The Bloomberg Australia Podcast The Rising Cost of Retirement (And What Super Funds Are Doing About It)
Feb 26, 2026
Amy Bainbridge, Bloomberg pensions reporter who covers Australia’s superannuation trends, walks through rising retirement targets and what they mean for future retirees. She explains how higher comfort balances affect work choices and saving, outlines how super funds are building lifetime income and annuity options, and explores tech-driven advice and regulatory questions shaping retirement products.
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Retirement Targets Jump To New Highs
- ASFA's retirement standard shows comfortable retirement targets rose sharply in six months to $730,000 for couples and $630,000 for singles at age 67.
- The figures include assumptions like part age pension, home-ownership, private health cover and lifestyle choices such as travel and salon visits.
People Are Working Later To Fill Gaps
- Higher shortfall targets are pushing older Australians to delay or scale down retirement, with many staying in paid work into their seventies.
- Amy Bainbridge cites data showing more people in their seventies working part-time, consulting, or scaling work as life expectancy rises.
Younger Workers Will Retire With Bigger Balances
- Younger cohorts will likely retire with larger balances because they contributed at higher compulsory rates (12%) for longer, reducing future pension dependence.
- Funds are nevertheless anxious about retirement-product design and member retention as demographic profiles age.