A very different retirement awaits
For generations of Australians, owning the family home outright by retirement was almost taken for granted.
Source: Vanguard’s How Australia Retires Report 2026 (page 23).
It doesn’t need to be complicated
A retirement plan doesn’t necessarily need to be complicated. It can start with a few basic questions, whether you’re thinking them through yourself or discussing them with your partner, family or friends:
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When would you like to retire?
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Where would you like to live?
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What sort of lifestyle do you want?
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How much super do you currently have?
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Will you still have a mortgage?
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How much income might you need?
Answering those questions may help identify the gap between where you are today and where you would like to be.
Small steps can make a difference
The good news is that retirement planning doesn’t need to happen all at once.
The research highlights several practical actions Australians can take to become more engaged with their financial future:
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Build a retirement plan. Think about your future goals and the steps that could help you achieve them.
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Understand how the retirement system works. Learn about superannuation and the role it can play alongside the Age Pension.
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Improve your financial literacy. Build your understanding of basic financial concepts through reading, research and conversations.
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Consider additional super contributions. Where your circumstances allow, extra contributions may help strengthen your retirement savings.
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Check your super regularly. Aim to review your balance, contributions and investment options at least every six months.
As Shrimski puts it: “Our research shows that small actions taken consistently over time can build confidence and help Australians prepare for the retirement they want.”
For younger Australians facing higher housing costs, larger mortgages and potentially longer working lives, the retirement journey may look very different to the generations before them.
But the basic principle remains the same: the earlier you understand where you stand and where you want to go, the more options you may have to shape the retirement you ultimately experience.
1. How Australia Retires 2026, (page 31).
Important information:
Source: Vanguard How Australia Retires 2026 research. Nationally representative survey of 1,800+ Australian adults aged 18 years and over in February 2026. The full methodology is available on page 62 of the report.
Note: Survey findings and examples are based on Vanguard’s How Australia Retires 2026 research and reflect respondents’ opinions, expectations and intentions at the time of the survey. They should not be taken as forecasts or predictions of individual retirement outcomes.
Vanguard Super Pty Ltd (ABN 73 643 614 386 / AFS Licence 526270) (the Trustee) is the trustee of Vanguard Super (ABN 27923449966) and the issuer of Vanguard Super products. The Trustee has contracted Vanguard Investments Australia Ltd (ABN 72 072 881 086 / AFS Licence 227263) (VIA) to provide some services to members of Vanguard Super. Any general advice is provided by VIA. The Trustee and VIA are both wholly owned subsidiaries of The Vanguard Group, Inc. (collectively, “Vanguard”).
Source: Vanguard
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