Super is your biggest investment after your home. Most Australians ignore it until it's too late. Don't be most Australians.
Your employer must pay 12% of your ordinary time earnings into super (Super Guarantee rate for 2025-26). This is on top of your salary. If they're not paying it, report to the ATO — it's illegal. Check your super statement quarterly.
Concessional (before-tax): $30,000/year including employer contributions. Non-concessional (after-tax): $120,000/year or $360,000 using 3-year bring-forward. Exceeding caps triggers extra tax — plan carefully, especially with salary sacrifice.
Compare fees first — a 0.5% fee difference costs $100,000+ over a working life. Check investment performance over 10+ years, not 1 year. Look for insurance included. AustralianSuper, Hostplus, and UniSuper consistently rank well for fees and returns.
Contribute extra from your pre-tax salary. You pay 15% contributions tax instead of your marginal rate. If you earn $100K (32.5% rate), salary sacrificing $10K saves $1,750 in tax. The most effective strategy for most workers.
Earn under $60,400? The government matches your after-tax super contributions up to $500 (50 cents per dollar on first $1,000). Free money. If you qualify, always contribute at least $1,000 to claim the full co-contribution.
Default "balanced" options are fine for most people. But if you're under 40, consider a "high growth" or "indexed" option — you have decades to ride out volatility. After 50, gradually shift to more conservative allocations.
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