9 September 2026
Maybe you’ve started thinking a little more about your super. You know it’s being invested. You know time can be one of its biggest advantages. Maybe you’re even feeling a little more connected to future you.
So, what’s next? It might be time to give your super something to aim for.
Before that sounds like homework, setting a super goal doesn’t mean mapping out the next 30 or 40 years of your life. You don’t need to know exactly when you’ll retire, where you’ll live or what you’ll be doing.
A useful goal can simply help turn the number you see when you log into your super account into something that means a little more to you.
Start with where you are
First things first: take a look at your super balance. That’s your starting point. Not a score or a competition, just… where you are today.
You might see average super balances for different ages mentioned online, or in the media. But averages don’t tell your story.
Your income, working hours, time out of the workforce, family circumstances and plans for the future can all shape your super differently.
So instead of asking, “How do I compare with everyone else?”, ask yourself, “Where would I like to go from here?”
Give future you a little shape
Retirement can be hard to imagine when it’s decades away, so don’t worry about creating the perfect picture. Think about what you might want from life after work? Would you like to travel? Eat out regularly? Spend more time with family? Keep working a little? Or finally have time for hobbies you’ve been putting off?
You don’t need all the answers. The idea is simply to start connecting your super balance with the kind of future it may help support.
There are retirement benchmarks that can help give you a starting point, but a benchmark isn’t a personal plan. Your idea of a comfortable future could look quite different from someone else’s.
Move the goal closer
Here’s where things can start feeling much more manageable.
Instead of only asking, ‘How much super will I need when I retire?’, try setting a goal that’s closer to where you are now.
What balance might you like to reach in five years? Or by your next milestone birthday?
A nearer-term goal gives you something you can actually check in on. And unlike trying to picture yourself several decades from now, five years from now might feel a little more real. Your life will change along the way, and your goal can change with it.
Play with the possibilities
Once you have a starting point and a rough destination, you can explore some of the things that could affect the journey.
Use our retirement income calculator to help you test different scenarios without committing to anything.
What happens if you retire a little earlier or later? What if you make additional contributions? What if the amount you’d like to live on in retirement changes?
Nobody knows exactly what the future will look like; this is about seeing how different choices could affect the numbers later.
And time can make a difference. Investment returns can earn returns of their own over time – known as compounding – so even small changes have more time to grow.
Choose an action that works for you
Once you’ve played with the numbers, you might spot something you’d like to do next.
That could mean making an additional contribution to super. It could mean checking how your super is invested. Or your action might simply be setting a reminder to look at your balance again in six or 12 months.
It’s up to you, but what matters is that it works for you, your budget and your life right now. If extra contributions aren’t realistic at the moment, that doesn’t mean you can’t engage with your super in other ways. Knowing where you stand is an action too.
Support when you need it
Super can involve some big decisions, and you’re not expected to know all the answers.
Child Care Super’s coaching service can help you understand your super and the options available to you, whether you’re just starting out or retirement is getting closer.
While you spend your working life supporting your community. When it comes to your financial wellbeing, you deserve support too.
Start with where you are. Think about where you might like to go. Then choose one small step that could help future you get there.
FAQs
What am I supposed to do with my super?
Your super is designed to help fund your life after work, but that doesn’t mean you have to leave it untouched until retirement.
A good place to start is by checking your super balance, knowing where your super is invested and thinking about what you might want your future to look like. From there, you can explore whether things like making extra contributions or reviewing your investment options could be right for you.
You don’t have to do everything at once. Even logging in and getting familiar with your account is a useful first step.
How do I know if I have enough super for my age?
There isn’t one super balance that’s right for everyone at a particular age. How much super you may need depends on things like when you retire, the lifestyle you’d like, your income and contributions, and your individual circumstances.
Retirement benchmarks can give you a useful reference point, but try not to treat an average balance as a score you need to beat. Our super calculator can help you look at your own balance and explore whether you’re on track for the future you have in mind.
What can I do if my super isn't on track?
First, don’t panic. Finding out where you stand gives you an opportunity to explore what you could do next.
Depending on your circumstances, that might include making additional contributions, reviewing how your super is invested, changing your planned retirement age or adjusting how much you think you’ll need in retirement. Even setting a smaller five- or ten-year super goal can give you something more achievable to work towards.
And if you’re not sure where to start, you don’t have to figure it out by yourself. GuildSuper’s coaching service can help you understand your super and the options available to you.
All information is general and does not take account of your personal objectives, financial situation or needs. Before deciding whether a particular product is appropriate for you, please read the relevant Product Disclosure Statement including any incorporated information, Target Market Determination and Financial Services Guide available at guildsuper.com.au, and consider speaking with a GuildSuper Coach or financial adviser.