Active Super

Are you over the age of 55, thinking about retirement but not ready to stop working yet?

Transition to retirement (TTR) is a strategy that allows people of preservation age (between 55 and 60 depending on your date of birth) to continue working while drawing down some of their super benefits.

So how does it work? The rules allow you to salary sacrifice up to $25,000 a year into super, while drawing between 4% and 10% of your super savings to supplement any loss in take-home pay. If you’re in a higher tax bracket, this strategy can provide a significant tax saving.

Some TTR strategies to consider include:

1. Ease into retirement
    If you’re thinking of cutting down your working hours, it might be possible to do this without reducing your income using a TTR strategy. If you’re eligible, a TTR pension may allow you to draw an income from your super while working part-time, which means you can maintain your lifestyle while working less. The downside of this strategy is that you will be accessing your super savings earlier than usual.
   
   
2. Boost your super without changing your lifestyle
    If you’re looking to maximise your super, you can continue to work full-time while making salary sacrifice contributions. You can then top up your reduced salary with a TTR pension. Your salary sacrificed contributions will be taxed at 15% and, in most cases, TTR pensions are taxed more favourably than your salary.

We also recommend you discuss your individual needs with a financial planner before commencing any TTR strategy.