Retirement & FIRE
Retirement planning ranges from the compulsory basics everyone has (super) to the optional, ambitious end of the spectrum (FIRE). This guide covers both: how super actually works, the maths behind safe withdrawal rates, and what people mean by financial independence.
Superannuation basics
In Australia, super is compulsory retirement savings your employer contributes on top of your salary, invested and taxed concessionally so it grows faster than money held outside it. Because it's locked away until preservation age, most of what you can actively control is which fund holds it and how it's invested: small, ignored decisions that compound over a working life.
The 4% rule and safe withdrawal rates
A commonly cited rule of thumb suggests withdrawing around 4% of your portfolio in the first year of retirement, then adjusting for inflation each year after, gives a reasonable chance the money lasts several decades. It's a simplification built on historical US market data, not a guarantee. Most people treat it as a starting estimate to stress-test, not a precise formula.
What FIRE actually means
Financial Independence, Retire Early isn't one single target. 'Lean FIRE' means retiring on a minimal budget as early as possible, 'fat FIRE' means retiring early without cutting your lifestyle, and 'coast FIRE' means saving enough early that compounding alone gets you to a full retirement by a normal age, without saving anything further.
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Articles in this guide
What Age Can You Retire in Australia? (Preservation Age vs Age Pension Age)
There's no legal retirement age in Australia. Here's what preservation age and Age Pension age actually mean, the gap between them, and what determines when you can afford to stop.
10 min read
Age Pension Australia: Rates, Eligibility, and How It All Works
How much the Age Pension pays, who's eligible, how the income and assets tests actually work, how it interacts with your super, and when to apply.
13 min read
Superannuation for the Self-Employed: What You Need to Know
Why super isn't compulsory for sole traders, the real gap this creates, how the tax deduction works, current contribution caps, and how to actually build the habit.
8 min read
How to Find and Consolidate Lost Super
Real ATO figures on lost and unclaimed super, why it goes missing, how to find it through myGov, and the insurance check to do before consolidating.
7 min read
Super Co-Contribution: The Free Government Top-Up Most People Miss
How the super co-contribution actually works, the exact income thresholds, the full eligibility checklist, and why it's one of the most underused benefits in super.
7 min read
Types of FIRE: Lean, Fat, Coast and Barista FIRE Explained
The real differences between Lean, Fat, Coast and Barista FIRE, and the Coast FIRE 'bridge years' complication Australia's locked-away super creates.
8 min read
First Home Super Saver Scheme: The Full Guide
How the First Home Super Saver Scheme actually works, a real worked tax example, the deemed-earnings quirk most guides skip, and what the scheme can't fix.
9 min read
Transition to Retirement (TTR): How the Strategy Actually Works
How a transition to retirement strategy actually works, the two common ways people use it, a worked example, and the tax nuance most explainers get wrong.
9 min read
How Much Super Should You Have? Average Balances by Age in Australia
Real average super balances by age from ASFA and the ATO, ASFA's Retirement Standard lump sum targets, the gender super gap, and what actually helps if you're behind.
9 min read
What Is FIRE? Financial Independence, Retire Early Explained
What FIRE (Financial Independence, Retire Early) actually means, the different flavours, the 4% rule, and the one thing that makes pursuing it different in Australia.
10 min read
Salary Sacrifice Super: How It Works (And Is It Worth It?)
How salary sacrificing into super actually reduces your tax bill, the concessional cap limit to watch, and whether it's worth it for your situation.
9 min read
How Much Super Do You Need to Retire in Australia?
Real Australian retirement benchmarks, not a guess, how the Age Pension fits in, and how to work out your own number for a comfortable retirement.
10 min read
When Can I Access My Super? Preservation Age Explained
The full preservation age table by birth year, when you can actually access your super, and the narrow exceptions that let you access it earlier.
9 min read
What Is Superannuation? A Complete Beginner's Guide
What superannuation actually is, how contributions and tax work, and what happens to your super when you change jobs, explained in plain English.
9 min read