Increase in the Preservation age restricts access to Superannuation
The meaning of an individual’s preservation age is set out in the SIS Reg 6.01(2), and varies according to the member’s date of birth.
From July 2015, the previously legislated rise in the preservation age (which has traditionally been 55 years of age) has come into effect.
This means that for individuals born prior to 1 July 1960, their preservation age remains 55, however the preservation age for clients born on or after this date will gradually scale up to 60 years of age as follows:
|
Date of birth |
Preservation age |
Income year preservation age 1st reached |
|
Before July 1960 |
55 |
2015 or earlier |
|
1 July 1960- 30 June 1961 |
56 |
2017 |
|
1 July 1961 – 30 June 1962 |
57 |
2019 |
|
1 July 1962 – 30 June 1963 |
58 |
2021 |
|
1 July 1963 – 30 June 1964 |
59 |
2023 |
|
After June 1964 |
60 |
From 2025 onwards |
What the above table highlights is that those members born in 1961 (i.e. between 1 July 1960 and 30 June 1961) will now only reach their preservation age when they turn 56, which can only occur during the 2017 year. Accordingly, any COR requiring such members to have reached their preservation age (i.e.) 56 cannot be satisfied until at least the 2017 year.
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