The retirement question most Australians never ask – but should

March 7, 2026 — 2:08am

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For most of us, superannuation has been easy to ignore. Money goes in, investments tick along, the balance grows. You glance at it occasionally, think “looks okay,” and get on with life. But something shifts the moment retirement stops being something far in the distance.

Suddenly, you’re not asking “how much have I got?” You’re asking something much harder: “Will this actually be enough to live on, and for how long?”

That’s the moment many Australians discover an uncomfortable truth: the fund that helped them accumulate money over 30 years may not be well equipped to help them use that money.

Saving for retirement and living on that money are genuinely different problems. One is about growth and investing and keeping fees low. The other is about converting a lump sum into a reliable income that lasts for potentially for two or three decades while navigating market swings, the age pension, health costs, and the sheer unpredictability of a long life.

Most of us have never asked our super fund a simple but important question: are you actually ready to help me with retirement?

Last year I worked with superannuation research firm Chant West to launch the Epic Retirement Tick, an annual assessment of how super funds are performing for pre-retirees and retirees. Together, we developed a robust set of criteria, evaluated Australia’s super funds against them and released the results publicly, then set about helping everyday Australians understand how to use those results.

The aim is to make it easier for people to answer that question for themselves. Last year’s inaugural assessment showed just how much work remains to be done. Out of about 46 Australian super funds, only six met the required standard.

The Tick also introduces something the sector has not always faced before: genuine........

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