How to make the most of your peak super-saving years

If you’ve already hit your thirties or forties, then chances are you’re in your peak super power years. Just to be clear, we’re not talking X-ray vision, leaping over tall buildings or avenging all the wrong in the world. But we are talking high stakes. Very high stakes – your money for your retirement. (And maybe even a little invisible forcefield, but more on that later.)

If you’re in Generation X or Y, which roughly means you’re in your mid-30s to 50s, then you’ve probably got a swag of stuff going on in your life right now. Experience shows us these are not just the peak superannuation saving years, but they’re also the peak years for big life events. And when we say big, we mean huge, including buying homes, partnering up, having children, advancing careers, upgrading the car, renovating and, hate to be boring but, well, ‘settling down’.

So there might be lots of things competing for your dollars, which is why getting your super pathway sorted now could be one of the best ways to put your super powers to good use.

We’ve got plenty of super tips to help make the road to your retirement possibly a little smoother. But first, let’s take a look at where you’re at right now.

Log on to your super fund account and check out your balance. Knowing this is ground zero and the starting point for potentially supercharging your retirement.

Most super funds have online calculators that estimate how much money you may have when it finally comes time to quit work for good. Each calculator uses in-built assumptions about you and your investments, contributions, investment returns, inflation and tax. So, drill down for a closer look and make sure the calculator settings are a good match for your income and situation.

And while you’re drilling down, it’s also a great time to play around. Maybe pump up the deposit rate through extra contributions; shorten your work life to see if early retirement is an option; or change your investment choice to see if taking a different level of risk is worth the potential projected investment return.

As an example, adding as little as $20 a week, someone who’s 35 could have an extra $40K and someone who’s 40 could have an extra $30K when they retire.¹ Head to the Moneysmart calculator to have a play with your own figures and see how much you could possibly boost your retirement. You’ll thank you that you did.

Now that you know where you’re at and where you could possibly be, it’s time to fine-tune those powers with a quick look at that invisible forcefield we mentioned earlier.

A mid-career, mid-family, peak-super-powers life means you’re busy. Really busy. Too busy living your life to have to worry about what it could mean for you and your family if you had to stop working. That’s where the forcefield comes in. Insurance is about providing a way to support your family and possibly financially maintaining the lifestyle you have grown accustomed to, if something were to happen to you. There are different types of insurance available within superannuation funds, covering death, total permanent disablement, income protection and more. Just what type of insurance and how much insurance cover you may need usually depends on what event you want protection for. It could be to replace lost income if you were to become ill and couldn’t work. Or if the unthinkable were to happen, it could be to help your family pay off those big-ticket items we mentioned earlier, like your home or car loans. That cover could act as an invisible forcefield for the lifestyle you and your love ones have today and in the future. Zap!

Okay, so you’ve got your super power knowledge, your retirement savings goal and the invisible forcefield. It’s time to lay out some trigger points to concentrate your super powers on, especially as we head towards the end of the financial year.

• Heard of salary sacrificing? Each year you can take advantage of the concessional (pre-tax) contributions – it’s capped at $25K per financial year. If you’re able and want to take advantage of the cap this financial year, get in before 30 June 2020. The funds have to reach your super account by 30 June 2020, so factor in any processing timeframes between your financial institution or employer sending the contribution amount(s) to your super fund. For more info on the contribution cap limits, head to the ATO.
• Can you afford to make any extra contributions from after-tax money?
• Earning up to $53,563 p.a. for the 19/20 financial year? You may also be entitled to a government co-contribution of up to $500 each. The amount of the government super co-contribution will depend on a person’s income (inclusive of employer super at 9.5% p.a.) and the amount of additional super contributions the person makes. Check out the ATO website for more info and eligibility. The ATO also has a co-contribution calculator.
• If you make a contribution to your spouse’s super fund, you may also be able to get a tax-offset for this amount. Find out if you’re eligible here.

If you need assistance with your superannuation, consider speaking to a financial adviser.

Did you know we can help you get started? As a Living Super member, you’ll get a complimentary session of single-issue advice with a qualified Money Coach from Link Advice (worth $340). Call an ING super specialist on 133 464 between 8am and 8pm Monday to Friday (Sydney time) to find out more.