Tapping the compassionate release of super to fund inappropriate cosmetic procedures needs to be stamped out, the tax office and health practitioner regulators say.

The warning comes as new ATO data shows a further jump in applicants seeking early superannuation payouts on compassionate grounds.

In 2024/25 a total of $1.4 billion in superannuation funds was released on those grounds, compared with just more than $1 billion in 2023/24.

Of 112,400 applications received in 2024/25, only 67,900 were approved, a large portion being for medical treatment, including dental work, IVF procedures and weight loss treatment.

The tax office and the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (Ahpra) have joined forces to "stamp out business models" using super to pay for expensive or unnecessa

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