What shapes a secure retirement? State Super research reveals how health costs, family duties and housing choices affect members’ finances, confidence and freedom to enjoy life after leaving paid work.

A reliable retirement income can bring peace of mind. But what happens when rising insurance premiums, uncertain medical bills and family responsibilities compete with the freedom to enjoy it?

State Super’s Member Perspectives 2026 research brings these tensions into focus through the experiences of 225 members. Drawing on three advisory forums held from late 2024 into 2026, the paper captures views from working and retired NSW public sector employees across metropolitan, regional and rural communities.

Members valued the certainty of a defined benefit pension and its annual inflation adjustment. Yet even this protection did not remove concerns about escalating living costs, unexpected treatment expenses or the unknown price of future aged care. Some described spending cautiously today to preserve a buffer for tomorrow.

For insurance professionals, the accounts offer insight into the difficult choices behind affordability pressures. One member with a chronic health condition was considering reducing private health cover, while others credited their pension with enabling them to retain insurance and access surgery.

Retirement planning also emerged as a family undertaking. Supporting adult children, helping grandchildren, caring for dependants with disability and assisting elderly parents all influenced how members saved, spent and approached retirement. Housing deposits, education costs and shared living arrangements extended these obligations beyond everyday bills.

The paper also challenges assumptions about downsizing and leaving work. A smaller home offered connection and convenience for some; for others, moving threatened independence, cherished memories or proximity to familiar services. Leaving employment could create space for enjoyment, but also unsettle identity and purpose.

These perspectives show why financial wellbeing cannot be understood through income alone. For those designing products, advice or support for older customers, they offer a reminder to look beyond the balance sheet.

Discover the personal experiences shaping retirement decisions and consider what they mean for your customers.

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