This article walks you through a transition to retirement example and the transition to retirement rules.
A transition to retirement pension income stream is an income stream commenced using your some or all of your superannuation savings while you are still working, but after you have reached your superannuation preservation age.
Your superannuation preservation age signifies the first time you are able to access your superannuation savings. However, depending on your situation, access to your superannuation savings may be limited.
The initial intention of a Transition to Retirement Pension was to allow people to have partial access to their superannuation savings, so that they could reduce their working hours as they near retirement. The Government hoped that this would result in people working for longer and reduce the cost to them of providing social security benefits.
While many people do use the Transition to Retirement provisions for this reason, an unintended loop-hole has also risen – allowing them to continue working full-time, but reducing tax payable along the way.
Transition to Retirement Example
An example of a Transition to Retirement Pension is simple.
A pension is commenced with some or all of your superannuation balance while you are still working and you are required to draw an income of between 4% and 10% of the account balance, as calculated on 1 July of each year.
If the income stream is commenced part-way through the year, then the income amounts are pro-rata.
While under age 60, the ‘taxable portion‘ of your income stream is taxed at your marginal tax rate; however you do receive a 15% offset on this amount (no offset is received for taxable-untaxed component). The ‘tax-free portion’ of your income stream is received tax free. Ask your superannuation provider if you are unsure of the tax components that make up your income stream.
Once aged 60 or over, all income is received tax free, except for the taxable (untaxed) component, which is taxed at your MTR, minus a 10% offset. Click here to read an article for people who want to access their super over age 60 and still work.
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Now, moving onto an example of how the unintended loop-hole has provided a Transition to Retirement Strategy tax benefits.
Transition to Retirement Strategy Example
For the purposes of our Transition to Retirement Strategy example we will assume the following:
- The Income Year is 2016/2017
- You are aged 57
- You are an employee
- Your salary is $80,000 p.a.
- Your Concessional Contribution cap is $35,000 p.a.
- You have a superannuation accumulation balance of $375,000 (50% Taxable Component/ 50% Exempt Component)
- The expected income earnings within your superannuation account is 4% p.a.
- In the TTR Strategy, you draw an income equal to the amount salary sacrifice (which also meets the minimum standard requirements)
- SG Contributions are not relevant in our example and have not been included
Note: If you are under the age of 60 – the taxable/ exempt component ratio is important in determining the benefits of the strategy.
The table below is an example of the benefits associated with a Transition to Retirement (TTR) Strategy. This same transition to retirement strategy can be employed within a SMSF:
| No TTR Strategy | With TTR Strategy | |
|---|---|---|
| Salary | $80 000 | $80 000 |
| Salary Sacrifice | $0 | $25 000 |
| Paid Salary | $80 000 | $55 000 |
| TTR Pension Income | $0 | $25 000 |
| Assessable TTR Pension Income | $0 | $12 500 |
| Taxable Income | $80 000 | $67 500 |
| Tax on Income (incl. Medicare) | $19 147 | $14 835 |
| Less TTR Pension Offset | $0 | $1 875 |
| Net Tax Payable | $19 147 | $12 960 |
| Net Income | 60 853 | 67 040 |
| Contributions Tax on S/Sac | $0 | $3 750 |
| Super Earnings Tax | $2 250 | $0 |
| Overall Benefit of TTR Strategy | - | $4 687 p.a. |
IMPORTANT: New superannuation rules will see earnings within a TTR Pension taxed in the same manner as an accumulation account and a reduction in the Concessional Contribution cap from 1 July 2017. This can impact the tax benefit of a transition to retirement strategy and the example given, above.
I have elaborated below where I felt it was necessary on the Transition to Retirement example, above.
Assessable TTR Pension Income
As mentioned in the assumptions, your superannuation balance consists of a Taxable Component and an Exempt Component. The ratio of these components will vary between everyone and will change on a daily basis while in Accumulation phase. Essentially, the Exempt component consists of after-tax super contributions (i.e. Non Concessional Contributions/ Contributions where a tax deduction has not been claimed).
Once you commence an income stream, such as a TTR Pension, the ratio of components becomes static for the life of the income stream and all draw downs from your pension account must be made proportionately.
The Exempt component portion of each income pension payment is received tax free.
