The purpose of super is to help you save money to provide you with an income in retirement, so there are rules around when you can withdraw it in cash – these are known as preservation rules.
Knowing your preservation age will help you understand when you can access your super:
If you were born: | Your preservation age is: |
Before 1 July 1960 | 55 |
1 July 1960 to 30 June 1961 | 56 |
1 July 1961 to 30 June 1962 | 57 |
1 July 1962 to 30 June 1963 | 58 |
1 July 1963 to 30 June 1964 | 59 |
After 30 June 1964 | 60 |
Generally, you’ll only be able to withdraw your super in cash once you permanently retire at or after your preservation age.
However, once you reach your preservation age, you can begin receiving money from your super as a transition to retirement pension, also known as a pre-retirement pension or Transition to Retirement Income Stream (TRIS), regardless of whether you are still working.
A transition to retirement strategy may help you top up your income if you reduce your work hours or semi-retire, while still allowing you to contribute to your super for when you fully retire.
Find out more about transition to retirement.
There may be some other limited circumstances in which you’re eligible to access your super in cash, including:
* Eligibility criteria and/or approval from the trustee or a government body may be required in this case.