The government places restrictions on when you can access your super so you can only access it if you have satisfied a condition of release such as:
- Retiring permanently from the workforce on, or after, reaching your preservation age
- terminating your employment after you reach 60
- reaching 65
- becoming temporary or permanently incapacitated
- having a terminal medical condition
- death.
Your preservation age depends on your date of birth:
| Your date of birth | Your preservation age |
| Before 1 July 1960 | 55 |
| 1 July 1960 – 30 June 1961 | 56 |
| 1 July 1961 – 30 June 1962 | 57 |
| 1 July 1962 – 30 June 1963 | 58 |
| 1 July 1963 – 30 June 1964 | 59 |
| 1 July 1964 or after | 60 |
Some conditions of release allow the partial cashing of benefits, including:
- compassionate grounds
- financial hardship.
In some instances, if withdrawals are made under age 60 there could be some tax consequences relating to the taxable component of the super withdrawal.