Three ways to ease retirement stress starting today

More than half of all Australians are concerned about whether they’ll have enough money in retirement, according to new data on how Australians feel about life after work. 

On average, 54% of Australians are worried they may not have enough money to live comfortably in retirement, according to the 2026 Rethinking Retirement report, commissioned by CFS¹. 

This number rises to 62% among women – well above the 48% of men who say they worry about it. 

The anxiety people feel about whether their money will last comfortably in retirement tends to increase after age 50, with 61% of Australians aged 50-59 saying they are concerned.

The good news is that the more prepared we are, the less likely we are to stress about retirement.

For example, 51% of Australians feel to some extent prepared for retirement, the 2026 Rethinking Retirement report shows.

Among those who have received financial advice, the figure jumps to 77%.

At the other end of the spectrum, a large minority of Australians (44%), don’t regularly engage with their retirement savings. 

Seven in 10 Australians (70%) agree that keeping on top of super is key to building long-term wealth.  

However, for many of us, retirement can feel like it’s a long way off, or not something we want to think about, which can lead to inertia when it comes to preparing for retirement.  

Also slowing us down is that two in three of us (65%) think super is too complicated, or we don’t know where to begin when it comes to getting our long-term savings on track. 

To help you feel more prepared and confident when it comes to your retirement savings, we’ve put together a simple three-point list of things you can do today to take control of your financial future.  

Each one takes just minutes and provides simple steps that may help improve your peace of mind.

Our new Super Health Check service provides a clear view of whether you're on track for the retirement you want in 10 minutes – meaning you could be just minutes away from taking control of your super. 

Complete the Super Health Check

You’ll receive a score out of three to indicate how well you’re tracking to meet your retirement goals, and you’ll learn how to get back on track if you need to improve the health of your super. 

Our super calculator makes it easy to see how small changes can add up to have a big effect on your future, such as making extra contributions, working more, working less, having a different super investment mix or getting the Age Pension. 

Give it a test run to understand more about the levers you may be able to pull to influence your financial outcomes. 

All results are shown in today’s dollars, meaning they've been adjusted for inflation, to help you plan with confidence.

Try our super calculator

There’s no doubt getting the right financial advice can help you feel confident about your financial future and provide peace of mind. 

Over three-quarters of Australians who have a financial adviser feel prepared for retirement, compared with just 45% of Australians who don’t have one.

And just as the nature of retirement has changed over time, so has the nature of professional financial advice – it’s no longer a one-size-fits-all solution. 

At CFS, we can connect you with the right financial advice to suit your needs – whether you’re looking for:

• Complex, ongoing advice

• One-off advice on topics such as super, retirement planning or investments

• Simple Super Advice on topics such as contributions and the investment mix within your super – available at no extra cost to CFS customers.

Explore our advice options or speak to a professional financial adviser for Super Advice on your contributions or investment mix  -- at no extra cost for eligible CFS customers.

Financial advice and engagement with superannuation play a key role in building confidence and preparedness for retirement.

Follow these three steps and you’ll be well on the way to feeling in control when it comes to your financial future.