SFA035 Super in your 40s. It's time to get focused. (726 words)

This third article in the 4-part series on superannuation through the generations calculates how much will be needed for retirement in 20 years, how to increase the balance, salary sacrifice vs paying off mortgage, government contributions, and insurance through super.

Typically your forties is a time of established careers, teenage kids and a mortgage that is no longer daunting. There are still plenty of demands on the budget, but by this age there’s a good chance there’s some spare cash that can be put to good use. As you pass the halfway mark of your working life, it’s time to give retirement planning a bit more attention.