Top super tips with Brad
We recently spoke to Brad Zaknich, GESB's Key Account Manager for WA's public education sector, to find out if he had any 'top tips' to share with our members.
With over 20 years' experience at GESB, Brad has extensive knowledge of public sector super schemes and enjoys helping GESB members put the pieces of their retirement puzzle together.
Brad addresses the top three questions often asked by members below. His answers provide a useful starting point to help you understand and manage your own super.
1. How much do I need to retire?
2. When can I retire?
3. How much do I need for a comfortable retirement?
Please note, Brad’s answers below aren’t intended as personal financial advice and are limited and general in nature. You might have a complex financial situation and need a tailored financial plan. We suggest you seek personal financial advice from a qualified and appropriately licensed financial adviser.
Brad Zaknich, Key Account Manager, GESB
1. How much do I need to retire?
“Your retirement income will be affected by many factors, but your spending is generally the part of your budget that you have the most control over,” Brad said.
“There are a few steps I suggest members take when figuring out how much they’ll need in retirement.”
Step 1: budget
You should budget for your essential ongoing costs, such as food, clothing, housing, transport and healthcare; your optional ongoing costs, such as travel, hobbies and entertainment; and any potential large one-off expenses.
Another consideration is how your needs might change over time. When you first retire, you may spend more on travel, updating your car or renovating your house. As you get older, you'll become less active, but your medical expenses may increase.
Step 2: length of retirement
While no one knows how long they'll spend in retirement, a good guide is to plan for your maximum life expectancy. This is the average age you are expected to live to, based on your current age and gender.
According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics’ (ABS) Life tables, the average life expectancy in 2019-21 for males in Western Australia is 81.3 and females is 85.41.
Step 3: income sources
Identify your sources of income and work out how much you might have in the future. This includes your super, assets and other investments, and the Age Pension, if you are eligible.
Many people don't realise that they can have relatively significant assets and income and still be entitled to financial support from Centrelink by way of the Age Pension. To find out more, visit our Help from Centrelink page.
Step 4: calculate
Once you've worked out your likely income and how much you'll be spending each year, you can pull together your expected budget.
Use our retirement planning calculator to estimate your future income from super including the Age Pension.
2. When can I retire?
“Members always want to know when they’re allowed to retire – and the short answer is, there is no fixed age for retirement. You can retire whenever you want,” Brad said.
“There is a minimum age for when you can access your super, known as your Commonwealth preservation age, and another for when you can access the Age Pension, but you can retire before this if you need or want to.”
The Commonwealth preservation age and Age Pension age are set by the Australian Government and are dependent on your date of birth. If you were born after 30 June 1964, you’ll be able to access your super from age 60. Most Australians are eligible to receive the Age Pension when they turn 66, but from 1 July 2023, this will rise to 67.
Many Australians will choose their own retirement age based on one of the above dates. If you have access to funds from other sources, then you may be able to afford to stop working earlier. Brad notes: “I’ve never seen a professional tennis player saying that they can’t retire yet because they can’t access their super until they’re 60!”
You should also consider the non-financial aspects of retirement, such as your wellbeing and how you'll spend your time.
3. How much do I need for a comfortable retirement?
“A 'comfortable' retirement is going to be different for all of us,” Brad said. “If there's a shortfall between your budgeted income and the income you need to achieve your desired lifestyle, you should look at ways to top up your retirement savings.”
“The earlier you start planning, the more opportunities you have to address any gaps. As with any long-term investment, time is a critical factor. Basically, the benefits of investing in your super increase over time, due to the effects of compound interest.”
ASFA's Retirement Standard provides budget guidelines for 'modest' and 'comfortable' retirement lifestyles2.
For example, for those aged around 652, singles will spend $35,503 a year to fund a 'modest' standard of living at retirement, while couples will spend around $51,299 a year. The funds required for a 'comfortable' retirement increase to $54,840 a year for singles and $77,375 a year for couples.
However, these standards may differ from your own goals. Read more tips on growing your retirement savings.
Starting to plan for your retirement?
Attend one of our Retirement planning seminars at no cost to you. You’ll learn about your super and retirement options and how you could transition to retirement.
More information
- Find more on planning for your retirement and boosting your savings in our retirement planning section
- Register to attend one of GESB's seminars or webinars
- Use our Retirement planning calculator
1 Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), Life expectancy at birth by state and territory of usual residence, 2019-2021.
2 The Association of Superannuation Funds of Australia (ASFA), Retirement Standard, aged around 67, December quarter 2025.
Thank you for printing this page. Remember to come back to gesb.wa.gov.au for the latest information as our content is updated regularly. This information is correct as at 23 June 2026.