The government sets limits on how much money you can add to your super each year: the contribution caps. Adding extra to your super is a great way to grow your balance. But if you go over these limits, you may pay extra tax.
It's easy to see if you're near your cap by checking your account online or in our mobile app. If you have super in other funds, log in to myGov.
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There are 2 types of super contributions that have a cap to limit them. Let's look at how these both work, and how much you can add for the financial year from 1 July 2023.
These payments go into your super without income tax on them. So you only pay the 'concessional' 15% tax in your super. (Or 30% if your income + super is over $250,000/year.)
plus carry-forward amounts since 1 July 2018 (previous cap was $25,000)
Your employer's super guarantee contributions
Any salary sacrifice contributions you set up
Personal contributions you've claimed on tax
Notional taxed contributions for Defined Benefit accounts
Your employer's super guarantee contributions
Any salary sacrifice contributions you set up
Personal contributions you've claimed on tax
Notional taxed contributions for Defined Benefit accounts
Non-concessional contributions can also be called voluntary contributions, personal contributions, or after-tax contributions. The cap doesn't include downsizer contributions or COVID-19 re-contributions.
Or check the bring-forward rules in our FAQs for a higher cap.
The cap is $0.00 if your total super balance is $1.9 million or more at 30 June 2023.
Money you add from your take-home pay after income tax
Money you add directly from your bank account
Contributions from your spouse
Any before-tax contributions over the concessional contributions cap that you haven't taken out
Money you add from your take-home pay after income tax
Money you add directly from your bank account
Contributions from your spouse
Any before-tax contributions over the concessional contributions cap that you haven't taken out
You can track payments to your ART account anytime in our mobile app or online. And you can use ATO online services for payments to other super funds.
Check these frequently asked questions (FAQs) for more on maximum super contribution limits. Need help with your super? Contact us today.
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If you go over your limit for before-tax super contributions, the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) will:
The ATO tax your contributions over the cap at your marginal tax rate, minus a 15% tax offset. And they might also charge interest on that tax.
At the end of the financial year, you can either:
The ATO gives you 2 options if you're over the after-tax contributions limit.
At the end of the financial year, you can:
The ATO will contact you if you go over the maximum super contribution for your accounts.
The carry forward rule means you can use any leftovers from your concessional caps for up to 5 years.
Let's say you add less than your limit for concessional super contributions in one year. Your cap limits for the next year then get a boost with the leftovers. And so on.
To do this, your total balance across all super funds needs to be less than $500,000 at the end of the previous financial year.
The ATO adds carried forward concessional contributions once you go over the cap in any year. You don’t need to do anything.
The 5-year carry forward rule started in 2018-19.
The bring-forward rule means if you go over this year's non-concessional super cap, you can use caps for future years, too. It's like you're bringing forward your contributions, as if you made them next year instead of this year.
Are you under 75? You may be able to bring forward up to 3 years' worth of after-tax contributions.
How much you can bring forward depends on your total super balance last financial year.
| Total super balance on 30 June 2023 | After-tax contributions cap for the first year1 | Bring-forward period |
|---|---|---|
| Less than $1.68m | $330,000 | 3 years |
| $1.68m to less than $1.79m | $220,000 | 2 years |
| $1.79m to less than $1.9m | $110,000 | No bring-forward period, general non-concessional contributions cap applies |
| $1.9m and over | Nil | N/A |
1. As long as you haven't already used your bring-forward/carry forward amounts.
No, it doesn't. COVID-19 early release re-contributions are classed as after-tax (non-concessional) super contributions. But they don't count towards these caps.
All you have to do is send the ATO's re-contribution form to your super fund.
If your income plus before-tax contributions for the year go over $250,000, the ATO may charge an extra 15% tax on contributions.
So you'd pay 30% tax instead of 15% on your before-tax (concessional) super contributions.
Your bring-forward rules are different if your total super balance was $1.68 million or more on 30 June 2023.
Here's what it means:
Check the limits in the table below.
| Total super balance on 30 June 2023 | Non-concessional contributions cap for 2023–24 (including bring-forward rule) | Bring-forward period |
|---|---|---|
| $1.68m – $1.79m | $220,000 | 2 years |
| $1.79m – $1.9m | $110,000 | N/A |
| $1.9m or more | Nil | N/A |
The super contributions caps limit how much you add to your super. But there's also a transfer balance cap. This limits how much super you can move into one of our Income accounts or Lifetime Pension.
The general transfer balance cap is $1.9 million from 1 July 2023.
There are special rules for defined benefit income streams.
Add an after-tax payment to your super in Member Online or BPAY®. Or set up salary sacrifice payments with your employer.
Boost your balanceHaving your super in the one spot makes it easier to manage. And it means one set of fees. Check if you're missing super.
Search for lost superSee if you can get a top up to your super from the government. If you retire with us, you might earn a bonus as well.
Check your options
