (before-tax) cap | $32,500 (was $30,000 to 30 June 2026) |
| Non-concessional (after-tax) cap | $130,000 |
| Tax on concessional contributions | 15% in the fund; extra 15% (Division 293) above $250,000 |
| Preservation age | 60 for anyone born after 30 June 1964 |
Choosing sensible assumptions
- Return: use the long-term return target of your investment option after investment tax — growth options aim higher but swing more. The 7% default is only an illustration.
- Fees: your annual statement or the fund’s product disclosure statement lists the percentage and dollar fees and your insurance premiums.
- Salary growth and inflation: wages have tended to grow faster than prices; the Reserve Bank targets inflation of 2–3%.
- Carry-forward: if your total super balance is under $500,000 you may use unused concessional cap amounts from the last five years — the warning here does not check that.
What this super calculator leaves out
It does not model the government co-contribution, the low income super tax offset, spouse contributions, downsizer contributions, career breaks, or switching investment options. It assumes contributions continue until the retirement age you choose. To turn the balance into a yearly retirement income, try the retirement calculator; to see your take-home pay and employer super today, use the Australia pay calculator; for a pension offer versus a lump sum, see the pension break-even calculator.
Superannuation Calculator (Australia) FAQ
How much super will I have at retirement?
It depends on your balance now, your salary, contributions, fees and returns. Enter yours above: for example a 30-year-old on $90,000 with $50,000 in super, at 7% after tax and 0.6% fees, projects to about $967,000 in today’s dollars (about $2.4 million in future dollars) at 67 with these defaults.
What does “today’s dollars” mean in a super calculator?
The future balance divided by inflation for every year in between, so you can compare it with prices now. At 2.5% inflation, $1 in 37 years buys about what 40 cents buys today.
Is this a super calculator by age?
Yes. The chart and table show your projected balance at every age from now to retirement, and the CSV lists each year.
Does salary sacrifice increase my super?
Yes. It goes in before income tax and is taxed 15% in the fund instead, but it counts towards the $32,500 concessional cap together with employer super.
When can I access my super?
Generally once you reach your preservation age (60 for anyone born after 30 June 1964) and retire, or at 65 even if you are still working.
Is this super calculator advice?
No. It is a free projection tool based on your assumptions and the ATO’s published rates; returns are not guaranteed.