One in three Australians nearing retirement disengaged from their super
Aware Super
Key Facts:- New research from Aware Super found that one in three Australians aged 55–75 are disengaged from their superannuation, with 32 per cent not taking steps to plan for or maximise their retirement.
- Disengagement is driven by emotional and behavioural barriers such as avoidance, perceived complexity, and low confidence.
- Seven distinct types of disengaged Australians were identified, with the largest groups being those who avoid thinking about retirement and those who feel they do not have enough super savings.
- Aware Super's Group Executive Member Growth, Steve Travis, emphasised that a lack of confidence is the primary barrier.
- In response, Aware Super launched its Retirement Manager digital advice tool.
One in three Australians approaching retirement are disengaged from their super, with many actively avoiding thinking about it despite knowing they should, new research from Aware Super has found.
The national study of Australians aged 55–75 revealed that 32 per cent are not taking steps to plan for or maximise their retirement, highlighting a growing disconnect at a critical life stage.
Rather than indifference, disengagement is being driven by emotional and behavioural barriers - including avoidance, perceived complexity and low confidence. More than a quarter of disengaged Australians say they put off thinking about their super altogether, while others believe they don’t have enough super to make it worthwhile or feel it is already too late to make a difference
The research identified seven distinct types of disengaged Australians, with two groups - those avoiding thinking about retirement (26 per cent) and those who feel they do not have enough super savings (24 per cent) - making up around half of the disengaged population.
Across all segments, checking super balances was the most common interaction, but a notable portion reported taking no action at all in the past 12 months.
Aware Super Group Executive Member Growth Steve Travis said the findings show disengagement is less about complacency and more about confidence.
“What this research tells us is that people aren’t ignoring their retirement because they don’t care - it’s because they feel unsure where to start, or worried they’ve already fallen behind,” Mr Travis said. “We’re seeing a lack of confidence stopping people taking even the first step.”
Mr Travis said simplifying retirement planning and building confidence earlier in life will be key to improving outcomes.
“Even small moments of gradual engagement - like logging in to your account or trying out an online calculator - can shift how people feel about their financial future over time. The earlier people engage, the better their future retirement outcomes tend to be but too many Australians are leaving it until much later, or avoiding it altogether,” he said.
Earlier this year, Aware Super launched its Retirement Manager digital advice offering to help boost members’ confidence in decision making.
Retirement Manager helps retirees set up an income stream, choose an investment option and model different income and spending scenarios. It gives users an “Income confidence score”, based on information they entered, so they can see how their plan measures up to their goals – with the ability to get help from a retirement adviser at any time without paying extra.
“Helping people take simple, practical steps - and showing that it’s never too early or too late to engage - can make a meaningful difference to how confident they feel heading into retirement.”
About us:
The research was commissioned by Aware Super and conducted by Nature in June 2026. It was based on an online survey of 504 Australians aged 55–75 who are not fully retired, have a superannuation account, and are disengaged with their super or retirement planning. The results were weighted by age, gender and location to be representative of this group. This research was conducted in accordance with ISO 20252: 2019 and ISO 27001:2013
Issued by Aware Super Pty Ltd ABN 11 118 202 672, AFSL 293340, the trustee of Aware Super ABN 53 226 460 365. General advice only. Consider your objectives, financial situation, or needs, which have not been accounted for in this information and read the PDS and TMD at aware.com.au/PDS
Contact details:
Aware Super Senior Media Manager, Sarah Goodwin 0401 769 296