You can access your super tax-free from age 60 once you've retired or met another condition of release, such as turning 65, as long as it's paid from a taxed super fund. Your preservation age, the earliest age you can generally get to your super, is 60 for everyone born after 30 June 1964. Before that, you can only get to it in limited circumstances. Here's how the rules work in 2026.
Planning to retire or draw on your super? Our retirement tax advice checks the tax on each option before you decide.
Preservation age is now 60 for everyone
Your preservation age is the earliest age you can access your super, other than in special circumstances. It used to depend on when you were born, starting at 55 for people born before 1 July 1960. Since 1 July 2024, everyone who hadn't already reached their preservation age has one of 60.
Born before 1 July 1960: 55
Born 1 July 1960 – 30 June 1961: 56
Born 1 July 1961 – 30 June 1962: 57
Born 1 July 1962 – 30 June 1963: 58
Born 1 July 1963 – 30 June 1964: 59
Born on or after 1 July 1964: 60
Anyone born before 1 July 1964 is now over 62, so in practice the question for people still working is simply: when do I turn 60?
When your super is tax-free
Age 60 and retired
Once you're 60 and retired, lump sums and pension payments from a taxed super fund are tax-free, and they don't count towards your taxable income. You're treated as retired if you've stopped work and don't intend to work 10 or more hours a week again, or if you're 60 or over and an employment arrangement ends after you turn 60, even if you keep working elsewhere.
Example: Sarah is 62 and has retired from her full-time job. She can withdraw her whole $400,000 balance, or start an account-based pension, without paying tax on it.
Age 65, working or not
Turning 65 is a condition of release in its own right. You can access your super from 65 whether you're still working full-time or not, and payments from a taxed fund are tax-free.
The untaxed element exception
Some super, mainly from older public sector schemes, includes an untaxed element because the fund hasn't paid tax on the contributions. Payments of that element are still taxed after 60, although at concessional rates. Your fund can tell you whether any of your balance is untaxed.
Transition to retirement
If you're 60 or over but still working, a transition to retirement (TTR) pension lets you draw on your super without retiring. You must withdraw at least 4% of the balance each year and can take no more than 10%. TTR payments are tax-free once you're 60, but investment earnings inside a TTR pension are still taxed at up to 15%, unlike a retirement-phase pension.
A TTR pension can help you cut your hours while keeping your income steady, or be paired with salary sacrifice to boost your super before you retire.
Accessing super before 60
You can only get to your super early in limited situations, such as:
Severe financial hardship: if you've received eligible government income support for 26 weeks in a row and can't meet immediate living expenses, you can withdraw between $1,000 and $10,000 once in any 12-month period.
Compassionate grounds: approved by the ATO for specific expenses, such as medical treatment, preventing the foreclosure of your home, or a dependant's funeral.
Terminal medical condition or permanent incapacity: with medical certification.
Leaving Australia: temporary visa holders who leave permanently can claim a departing Australia superannuation payment (DASP), which is taxed.
Early release payments may be taxed, depending on the reason and your age, so check before you apply. Payments for a terminal medical condition are tax-free.
Making the most of tax-free super
Plan around 60. That's when tax-free access starts for most people, as long as you've met a condition of release.
Consider an account-based pension. Earnings on a retirement-phase pension are tax-free (up to the transfer balance cap), not just the payments.
Keep contributing if it suits you. If you're under 75, you can generally make contributions without meeting a work test, although a work test still applies to personal deductible contributions from age 67.
Know your components. Your fund statement shows the tax-free and taxable components, and any untaxed element.
Think about your estate. Super paid to adult children who aren't dependants can be taxed on death, so a recontribution strategy may be worth discussing before you withdraw.
Need advice on your super?
Super rules are complex, and the right approach depends on your age, balance and plans. Contact Australia Wide Tax Solutions or call 0488 854 200, and we'll help you work out the most tax-effective way to access your super.
From 1 July 2026, super must reach your employee's fund within 7 business days of each payday. Deadlines, penalties and a payroll checklist for employers.
