Retire with confidence
Find the information and tools you need to leave your working life behind.
Retirement is a big transition, and it’s normal to have mixed feelings as it gets closer. You might be excited about having more time for yourself, your family or the things you enjoy, while also feeling uncertain about leaving work, managing your finances or what comes next.
If you’re ready to stop working completely, taking a few key steps before your last day can make the transition smoother. Whether you’re finalising your plans or just checking you’ve covered everything before handing in your notice, we’re here to help you take the next step with clarity.
How do I retire?
1. Work out your retirement income | Estimate how much you’ll have coming in from super, savings, investments and any other sources. If you’ll be eligible for the Age Pension, factor that into your long-term plans. The Moneysmart budget planner can help make your savings last as long as you need them to. |
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2. Review your super | Check when you can access your super and contact us to understand your options for using your money in retirement. Check what insurance you have through your super, and whether to keep, change or cancel any cover after you retire. |
3. Tell your employer | Give the required notice and confirm your final day. Check your final pay, including annual leave, long service leave (if applicable) and any other entitlements. When you stop working, your employer usually stops paying super into your account. |
4. Organise your paperwork | Review important documents such as your Will, enduring power of attorney, advance care directive and your super beneficiary nominations. |
5. Plan for life after work | Retirement is about more than money. Think about how you’ll spend your time, stay active, maintain social connections and enjoy the lifestyle you’ve worked hard for. Our retirement guide has a whole section on finding purpose, including an exercise on setting meaningful retirement goals. |
When can I access my super?
In most cases, you can access your super when you turn 65, or when you retire after age 60. Once you’re eligible, you have a few options for using your super to help fund your retirement. Whether it’s one option or a combination of all three, the choice is yours:
Start a retirement income stream by transferring some (or all) of your super into a retirement product.
Leave some or all of your money in your super account while you decide what’s next.
Withdraw part (or all) of your super as a cash payment to your bank account.
You can make a withdrawal online — we'll just need to verify your ID first.
Turn your super into a flexible income
If you’re looking for a simple way to manage your retirement savings, our Account based pension could help. It turns your super into a regular income, deposited into your bank account like when you were working.
You choose when and how much you get paid (subject to a government minimum), so you can tailor payments to suit your lifestyle — fortnightly, monthly or another schedule that works for you.
One benefit of an Account based pension is that your money stays invested, with the potential to keep growing throughout retirement. You’ll also generally pay zero tax on your income payments or investment earnings, and payments continue until your balance runs out or you decide to close the account.
See if you qualify for a retirement bonus
Vision Super offers a retirement bonus to eligible members. Start an Account based pension and you could receive a bonus payment of up to 0.5% of your balance. Terms and conditions apply.
Need help?
Stopping work and living off your retirement savings can feel daunting — but being able to ask questions and get expert recommendations can make all the difference.
Attend a seminar
Attending a Vision Super seminar is a great way to learn how to maximise your super before and after you retire. Use our events calendar to find one near you.
Get advice
Make an appointment with a Vision Super Financial Planner* who can provide advice about your super or pension. You can also call 1300 300 820 to book.
Call us
Call our retirement hotline on 1300 017 589, or complete the quick contact form and one of our team will contact you within two business days.
*Vision Super Financial Planners are employees of the Trustee (or a related entity) that are authorised to provide financial advice as representatives of Industry Fund Services Limited (IFSL) ABN 54 007 016 195 AFSL 232 514. Any financial advice provided by a Vision Super Financial Planner is issued on behalf of IFSL, not their employer. Vision Super Financial Planners can provide financial advice including personal advice about Vision Super that takes into account your personal circumstances. Before making a decision in relation to any of our products, you should read the applicable Product Disclosure Statement and Target Market Determination (TMD).