How Choice Income helped Dale
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Show transcript
My name's Dale Amy. I used to pull the road trains up from upper NT, Western Australia, across the Nullarbor and that.
You’ve got to have an understanding wife. When I started going away, I did miss Sandra for awhile and all your friends. Next you've got no friends when you're on the road. And you're all excited, I'll get home. I've got to get home to see your lovely wife and your family and happy. Sometimes it didn't happen that way.
I thought, "I'll go to 70 so I’ll get some more money up." I didn't think about what's around the corner. When Sandra got ill, it changed everything. Our life just changed altogether. Sandra had cancer. I had a lot of thoughts going through me brain at the time.
Sandra laying there in bed, sick and that and I was working and trying to get home. And I thought, "No, it's not right. I'll retire." That's why I started to think about retirement.
And I thought to Sandra, I said ‘we're going to do it properly.’ That's when I ring AustralianSuper up and started planning things.
You appreciate your money and your wage and all that. It was very hard decision to make. It was scary at first. You think ‘Where's the money going to come from? What's going to happen?’ We haven't changed our lifestyle around. We’re still living the lifestyle that we wanted to do. We get paid every fortnight. It's just easy. Yeah. It's like working like you've got your wage every fortnight.
Now I’m happy and relaxed. I’ve sort of settled in now I’m retired. Now got more time to think and control things. I love my fishing. I find that relaxing. If you catch something, it's a bonus. If you don't, you've enjoyed this fresh air getting out there.
You've got to plan ahead. You can't just go ‘bang and I’m going.’ Get out, enjoy life. And all the fresh air and get out and do your hobbies and that. Just get out there and do it.
It's Australian. It's super. And it's yours.
Proud winners of the Canstar Outstanding Value Award for Account Based Pension4
OPEN A CHOICE INCOME ACCOUNT
How does a Choice Income account based pension work?
Turn your super into a regular income
Receiving regular payments – just like a salary – allows you to plan how much you spend in retirement. You can also use the income from your Choice Income account to top up any Government Age Pension payments you’re eligible for.
Control how often you’re paid
Set up how much and how often income gets paid into your bank account. Plus access extra money from your super to pay for bills, holidays or other expenses any time. If you’re 60 or over, regular income payments and withdrawals are tax free.
Keep growing your super
A Choice Income account could make your money go even further because your super stays invested after you’ve retired. Decide exactly how you want your savings invested or let our investment experts manage it for you.
See how Choice Income could make a difference
Even in retirement, our history of strong performance has given AustralianSuper members an advantage over the long term with an average annual return of 8.91% over the last 10 years to 31 March 2026 for the Choice Income Balanced option. And being with a top, long-term performer could make a big difference to how long your retirement savings last.5
The following graph compares AustralianSuper’s Choice Income net benefit against the industry average.
Choice Income balance after 10 years
The graph above shows how a member’s balance would have grown over 10 years to 31 December 2025, while receiving regular retirement income, with a $300,000 balance and a 6% p.a. draw down rate6, compared to the average for all super funds.
When to open a Choice Income account
When you decide to retire, you could open a Choice Income account using your super savings to receive regular payments.
You’ll need a minimum balance of $10,000 to deposit into your new Choice Income account. It might also be a good idea to consolidate your super7 before you start as you can’t add money to a Choice Income account once you’ve opened it.
Not quite ready to retire?
A transition to retirement (TTR) strategy could help you work less and top up your take-home pay while you ease into retirement. Find out how a TTR Income account could work for you8.
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Disclaimers
- Thinking Ahead Institute, Global top 300 pension funds, September 2025.
- APRA Quarterly Superannuation Fund Level Statistics September 2025, Released December 2025.
- Reader's Digest Most Trusted Brands – Superannuation category winner for 14 years running 2013–2026, according to research conducted by research agency Catalyst Research. Awards and ratings are only one factor to be taken into account when choosing a super fund. Read the full methodology.
- AustralianSuper received the Canstar Outstanding Value Award – Account Based Pension in 2018-2025. Read the full methodology here. Awards and ratings are only one factor to be taken into account when choosing a super fund.
- AustralianSuper Balanced investment option compared to the SuperRatings Pension Fund Crediting Rate Survey – SRP Balanced (60–76) Index to 31 March 2026. Investment returns aren’t guaranteed. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future returns.
- Comparisons modelled by SuperRatings, commissioned by AustralianSuper. The outcome shows the average difference in ‘net benefit’, a measure of past investment returns after administration fees and costs, investment fees and costs, transaction costs and taxes have been taken out. The results compare the AustralianSuper Choice Income Balanced investment option and comparable pension balanced options, for historical periods to 31 December 2025. Other fees and costs may apply. Outcomes vary between individual funds. See Assumptions for more details. The model uses return and fee data that is submitted to SuperRatings. The model assumes: a starting age of 65 commencing 1 January 2015 and finishing on 31 December 2025; a starting balance of $300,000; and a drawdown rate of 6% p.a. Other fees and costs may apply. Outcomes vary between individual funds. Figures have been rounded to the nearest $100. Investment returns aren’t guaranteed. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future returns.
- Before making a decision to combine your super, consider any fees or charges that may apply, and the effect a transfer may have on benefits in your other fund such as insurance cover. We recommend you consider seeking financial advice. If you wish to claim a tax deduction for personal super contributions, you must lodge a notice of intent to claim a tax deduction with your other fund before you combine your super.
- Transition to Retirement (TTR) can be complex and isn’t suited to everyone. It’s a good idea to get financial advice before deciding if a TTR Income account is right for you.
- Personal financial product advice is provided under the Australian Financial Services Licence held by a third party and not by AustralianSuper Pty Ltd. Fees may apply.
- Thinking Ahead Institute, Global top 300 pension funds, September 2025.