Super and hardship: A safety net in financial difficulty

Superannuation is often seen as untouchable savings for retirement, but did you know it can also be a lifeline during financial difficulty? While super is designed for retirement, there are rules to allow it to provide financial support in several situations. Let’s explore these rules and how super might offer relief in times of crisis.

Accessing super on compassionate grounds

If you're dealing with specific expenses that you simply can’t afford, you may be able to access your super on “compassionate grounds”. This option allows you to withdraw a lump sum to cover certain expenses, which may include:

Eligible medical treatment or associated transport costs
Modifications to your home or vehicle to accommodate a disability
Palliative care for yourself or a dependent with a terminal illness
Funeral expenses for a dependent
Preventing the foreclosure or forced sale of your home

There is no set limit on how much super you can access under compassionate grounds, except when it comes to mortgage relief which is restricted to the sum of 3 months repayments and 12 months of interest on the outstanding balance of the loan. Mortgage relief only applies to principal homes and not investment properties.

To apply, you’ll need to submit your application to the Australian Taxation Office (ATO). This can be done online through myGov or by requesting a paper form from the ATO. This process also applies to individuals with a self-managed super fund (SMSF). SMSF trustees also require the ATO’s approval before accessing their super early under compassionate grounds. Once approved, you’ll need to provide the approval letter to your super fund to facilitate the release of funds. Keep in mind that tax may apply to your withdrawal.

Severe financial hardship

If you do not qualify for an eligible expense under “compassionate grounds” but are struggling financially and receiving a Centrelink income support payment, you may qualify to access your super under severe financial hardship. The rules for this depend on your age:

If you’re under 60 and 39 weeks: You can make one withdrawal of up to $10,000 in a 12-month period if:

You’ve been receiving an income support payment (like JobSeeker Payment) for at least 26 continuous weeks, and
You can’t meet immediate and reasonable family living expenses, such as mortgage repayments.

If you’re older than 60 and 39 weeks: There are no limits on the amount you can withdraw if:

You’ve received an income support payment for at least 39 weeks since reaching 60 years of age, and
You’re not currently employed.

For those in this category, you may be able to access your full super balance.

To apply for early super release due to severe financial hardship, you’ll need to contact your super fund directly, as they are responsible for assessing your claim. The same rules apply to individuals with an SMSF, where trustees are legally required to evaluate member applications using the same severe financial hardship eligibility criteria.

Final thoughts

It can be reassuring to know that your super isn’t entirely locked away if you find yourself in financial difficulty. Whether it’s to cover urgent medical expenses, prevent losing your home, or simply make ends meet, these provisions can provide much-needed relief. Of course, accessing your super early means you’ll have less saved for retirement, so it’s important to weigh up your options carefully. Also keep in mind, tax may apply on your withdrawal.

If you are thinking of accessing your super due to financial difficulty, consider reaching out to your adviser who can help you navigate the process.

< Older Post

Newer Post >

Previous Blog Posts:

Surviving (and maybe avoiding) an ATO audit

By Brad Dickfos • January 27, 2026

This article focuses on self-employed clients. If you’re a salary earner or retiree, you might find one of our other blogs more helpful.

The 50% CGT discount: More than meets the eye

By Brad Dickfos • January 9, 2026

There is much in the media about how the 50% capital gains tax (CGT) discount has contributed to the housing affordability problem in Australia (although no doubt the problem is a lot more complex than attributing it mainly to any taxation measure or measures).

Could you be missing out on thousands in lost super?

By Brad Dickfos • December 18, 2025

Most of us keep a close eye on our bank accounts. But superannuation can be easier to lose track of, especially if you’ve changed jobs, moved house, changed your name, or simply set up a new fund and assumed everything followed you. That’s why the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) has issued a timely reminder. There is now $18.9 billion in lost and unclaimed super sitting across Australia. That’s up $1.1 billion since 2024 and spread across just under 7.3 million accounts. In other words, a lot of Australians have retirement savings that aren’t currently working for them and some of it could be yours. What “lost” or “unclaimed” super actually means Super doesn’t vanish, but it can go missing from your radar. It typically happens when an account becomes inactive and your super fund can’t contact you, or when you end up with multiple funds over the years. The ATO also holds certain amounts of super on behalf of individuals, for example, small inactive balances that have been transferred to the ATO, or other unclaimed amounts. The average amount of lost or unclaimed super is around $2,590 per person. That might not sound life-changing today, but over time it can grow into tens of thousands by retirement. A special note if you have an SMSF If you have an SMSF, this ATO update is particularly worth paying attention to. When you established your SMSF, you might have transferred most of your super across, but kept some behind, for example, to retain insurance cover through another fund. That means there could still be older super accounts from past jobs or retail/industry funds sitting in your name. The ATO is urging SMSF members to do a check, because a share of the $18.9 billion in lost and unclaimed super might be yours and could be rolled into your SMSF. One important practical tip is that if you locate lost super and want to move it into your SMSF, but your SMSF doesn’t show up as a transfer option in ATO online services, it’s often due to the fund’s compliance status. Take a moment to confirm your SMSF is listed as “complying” or “registered” on Super Fund Lookup. How to check for lost super (it only takes minutes) The ATO has made this super simple (pun intended!). You can: 1. Log in to myGov and go to ATO online services 2. Navigate to the Super section to view: Super held by the ATO Any lost or unclaimed accounts 3. Request a transfer to an eligible super account. Even if you don’t find anything, you’ll at least know everything is where it should be. Simple habits that help you stay on top of super Finding lost super is great but preventing it from happening at all is even better. A few easy habits can make a big difference: Keep your details up to date with your fund and the ATO so you stay contactable. Check whether you’ve got more than one account. Multiple accounts can mean multiple fees and duplicated insurance Consider consolidating if it suits your situation. Fewer accounts can mean lower fees and easier management but just be sure to check any insurance you might lose before rolling over Read your annual statement. It’s a quick way to confirm contributions, fees, returns, investment mix and beneficiaries. Why acting now matters Since 2022, the ATO has already reunited Australians with about $5.5 billion in previously unclaimed super. But there’s still nearly $19 billion waiting to be found. A few minutes today could translate into a healthier retirement balance later. It’s easy to put super in the “deal with it later” basket, but it’s still your hard-earned money. If you want a hand finding lost super, combining accounts, or moving money into your SMSF, reach out to us. We can guide you through the steps and make sure you’re able to claim any lost super without any hassles.