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Covid-19: The Effects of Accessing Super Early

Super is designed to provide for you in retirement, but this limited access legislation is to help people who are genuinely in financial hardship due to the impact of the Coronavirus situation.

Michael Luck

BSc. Econ, BCom, MBus
Authorised Representatives of Millennium Three Pty Ltd
ABN 61 094 529 987
AFSL 244252

To lessen the financial impacts of the Coronavirus situation, the Government is allowing people who are eligible to access up to $20,000 (in two lump sums) of their super for a limited time. Super is designed to provide for you in retirement, but this limited access legislation is to help people who are genuinely in financial hardship due to the impact of the Coronavirus situation.

What is considered financial hardship?

Generally, financial hardship is when the money you earn or the money you receive from the Government does not meet your family’s living expenses such as bills, groceries, rent or your mortgage repayments.

More specifically, during the current crisis the Government considers you eligible for early access to your super if:

  • you are unemployed
  • you are eligible to receive the JobSeeker Payment, Youth Allowance for job seekers, parenting payment (including the single and partnered payments), special benefit or farm household allowance
  • you were made redundant on or after 1 January 2020
  • your working hours were reduced by 20% or more on or after 1 January 2020
  • if you are a sole trader and your business was suspended or your turnover has reduced by 20% or more on or after 1 January 2020.

Considerations before accessing your super early

Before accessing your super early remember, super is designed to provide you with savings when you retire. So, by accessing your super now, you may significantly reduce your retirement savings.

Although getting cash from your super may provide short-term benefits, you will no longer generate investment returns, which could increase your savings further.

Below is a table that displays how much you would lose in your super if you were to withdraw $20,000 now.  designed to help us understand the impact of withdrawing super now, depending on your age if you retire at age 67.

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