Written

For

The

Australian

-

The

key

super

retirement

milestones

people

often

overlook

Did you know that missing a single birthday could cost you thousands in unnecessary tax? Superannuation rules are riddled with age milestones, and I see people trip over them constantly — often because the goalposts have shifted over the years.

The Age Pension eligibility age has crept up to 67. The super preservation age has landed at 60. But knowing those numbers is only half the battle — it's what you can *do* at each milestone that most people miss.

Take age 60. Once you hit it, you can start a transition to retirement pension and draw between 4 and 10 per cent of your super tax-free, even while still working full-time. One of my favourite strategies for pre-retirees is to recycle that drawdown back into super as a tax-deductible concessional contribution. Same cashflow, but wages taxed at 15 per cent instead of up to 47 per cent — a saving of up to 32 per cent within the $30,000 concessional cap.

Change jobs after 60 and cease "gainful employment"? You've unlocked full access to your super, even if you plan to keep working elsewhere. Convert to an account-based pension and the tax rate inside your super drops from 15 per cent to zero. On a $300,000 balance earning 8 per cent, that's $3,600 a year back in your pocket.

At 65, you get unrestricted access regardless of work status. At 67, the door starts closing — you can't make pre-tax contributions unless you pass the work test (40 hours over 30 days). And 75 is the hard cut-off for after-tax contributions, though the bring-forward rule at age 74 lets you tip in a final $360,000.

The takeaway? These aren't just birthdays — they're financial opportunities with expiry dates. Miss them and you're voluntarily donating money to the ATO.