The Taxable component portfolio of each income pension payment is taxable, together with all other income your receive for the year, less a tax offset (discussed below).
Therefore, in our transition to retirement example, because we assumed the superannuation balance was 50% taxable and 50% exempt, only $12,500 of the $25,000 annual pension payment that we have chose to receive will be assessable.
TTR Pension Offset
Any portion of superannuation pension income that is made up of the ‘Taxable’ (taxed) component receives a tax offset equal to 15% of the Taxable income received. The ‘untaxed’ component will not receive a rebate. I believe this is due to a previous Government’s promise (Keating?) to ‘refund’ Contributions Tax upon retirement. Contributions Tax of 15% is imposed on all deductible (Concessional) contributions.
Therefore, in our example above, a 15% rebate ($1,875) is received in respect of the Taxable portion of the pension income received throughout the year ($12,500).
Contributions Tax
Contributions Tax is payable on any contributions made to superannuation where a tax deduction has been claimed (Concessional Contributions).
Salary Sacrifice Contributions are Concessional Contributions, as your employer claims a tax deduction for making the contribution on your behalf.
The current Contributions Tax rate is 15% and is paid from your superannuation member balance.
Therefore, Contributions Tax of $3,750 ($25,000 x 15%) has been included in our calculations to give a full picture of all taxes involved.
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Super Earnings Tax
In Accumulation Phase of superannuation, all income received from your superannuation investments is taxed at 15%.
In Pension Phase all income received from your superannuation investments is received tax free.
Therefore, using our example above, where we have assumed your superannuation account earns income of 4% p.a. on $375,000 ($15,000 p.a.), your Super Earnings Tax of $2,250 in Accumulation Phase will not exist once a TTR Pension has commenced, thus a saving of $2,250 p.a.
Furthermore, all realised capital gains are received tax free in Pension Phase compared to up to 15% in Accumulation phase, which provides an added benefit that we did not include in our calculations. We did not include this because CGT is not necessarily paid every year, but only in those years where an asset has been sold and a gain realised.
However, it is important to note that superannuation changes from 1 July 2017 (as a result of the 2016 budget) will see all earnings within a TTR Pension account taxed at the same rate as accumulation phase.
Click here for a guide to Tax on Superannuation.
Transition To Retirement Disadvantages
The main disadvantage associated with a transition to retirement pension is that you are required to have two accounts within your superannuation account – an accumulation account and a pension account. An accumulation account will be used to accept superannuation guarantee contributions from your employer and maybe salary sacrifice contributions, while your TTR pension account will be providing you with pension income. It is necessary to have two accounts, because a pension account is unable to accept contributions. This is the only disadvantage, but apart from keeping an eye on two accounts, it’s not really a disadvantage. The advantages generally far outweigh the disadvantages.
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Chris Strano
Chris Strano created SuperGuy to help the average punter navigate through the complex and ever-changing super rules. It has since become one of Australia's leading digital super resources. Subscribe to SuperGuy's YouTube channel for the latest strategies to boost your super savings. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCs1ARI2y18hrjNYVqjtJ-pQ
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Hi,
Congrats on your articles, they are very informative. I have a query about a TTR strategy. I’m 57 and work part time and my wages from that are approx $50,000 pa. I have $560,000 in super and approx $300k in shares which I trade regularly and $200k in a internet cash account. I salary sacrifice the maximum I can without passing the limits and top up my weekly spending shortfall from my cash account. Would a TTR be better form me or should I just keep reducing my cash account and let my super accumulate.?
Cheers
Jim
G’day Jim
Thanks for the message.
The benefit of commencing a TTR is that all earnings received from assets backing the TTR will be received tax free, as opposed to 15% in accumulation phase. E.g. if your $560,000 earns 4% p.a. income ($22,400), this would incur $3,360 (15%) income tax is accumulation phase, but would be received tax free in TTR Pension phase. However, this needs to weighed up against the ‘taxable’ portion of the TTR pension payments being taxed at your MTR (less the 15% rebate).
Your super can still accumulate by contributing pension payments back into super as Non Concessional Contributions (provided you are under the cap)
Hope this makes sense????
Hi Chris,
Am seeking clarity as BT (My provider are less than good on advice) I am currently in a TTR at 58.5 years old .
I have 1.9M in a TTR Super account .
