Learn the basics
A few plain-language explanations — read at your own pace.
Pension account
This is the part of your super that's already paying you an income. Money in here grows completely tax-free, but you're required to withdraw a minimum amount each year — the older you get, the more you must withdraw.
Accumulation account
This is the "still growing, not yet paying out" part of your super. It's taxed at 15% on its earnings, but there's no minimum withdrawal — you can leave it alone as long as you like.
Why split between the two?
Many people put some super into each. The pension side gives you tax-free income now. The accumulation side keeps growing for later, taxed a little along the way. Our calculator shows you what that split is actually costing or saving you.
What's the difference between preservation age and Age Pension age?
These are different things. Preservation age (60) is when you can start drawing down your own super. Age Pension age (67) is when you might qualify for the government's Age Pension, based on separate income and assets tests. You can retire and live off your super from 60, possibly years before any Age Pension kicks in. Glidma currently models your super only — not the Age Pension.
Source: ATO / Services Australia, current as of July 2026
Can I open another pension account?
Yes — you can start a second pension account with money from accumulation, if you have room under your Transfer Balance Cap (a lifetime limit on pension-phase money, $2.1 million from 1 July 2026). Two things can happen depending on timing:
If you start it before your first pension runs out— you’d have two pension accounts running side by side, each with its own minimum withdrawal.
If you start it after your first pension has already hit zero— it simply replaces the first; there’s no overlap.
Either way, this depends on Transfer Balance Cap room being available — which isn’t guaranteed, since that room doesn’t refill just because your pension balance has gone down. Glidma’s projections don’t model this step — they assume any shortfall is covered smoothly, when in reality it may require actively opening a new account, and may not be possible at all if your cap room has already been used. Worth checking with your fund or a financial adviser as this point in your plan gets closer.
Source: ATO, current as of July 2026
Can I add money directly to my pension account?
No. Once a pension account is running, it can't receive any more money — not from savings, not from accumulation, not from anywhere. Any extra money has to go into accumulation first.
Source: ATO, current as of July 2026
Can I contribute more to my super at all?
Yes — just not directly into your pension. Extra contributions (from work, salary sacrifice, or your own savings) go into your accumulation account instead. There are two separate yearly limits, and you can use both in the same year: up to $32,500 from pre-tax money (like salary sacrifice), and up to $130,000 from money you've already paid tax on. From there, moving it into pension phase later depends on your Transfer Balance Cap room — see "Can I open another pension account?" above.
Source: ATO, 2026–27 financial year figures, current as of July 2026
Is my pension income taxed?
No. From age 60, income from a taxed super fund's pension account is completely tax-free, no matter how much you withdraw. Your accumulation account works differently — it's taxed 15% on investment growth each year, while the money stays there. Glidma's accumulation account results show the dollar cost of that difference.
Source: ATO, current as of July 2026
Why do I have to withdraw a minimum amount each year?
It's a government rule. Once your pension account is running, you must withdraw at least a set percentage each year — from 4% under 65, up to 14% at 95+. That's because pension accounts pay no tax on earnings, so the government wants that money actually drawn down, not left compounding tax-free forever. You can always withdraw more — there's no upper limit. Glidma models this for you — you'll see it reflected in your chart and PDF.
Source: ATO minimum annual payment for superannuation income streams, current as of July 2026
What's the Super Guarantee? What's salary sacrifice?
Super Guarantee (SG) is the compulsory super your employer pays on top of your wage — currently 12% of your ordinary earnings. It lands in your account already taxed at 15%.
Salary sacrifice is different — it’s an amount you choose to redirect from your own pre-tax pay into super, on top of the Super Guarantee. You arrange it with your employer, it reduces your taxable income, and it’s taxed the same 15% way as employer contributions once it lands in your account.
Source: ATO, 2026–27 financial year figures (SG rate 12%), current as of July 2026
What happens if the market drops early in my retirement?
A downturn early in retirement can hurt more than the same downturn later — you're withdrawing money at the same time your balance is shrinking, so there's less left to recover once the market bounces back. Glidma has a "2-year downturn" stress test — turning it on shows what an early rough patch could do to your own numbers, instead of just assuming smooth average returns.