Yes. In most cases you can return to work after you’ve accessed your super, and plenty of retirees do, whether for the income, the routine, or simply because the right opportunity came up. What matters is how you accessed your super, your age, and whether you’re drawing an income stream or the age pension. Those three things decide what happens to your existing super, what you’re allowed to contribute, and whether your pension payments change. Here’s what to check before you go back.
First, what’s your situation?
The rules land differently depending on how you retired and how old you are. Most people fall into one of these three groups.
You retired at or after your preservation age
Preservation age is now 60 for everyone. If you declared your retirement to access your super before turning 60, going back to work later is allowed. You don’t repay anything you’ve already withdrawn. What can change is how any future access is treated, so it’s worth a quick check before you sign a new contract.
You stopped an employment arrangement after turning 60
If you met a condition of release by ceasing a job after 60, the super you unlocked stays accessible. You can take a new job and keep drawing your existing income stream. Any new super your employer pays is treated separately, which we cover below.
You’re 65 or older
Once you reach 65 your super is fully available whether you’re working or not. Returning to work doesn’t lock it back up. The main things to watch at this age are the age pension income test and the rules on contributing while you work.
What happens to your super if you return to work?
Your existing account-based pension keeps running as normal. You don’t have to stop it or pay it back. The change is on the contributions side. Any super your new employer pays can’t be added to a pension that’s already in the retirement phase, so it goes into a separate accumulation account. You can consolidate the two later, but they have to start out apart.
If you’re eligible, your employer pays the Super Guarantee at 12% of your ordinary earnings. Super Guarantee is now payable regardless of your age, so being back at work in your late sixties or seventies doesn’t change your employer’s obligation to pay it.
Can you keep contributing to super after you go back?
Yes, up to age 75. You can make personal after-tax contributions and salary-sacrifice contributions without meeting any work test, right up until 28 days after the end of the month you turn 75. The one exception is claiming a tax deduction on a personal contribution between 67 and 74, where you still need to meet the work test of 40 hours of paid work within 30 consecutive days.
For 2025–26 the caps are $30,000 a year for concessional (before-tax) contributions and $120,000 for non-concessional (after-tax) contributions. If you’re under 75 and eligible, the bring-forward rule can let you contribute up to $360,000 of non-concessional contributions across a three-year period. Returning to work, and the income that comes with it, can make topping up your super worthwhile again, so it’s a good moment to revisit your contribution strategy.
Will going back to work affect your age pension?
It can, but not as much as most people expect. The Age Pension age kicks in from 67. If you’re receiving a full or part pension, income from work is assessed under the income test. The Work Bonus softens the impact: the first $300 a fortnight you earn from working isn’t counted as income for the pension. If you don’t use the full $300 in a fortnight, the unused amount banks up in a Work Bonus balance that can grow to $11,800 and offset future earnings. New pensioners start with a $4,000 balance already credited. For a lot of retirees, a few shifts a week has little or no effect on their pension once the Work Bonus is applied.
Do you have to pay your super back if you return to work?
No. Once your super has been legally released, it’s yours. Going back to work doesn’t require you to repay any benefits you’ve withdrawn or any pension payments you’ve received. The only thing that can be affected is how a future condition of release is assessed if you originally accessed your super by declaring retirement. If that’s your situation, it’s worth confirming the detail before you start.
Everyone’s circumstances are different, and the interaction between your super, your income stream and the age pension is where the value sits. If you’re thinking about returning to work and want to know how it affects you specifically, contact Gerrie Vermeulen at Everalls Wealth Management. A short conversation now can save a costly assumption later.
1 ABS – Retirement and Retirement Intentions, Australia
Source: AMP
Frequently asked questions
Can I return to work after accessing my super?
Yes. Accessing your super doesn’t stop you from working again. How it affects you depends on your age, how you met your condition of release, and whether you’re receiving an income stream or the age pension.
Do I have to pay back my super if I go back to work?
No. Once your super has been legally released it’s yours to keep. Returning to work doesn’t require you to repay any benefits you’ve already withdrawn or any pension payments you’ve received.
Will going back to work affect my age pension?
It can. Employment income is assessed under the age pension income test, but the Work Bonus means the first $300 a fortnight you earn from working isn’t counted. Unused Work Bonus banks up to a balance of $11,800.
Can I still contribute to super after I return to work?
Yes, until you’re 75. You can make personal and salary-sacrifice contributions without a work test up to 28 days after the end of the month you turn 75. From 67 to 74 a work test applies only if you want to claim a tax deduction for a personal contribution.
How much super does my employer have to pay if I go back to work?
If you’re eligible, your employer pays the Super Guarantee at 12% of your ordinary earnings, the rate from 1 July 2025. These contributions go into an accumulation account, not an existing retirement-phase pension.
