$1.4 Billion Released Early From Super for Medical Treatments, ATO Warns of Misuse

The ATO says 30 percent of applications had been rejected because they didn’t meet the criteria.

The logo of Australian Super, the country's biggest retirement fund, is seen on a phone screen in Canberra, Australia on March 12, 2025. AAP Image/Lukas Coch

They has been a sharp rise in the number of people applying for early access to their superannuation to fund medical treatments, according to the Australian Tax Office (ATO) and the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA).

The volume of applications has rapidly increased over the past two years, particularly for dental services, where the number has almost doubled.