Superannuation · Calculator

Superannuation Calculator (Australia)

Project your super balance at retirement and compare employer SG, salary sacrifice and deductible personal contributions. Check concessional cap usage and Division 293 exposure before contributing.

12% SG rate$32,500 concessional capDivision 293 modelled
01INPUTS

Sets current-year tax, contribution cap and projection start year.

Gross annual earnings before salary sacrifice. Employer SG is capped at the statutory maximum contribution base.

A personal contribution you intend to claim as a tax deduction.

2026-27 Australian super and tax settings. SG is calculated on eligible earnings before salary sacrifice; preservation age is 60 for people born after 30 June 1964.

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Balance looking low? You may have super in accounts you've lost track of — find your lost super through myGov in minutes, free.

Also useful: Division 293 thresholds, salary sacrifice room guide, full super contribution caps, super contributions and earnings tax.

How superannuation contributions work

Superannuation is Australia's compulsory retirement savings system. Your employer contributes a percentage of your salary (the Superannuation Guarantee) into your super fund, where it grows until you retire.

Concessional contributions

Before-tax contributions including:

Employer SG contributions (mandatory 12%)
Salary sacrifice (voluntary pre-tax)
Personal deductible contributions

Generally taxed at 15% inside super. 2026-27 cap: $32,500/year

Non-concessional contributions

After-tax contributions including:

Personal contributions (no tax deduction claimed)
Spouse contributions
Government co-contributions

Not taxed on entry (already taxed). 2026-27 cap: $130,000/year

Superannuation Guarantee rate history
Financial year SG rate
2023-2411%
2024-2511.5%
2025-26+12% (final rate)

The legislated phase-in finished at 12% on 1 July 2025 and no further increase is scheduled. What changed on 1 July 2026 is when employers must pay: under Payday Super, contributions have to reach the fund shortly after each payday rather than quarterly.

Rates and caps by financial year

The SG rate has settled, but the contribution caps and the maximum contribution base still move with average weekly ordinary time earnings. These are the confirmed figures for the years currently open:

Financial year SG rate Concessional cap Non-concessional cap Maximum contribution base
2024-25 11.5% $30,000 $120,000 $260,280
2025-26 12% $30,000 $120,000 $250,000
2026-27 (current) 12% $32,500 $130,000 $270,830

The maximum contribution base is now annual. Under the quarterly SG regime it was a per-quarter figure; from 1 July 2026 it is a single yearly amount of $270,830. Once your employer has paid you that much in qualifying earnings for the year, no further SG is compulsory on the excess — which caps compulsory employer SG at $32,499.60 — deliberately just under the $32,500 concessional cap. Caps for 2026-27 onwards are re-indexed in $2,500 steps as average weekly ordinary time earnings grow, so a future-year figure is not settled until the ATO publishes it.

Salary sacrifice benefits

Salary sacrificing into super can be one of the most tax-effective ways to build wealth. By contributing pre-tax dollars, you pay only 15% contributions tax instead of your marginal income tax rate.

Income band (2026-27) Marginal rate Plus Medicare levy Super tax rate Tax saved per $1,000
$18,201 – $45,000 15% 17% 15% $20
$45,001 – $135,000 30% 32% 15% $170
$135,001 – $190,000 37% 39% 15% $240
$190,001+ 45% 47% 15% $320

Sacrificed salary is never assessable income, so the Medicare levy falls with the income tax — the saving is the combined rate less the 15% the fund pays. Two things the saving does not escape: the sacrificed amount is still a reportable employer super contribution, so it counts for the Medicare levy surcharge, Division 293 and income-tested benefits; and above $250,000 of Division 293 income the fund-side rate doubles to 30%, halving the numbers in the last row.

Tip: Use the Salary Sacrifice Calculator to see the exact impact on your take-home pay and super balance.

Division 293 tax for high earners

The ATO adds your Division 293 income component to your low-tax super contributions. The income component starts with taxable income and adds reportable fringe benefits, net financial investment and rental property losses, and family trust distribution tax amounts, while disregarding reportable super contributions. If the combined amount exceeds $250,000, affected contributions face an additional 15% tax.

