Grow your super
Your options
Making additional contributions to your super now can make a big difference to your future. Ways to grow your super and increase your retirement savings include:
Salary sacrifice
You can ask your employer to pay part of your pre-tax salary into super, which is generally taxed at 15%, likely to be less than your regular income tax rate. There are restrictions and rules around how much you can contribute before extra tax kicks in.
Co-contribution
If you earn less than $57,016 before tax and contribute to your super, you could be eligible for a government co-contribution. If you contribute between $20-$1,000 to your super from your take-home pay, the government could match your contribution up to $500.
Voluntary contributions
Adding to your super from your take-home pay is a simple way to grow your super balance. You can make up to $110,000 after-tax contributions from your pay and claim a tax deduction on these contributions.
Spouse contribution
When you contribute to your spouse’s super account, you may be eligible for a tax offset. This can be effective if one person has taken time out of their career to stay at home with children or care for a family member.
Consolidate your super
Instead of having more than one account and paying multiple fees and insurance premiums, you can save money and grow your super faster simply by having just one super account.
Important tax rules
Importantly, the Australian government has rules around how much you can contribute to your superannuation, depending on your individual circumstances. Broadly, there are two ways that tax affects contributions:
Before-tax contributions
These contributions include employer contributions (known as the Super Guarantee) and salary sacrifice (via your employer). Before-tax contributions are generally taxed at 15% (likely to be less than your normal income tax rate) and also help reduce your taxable income.
After-tax contributions
An after-tax contribution is a payment into your super via BPAY(R) or direct debit from your bank account. (These include government co-contributions, spouse contributions, and voluntary contributions.) After-tax contributions can be one-off or recurring payments, and you may be able to claim a tax deduction for eligible personal deductible contributions.
Note: If you contribute too much, you may have to pay extra tax. Read more about making additional contributions here.