Saving money, whether that's for a rainy day, a big ticket purchase, or a first home, is an art form that not all of us have mastered. It's why plenty of self-help books have been written on the matter, and why everything from your star sign to your personality type can factor into your savings habits.
Add superannuation to the list — your financial dependency for retirement — and it's enough to make you want to lie down and take a very long nap. Avoiding these big life money problems might seem like the easier option, but tackling them head-on is ultimately more productive and beneficial for your future self. But where do we begin?
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Transparency around money helps to destigmatise traditionally uncomfortable financial chatter, and, in turn, can help close the gender pay gap. Luckily, organisations like The Association of Superannuation Funds of Australia Limited (ASFA) have released the average and median super balances of Australians across various age spans between the years of 2016 and 2017.
As a math refresher, average balances are calculated by adding together all balances, then dividing this total by the number of accounts. Whereas the median number is the middle number of the super balances sorted in ascending order.
Broken down by gender, too, the results are sobering, especially when you consider that one in three women retire with no super balance, according to a 2016 Senate report. Read on to see where you sit on the average super amounts, based on age group.
Under 18
For women under 18, the average account balance is $8,172 and the median account balance is $133. For men under 18, the average account balance is $11,932 and the median account balance is $243.
18-24
For women between the ages of 18 and 24, the average account balance is $6,542 and the median account balance is $3,427. For men between the ages of 18 and 24, the average account balance is $7,694 and the median account balance is $3,715.
25-29
For women between the ages of 25 and 29, the average account balance is $20,523 and the median account balance is $16,001. For men between the ages of 25 and 29, the average account balance is $24,051 and the median account balance is $16,949.
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30-34
For women between the ages of 30 and 34, the average account balance is $38,731 and the median account balance is $30,129. For men between the ages of 30 and 34, the average account balance is $46,974 and the median account balance is $35,768.
35-39
For women between the ages of 35 and 39, the average account balance is $58,729 and the median account balance is $43,439. For men between the ages of 35 and 39, the average account balance is $73,985 and the median account balance is $56,995.
40-44
For women between the ages of 40 and 44, the average account balance is $79,709 and the median account balance is $48,321. For men between the ages of 40 and 44, the average account balance is $98,108 and the median account balance is $71,506.
45-49
For women between the ages of 45 and 49, the average account balance is $91,740 and the median account balance is $55,702. For men between the ages of 45 and 49, the average account balance is $131,102 and the median account balance is $87,052.
50-54
For women between the ages of 50 and 54, the average account balance is $119,019 and the median account balance is $64,979. For men between the ages of 50 and 54, the average account balance is $174,626 and the median account balance is $102,556.
55-59
For women between the ages of 55 and 59, the average account balance is $170,180 and the median account balance is $80,787. For men between the ages of 55 and 59, the average account balance is $243,694 and the median account balance is $120,712.
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60-64
For women between the ages of 60 and 64, the average account balance is $246,632 and the median account balance is $107,897. For men between the ages of 60 and 64, the average account balance is $310,240 and the median account balance is $138,337.
65-69
For women between the ages of 65 and 69, the average account balance is $323,540 and the median account balance is $150,622. For men between the ages of 65 and 69, the average account balance is $365,919 and the median account balance is $158,328.
70-74
For women between the ages of 70 and 74, the average account balance is $340,196 and the median account balance is $149,506. For men between the ages of 70 and 74, the average account balance is $393,899 and the median account balance is $158,318.
75 or over
For women over 75, the average account balance is $312,772 and the median account balance is $108,288. For men over 75, the average account balance is $343,345 and the median account balance is $107,163.
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