Is superannuation taxed?
Yes, your super gets taxed in a few main ways:
Tax on super contributions
- Tax on investment earnings
- Tax on super withdrawals and retirement income payments
- Tax on death benefit payments
What's contributions tax in superannuation?
When you or your employer add before-tax money to your super account, you pay tax on those super contributions.
Here's a quick look at the tax on super contributions:
| Type of super contribution | Super tax |
|---|---|
| Superannuation guarantee (SG) contributions* | 15% |
| Salary sacrifice before-tax contributions* | 15% |
| After-tax contributions (a.k.a. personal, voluntary, or non-concessional contributions) | 0% |
| Contributions you've claimed a tax deduction for* | 15% |
| Spouse contribution to your spouse's super account | 0% |
| Government co-contribution | 0% |
* If your income plus before-tax super contributions is over $250,000/year, the ATO may apply an extra 15% to some or all of your contributions.
Super tax is often less than income tax
Contribution tax in superannuation is generally lower than the tax on your pay (employment income).
And super tax rates are often lower than the tax on investment returns outside of super (investment income).
Super contributions can reduce your taxable income
Super can be a tax-effective way to save for your future
Why am I being charged contribution tax on super?
The Australian tax laws set out if and when you have to pay contribution tax in superannuation.
How to avoid paying more contribution tax than you have to
Paying tax on super is often unavoidable. But there are some ways to limit how much tax you pay.
Give us your tax file number
One way to avoid paying extra tax is to add your tax file number (TFN) in Member Online.
If you don't, you could pay up to 47% tax on the SG contributions from your employer, and any other before-tax super payments (45% + 2% Medicare levy).
You also can't make voluntary after-tax contributions unless you list your TFN with us.
Know the contribution limits
There are some limits to how much you can contribute to your super fund each year. You could pay extra tax if you go over these limits.
Tax on super earnings
Investment earnings in your superannuation account are usually taxed at 15% (or 10% on some capital gains), which is often less than the tax rate of up to 47% on investments outside of super.
This tax is deducted from your investment income by your super fund, so you don’t need to do anything.
When you retire, if you use your super to open a retirement income stream, the investment earnings in that product are tax-free.
Tax on super withdrawals and income payments
For tax on superannuation withdrawals, how much you pay depends on your age, whether you take the money out as a lump sum or as regular income payments, and whether it's an early withdrawal.
Taking super out in a lump sum
Withdrawing some or all of your super is called a lump sum. If you're age 60 or over, it's tax-free. If you're under 60, lump sum payments are taxed at up to 22% (including Medicare levy) of the taxable part of your super.
Retirement income payments
If you're 60 or over, you usually don't pay tax when you get an income stream from your super. You can use our Retirement Income account and/or Lifetime Pension to get regular, tax-free income payments from your super, with tax-free investment earnings. If you're under 60, you may pay tax on income payments.
Early withdrawal for disability or financial hardship
Financial hardship withdrawals are taxed as a lump sum at up to 22% (including Medicare levy) on the taxable part of your super if you're under 60, and tax-free over 60. If you're diagnosed with a terminal medical condition and meet the eligibility requirements, it’s tax-free to withdraw a lump sum within 24 months. For disability payouts, it depends whether you take a lump sum or income payments.
Tax on superannuation death benefits you inherit
A death benefit is when you receive someone's super and any insurance they had on their super account. The tax on this money depends on your relationship to the person who died:
If you were a dependant of the person who died (e.g. child, spouse) – under tax law, not superannuation law
If you withdraw it as a lump sum or income stream
The tax-free and taxable parts of the super
Your age
The age of the person when they died (for income streams)
We're here to help
If someone has recently passed away, please call us on 13 11 84, so we can help you through the process to claim a death benefit.
It's also worth getting financial advice about your inheritance, as the different laws about estates, super, and tax can all be complicated.
What about when you transfer between super funds?
Generally, your super isn't taxed when you transfer from one super fund to another. This is because the money is staying within the super industry.
This includes when you combine your super accounts into one super fund, which is called consolidating.
The exception is that tax may apply if you rollover your super from an untaxed super fund, such as a public sector fund.
