When Can I Get My Super? Key Conditions for Release

Superannuation, often called “super,” is Australia’s primary system for saving money for retirement. It functions as a long-term investment, with funds generally preserved until an individual reaches their retirement years. The system ensures Australians have income to support themselves financially once they are no longer working.

Employers make mandatory contributions, known as the Superannuation Guarantee (SG), into an employee’s chosen super fund. These contributions, currently set at 12% of an employee’s wages as of July 1, 2025, are invested over the individual’s working life. The government introduced compulsory superannuation to promote self-funded retirement and reduce reliance on public pensions.

Normal Access to Superannuation

Accessing superannuation depends on reaching a specific age and meeting certain retirement conditions. The earliest age an individual can access their super is called the “preservation age,” which varies based on their birth date. Super is held until these conditions are met.

| Date of Birth | Preservation Age |
| :——————— | :————— |
| Before 1 July 1960 | 55 |
| 1 July 1960 – 30 June 1961 | 56 |
| 1 July 1961 – 30 June 1962 | 57 |
| 1 July 1962 – 30 June 1963 | 58 |
| 1 July 1963 – 30 June 1964 | 59 |
| From 1 July 1964 | 60 |

Once an individual reaches their preservation age, they can access their super if they meet a condition of release, such as retiring. Retirement means reaching preservation age and ceasing a gainful employment arrangement with no intention to become gainfully employed again. If an individual is aged 60 or over, they can access their super once they cease an employment arrangement, even if they do not officially retire. By age 65, individuals can access all their super regardless of their employment status.

Another pathway for accessing super is through a Transition to Retirement (TTR) income stream. This option allows individuals who have reached their preservation age to access a portion of their super as regular income payments. TTR income streams are designed to supplement income, particularly for those reducing their working hours, but they are not lump sum withdrawals. Payments from a TTR income stream are subject to annual minimum and maximum limits, typically between 4% and 10% of the account balance.

Early Access Conditions

Specific and limited circumstances allow individuals to access their superannuation before reaching their preservation age. These conditions are regulated to ensure super remains a retirement savings vehicle. Each early release condition has specific criteria and requires supporting documentation.

One condition is compassionate grounds, which allows access for essential expenses such as medical treatment for a life-threatening illness or injury, palliative care, or modifying a home or vehicle due to a severe disability. It can also cover funeral or burial expenses for a dependant or preventing the foreclosure or forced sale of a home. Applications for compassionate grounds are processed by the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) and require proof that the expense is unpaid and the applicant cannot afford to pay it without accessing super.

Severe financial hardship is another early access condition, requiring an individual to have received eligible government income support payments for a continuous period of 26 weeks. They must also be unable to meet reasonable and immediate family and living expenses. If an individual is over 60 and 39 weeks, they may qualify if they have received income support for a cumulative 39 weeks since turning 60 and are not gainfully employed. Applications for severe financial hardship are made directly to the super fund, which assesses eligibility based on legislative requirements.

Super can also be accessed due to temporary incapacity, which applies when a medical professional certifies that an individual is temporarily unable to work due to a physical or mental medical condition. This may allow for regular income stream payments to replace lost earnings. Permanent incapacity, also known as a disability super benefit, allows access if a medical professional certifies that an individual is permanently incapacitated, meaning they are unlikely to engage in gainful employment again. These conditions require medical certificates and may involve a review of the individual’s ability to work.

A terminal medical condition allows an individual to access their super if two medical practitioners, one of whom must be a specialist, certify that they have an illness or injury likely to result in death within 24 months. If these criteria are met, the super can be accessed as a tax-free lump sum if withdrawn within 24 months of certification. Applications for terminal medical conditions are made directly to the super fund.

Temporary residents departing Australia can claim a Departing Australia Superannuation Payment (DASP). This payment is available to eligible temporary residents who are permanently leaving the country. To be eligible, the individual must have left Australia, their visa must no longer be in effect, and they must not be an Australian or New Zealand citizen or a permanent resident. DASP applications are processed online through the ATO’s system.

Accessing Small Balances

Rules exist for accessing superannuation balances that are very small or considered unclaimed. The ATO holds unclaimed superannuation money when funds cannot locate members or accounts become inactive. Individuals can search for and reclaim their unclaimed super through the ATO’s online services, consolidating it into an active account or withdrawing it if eligible.

Super funds may also pay out small account balances directly to members. This occurs if the balance is below a specific threshold and the account has been inactive for a set period. Funds may release small balances even without a traditional condition of release if it is deemed uneconomical to maintain the account. These provisions streamline the management of numerous small, inactive accounts within the superannuation system.

Application Process and Tax Considerations

The process to access superannuation begins by contacting the relevant super fund, as most access requests are managed directly by them. While super funds handle many applications, some early release requests, such as those for compassionate grounds or Departing Australia Superannuation Payments (DASP), are processed directly by the ATO. Applicants must provide specific documentation to prove their eligibility, including medical reports, financial statements, or visa details.

Applications can be submitted through online portals, mail, or fund-specific forms. The ATO processes compassionate grounds applications within 14 days, though paper applications may take longer. Once approved by the ATO, an approval letter is issued, which is then provided to the super fund to arrange the release of funds.

The taxation of superannuation withdrawals depends on factors such as the individual’s age and whether the payment is taken as a lump sum or an income stream. Superannuation benefits are divided into tax-free and taxable components. For individuals aged 60 or over, lump sum withdrawals and income streams from a taxed super fund are tax-free.

If an individual is under 60, lump sum payments from the taxable component are taxed at a rate of up to 22% (including the Medicare levy). Withdrawals on compassionate grounds or due to severe financial hardship are also taxed as a lump sum. However, payments received due to a terminal medical condition are tax-free if withdrawn within 24 months of certification. DASP payments for temporary residents are subject to a specific tax, with rates varying based on visa type, ranging from 35% to 65% of the taxable component.