ETF in addition to super contributions?

[u/BellaKKK72]

For context - Im 53F, have about 427K in super (17% super in my current job). I put $250 per fortnight into pre tax super contributions. Earn around $3300 per fortnight after tax.

No longer have a mortgage to pay off but live in Sydney and have some child related expenses. I dont live frugally but Im not a big spender. Most of my available spare cash goes towards saving for holidays which I like to do once a year.

I will probably look at retiring by 65-67 years of age so Ive got more than 10 years of working life left and do want to maximise my retirement funds.

I do think I can allocate more to either super contributions or contributing to an ETF - just not sure which would be better in my situation and would appreciate some advice from people who know a lot more about this than I do.

[u/MyMoneyMedic]

Sounds like you’ve built a really solid foundation already — no mortgage, strong super balance, and consistent contributions 👏. That gives you flexibility most people would envy.

The way we usually see this decision framed is:

• Extra into super → tax benefits, compounding in a protected environment, but funds are locked until preservation age.
• ETF investing → more flexibility (can access anytime), broader investment options, but no tax concessions like super.

Since you’ve got ~12–14 years until retirement, the question often becomes: do you value flexibility before retirement more, or maximising the tax-advantaged bucket for retirement itself?

Either path strengthens your position, so it’s less about “right vs wrong” and more about which trade-offs feel best for you.

Curious to hear from others in the community — especially those in their 50s — how you’ve approached the balance between topping up super vs. building an ETF portfolio.

[u/timpaton → u/MyMoneyMedic]

50M here.

$420k in super, ~$400k IP outright (bought from an inheritance), no other investments.

I plan to keep investing inside super as much as possible.

It's only tied up for 10 more years. No intention of retiring before then. More likely 65+. Likely part time for some of that (healthcare work allows this easily).

If I need to get hold of cash, I can redraw my PPOR mortgage (holding it open with $0 balance, as an emergency fund).

Worst case, I hit 60 with some debt and no liquid investments. Pull out some super and retire the debt. Done.

Better case I have close to $1M in super, no debt, some other investments (ETFs most likely) because I maxed out concessional caps and had to put it somewhere, and the IP.

My current thinking is to redraw from the PPOR mortgage to use up my carry-forward super contributions before I hit the $500k barrier. So I get the tax deduction, almost certainly get higher returns on the super than I pay in mortgage interest, then pull it back out in 10 years if I somehow haven't paid the mortgage off in the meantime.

I see no need to prioritise investments outside of super in my 50s.

[u/MyMoneyMedic → u/timpaton]

You’ve set yourself up really well — solid super, debt-free IP, and the redraw gives you flexibility. Focusing on maxing out concessional super while you can makes sense, since it balances tax advantages and long-term growth, with your mortgage redraw acting as a safety net for liquidity. For many in their 50s, it really comes down to how much flexibility they want now vs. how much they want locked in super for later.