How Division 293 is calculated

1. Work out the Division 293 income component, excluding reportable super contributions
2. Add low-tax super contributions after excluding excess concessional contributions
3. If the total exceeds $250,000, Division 293 applies
4. Apply 15% to the lesser of the low-tax contributions or the amount above $250,000

Example: Division 293 calculation

Income $240,000
Low-tax super contributions $15,000
Combined Division 293 amount $255,000
Amount over threshold $5,000
Division 293 tax $5,000 × 15% = $750

This follows the ATO's published Jan example. The $750 is additional to the usual 15% contributions tax.

Concessional cap and carry-forward

The concessional contributions cap for 2026-27 is $32,500 per year. This includes all employer SG, salary sacrifice, and personal deductible contributions.

Carry-forward unused caps

If your total super balance is under $500,000, you can carry forward unused concessional cap amounts from the previous 5 years. This allows for larger contributions in years when you have extra income.

Example: If you have $10,000 of eligible unused cap available, your effective 2026-27 cap could be $42,500. Eligibility depends on your total super balance and prior-year history.

FAQ
What is the Superannuation Guarantee rate for 2026-27?
The Superannuation Guarantee (SG) rate for 2026-27 is 12%. From 1 July 2026, Payday Super changes when employers pay SG, not the 12% rate. See ATO super rates and thresholds.
What is the concessional contributions cap?
The concessional contributions cap for 2026-27 is $32,500 per year. This includes employer SG contributions, salary sacrifice, and personal deductible contributions. Exceeding the cap can result in additional tax and interest charges.
What is Division 293 tax?
Division 293 is an additional 15% tax on affected low-tax super contributions. It can apply when your ATO Division 293 income component plus low-tax contributions exceeds $250,000. The tax is 15% of the lesser of the low-tax contributions or the amount above the threshold. See ATO Division 293 guidance.
Is there a salary cap on employer super contributions?
Yes — the maximum contribution base. For 2026-27 it is $270,830 of qualifying earnings for the year. Once your employer has paid you that much, it is not compulsory for them to pay SG on anything beyond it, which caps compulsory employer SG at $32,499.60. Under Payday Super the base became an annual figure from 1 July 2026; before that it was assessed quarterly. Employers may still choose to pay SG above the base.
How much tax does salary sacrificing into super actually save?
Per $1,000 sacrificed you save the difference between your combined marginal rate and the 15% the fund pays. In 2026-27 that is $20 at 17%, $170 at 32%, $240 at 39%, $320 at 47% — the combined rate includes the 2% Medicare levy, which sacrificing also reduces. Above $250,000 of Division 293 income the fund-side rate doubles to 30% and the saving roughly halves.
How is super taxed?
Concessional contributions are generally taxed at 15% in the fund, with Division 293 potentially adding another 15% on affected contributions. Non-concessional contributions made from after-tax money are not further taxed on entry. Accumulation earnings are generally taxed at up to 15%, while eligible exempt current pension income may be tax exempt. Benefit-payment tax depends on age, taxed or untaxed source and benefit type.
What is the superannuation tax rate in Australia?
There is no single rate: common fund-side rates are 15% on concessional contributions and taxable accumulation earnings, plus an additional 15% Division 293 tax for affected high-income contributions. Use the Superannuation Tax Calculator for a contributions, Division 293 and fund-earnings breakdown.
What is the preservation age?
Preservation age is when you can access your super. For people born after 1 July 1964, preservation age is 60. You can access your super when you reach preservation age and retire, or when you turn 65 regardless of work status.
Should I salary sacrifice into super?
Salary sacrifice or a deductible personal contribution can be beneficial if your personal tax saved is greater than the contributions tax. Both count towards your concessional cap. A deductible personal contribution also requires a valid notice of intent and acknowledgment from your fund before you claim it. Consider cashflow and access restrictions before contributing.

Tax Accuracy & Sources

Reviewed: 17 July 2026 · Tax year: 2026-27

This calculator projects an accumulation account using the selected year's SG rate, statutory maximum SG earnings base, concessional cap, eligible carry-forward cap, tax brackets and Division 293 threshold. Salary sacrifice and deductible personal contributions reduce taxable income and are included once as low-tax contributions for Division 293. The default 6.1% investment return is net of investment tax and investment fees; administration fees and insurance are deducted separately. Dollar fees rise with inflation and the headline result is shown in today's dollars. It does not model defined benefit schemes, excess-contribution release choices, Division 293 payment source or individual investment-return volatility.

This projection assumes a single net return for both funds. To see how admin, investment and insurance fees alone can change your balance, use the Super Fund Fee Comparison Calculator.

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