I believe that I need to set up a new Pension account and place the 1.6M max in there by July 1st 2017 and am thinking I also must cancel my TTR to achieve this as it appears with that amount of Super overall i is less tax effective to stay within the TTR ?
Please expand thanks Steve
G’day Steve
As of 1 July 2017 a TTR Pension will no longer receive tax free earnings from investments within the account, whereas a standard account based pension will.
However, a standard account based pension can only be commenced by a person under age 60 who has retired, with no intention of returning to full-time or part-time work.
I am not sure of your situation, but a person still working under age 60 is generally only able to access super via a TTR Pension.
Read this article for more Can I Access My Super At 55 and Still Work
The Transfer Balance Cap of $1.6 Million from 1 July 2017 does not apply to TTR pensions – TTR pensions do not count towards the cap.
Hope I have answered your question.
You may want to consider obtaining personal advice from a licensed financial planner.
Hi, I am 62 and have 346,000 in super. I will be working until I am 70. I wish to access money to purchase a house deposit. What can I do?
Hi Denise
Unless you have met a full superannuation condition of release, your only option will likely be to commence a TTR pension with your superannuation savings. A TTR Pension allows you to receive an income of up to 10% of your account balance each financial year. This TTR pension can be rolled back to a superannuation accumulation account at any time. Keep in mind though, commencing an income stream with super savings while under age pension age will cause this amount to be assessed by Centrelink and may affect your entitlements if you are receiving any social security benefits. Also, you may consider keeping a small balance in an accumulation account so that it remains open to accept any future contributions to your account. Contributions are unable to made into TTR pension accounts. It would be best to discuss your objectives and options with a financial planner.
Hi, my mother is 62, past the preservation age and getting divorced. Her soon to be ex husband lives in a caravan that he will not sell and will not work, so my mum who is working 2 part time jobs to support them, needs to access some super to get her own caravan. She has $15000 in an old MLC super and 22 years of super with Australia post. She will need to keep working for a long time yet. Surely she can get $15,000 from her super, she is 63 in April.
Having unrestricted access to superannuation is available for people who have had an employment arrangement come to an end after reaching age 60. This is done by notifying the superannuation provider. Apart from that, full unrestricted access is available upon attaining age 65.
Partial access is available under age 65 whereby a TTR Pension income stream is commenced with some or all of a superannuation balance. An income of up to 10% of the TTR Pension balance can be withdrawn each financial year.
I hope this helps. Click here to read more http://www.superguy.com.au/superannuation-retirement-rules/
Hi Chris,
I will be 57 next year March. I am finding it difficult to find a job. Do I access my supper or go unemployment benefit.
H William, if you access your superannuation it is likely to affect your eligibility or level of potential unemployment benefits. The sooner you access your super, the quicker it will run out.
Whether you access your super or not is up to you. Think about how much income you need to cover living expenses and where the income is going to come from.
Also, accessing super prior to age 60 may result in income tax.
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Can I Access My Super at 55 and Still Work?
Hi Chris,
I am 60 now and am considering starting a TTR fund with my super fund. Are the benefits worthwhile?, as I would also like to have the option of withdrawing some super as lump sum for emergencies.
Hi Dieter,
The main benefit of a TTR pension is that it can provide you with income to assist in covering living expenses if you decide to reduce working hours and/or need additional income.
A TTR does not provide you with the ability to make lump sum super withdrawals. It only allows for you to receive an income of between 4% and 10% of your pension balance each year.
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Account Based Pensions vs TTR Pensions
Salary Sacrifice Pension Example
Transition to Retirement Rules
Hi Chris. On the subject of non-commutable Superannuation pensions, my SMSF provides me with a Market Linked Pension which cannot be commuted unless the proceeds are rolled over to another complying (non-commutable) Pension or annuity. I want to wind up my SMSF and roll the funds to a public (preferably Industry) Super Fund. My problem is that I am unable to find one which accepts the proceeds of a Market Linked Pension, I.e. a Fund that offers a non-commutable Complying Pension. Are you aware of any Fund that offers such a Pension?
Hi John, I have heard of this being an issue, but I have not heard of a solution. My best guess would be to try annuity income stream providers, as I believe they would be the closest to having a solution for people in such situations due to the type of income streams offered. Challenger is an example of an annuity provider.