Super Contribution Calculator Australia 2026-27

The trade this calculator shows you

What an extra contribution costs you now, and what it adds to your super.

Enter your salary and the extra you are thinking of contributing, and the calculator shows the effect on your take home pay, how the contribution is taxed, where it leaves you against the concessional cap, and an illustrative projection of the difference over time. That projection uses an assumed rate of return, so treat it as an illustration of the shape rather than a forecast of your balance. The two contribution routes work differently. Before tax contributions, including salary sacrifice, reduce your taxable income and are taxed at 15% inside the fund rather than at your marginal rate. After tax contributions come out of money you have already paid tax on, and at lower incomes they can attract a government co contribution. Which suits you depends on your income and your circumstances. This page explains how each works. It does not tell you which to choose, because that is financial advice and it should come from someone licensed to give it.

Within your cap

Total before-tax super this year

$0 / year

0% of your concessional cap used

Employer super (12%)$0

Your extra contributions$0

Concessional cap$0

Room left before cap$0

What it could grow to

If you kept adding $0 a year and it earned 8% p.a., compounding. Starting sooner gives growth more time to work.

Illustration only — not a forecast or guarantee. Amounts are shown in future dollars and don't allow for investment fees, tax on fund earnings or inflation, so they're higher than tools that deduct these and show today's dollars (such as ASIC's Moneysmart calculator at moneysmart.gov.au).

This calculator is a guide only and does not constitute financial or tax advice. It estimates employer super guarantee contributions and adds any extra before-tax (concessional) contributions you enter, comparing the total to the concessional contributions cap for the year shown. It does not account for the maximum contribution base for very high earners, unused carry-forward cap amounts, contributions tax, Division 293 tax, or your personal circumstances. Concessional contributions are generally taxed at 15% within your fund. The growth projection is an illustration only and is not a forecast, estimate or guarantee of future benefits. It assumes a constant 8% p.a. nominal return and the same contribution every year; real returns vary and can be negative. It does not deduct investment fees or tax on fund earnings and is not adjusted for inflation, so amounts are shown in future dollars and are higher than a projection that nets these off and reports in today's dollars — such as ASIC's Moneysmart superannuation calculator at moneysmart.gov.au. Super generally can't be accessed until preservation age. For a projection based on your circumstances, use Moneysmart or speak to a licensed financial adviser. Check the ATO or a licensed adviser before acting. No information you enter is stored or sent anywhere.

The 2026-27 caps and thresholds

ATO figures for the year running 1 July 2026 to 30 June 2027. Most of them change annually, so check the year before relying on them.

The superannuation guarantee rate is 12%, and since 1 July 2026 your employer has to pay it at the same time as your wages, reaching your fund within 7 business days rather than quarterly. The concessional cap is $32,500. That covers all before tax contributions including your employer's guarantee payments, so your own room is the cap minus what your employer already puts in, and concessional contributions are taxed at 15% inside the fund. The non concessional cap is $130,000 for after tax contributions, with bring forward arrangements potentially allowing more depending on your total super balance. The government co contribution is up to $500: if your income is $49,293 or less and you make an eligible after tax contribution, the government adds 50c per dollar, phasing out entirely at $64,293. The low income super tax offset is up to $500 at an adjusted taxable income of $37,000 or less, paid automatically. Carry forward concessional contributions remain available if your total super balance was under $500,000 at 30 June. Two higher income notes: Division 293 adds 15% on concessional contributions above $250,000 of income, and Division 296, new for 2026-27, taxes earnings on balances above $3 million.

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Before tax or after tax, and who each one tends to suit

The right route depends on your marginal rate. This is the mechanism, not a recommendation.

Before tax contributions are taxed at 15% going into the fund. If your marginal rate is above 15%, that is less than you would otherwise pay on the same money, which is why salary sacrifice is commonly discussed for middle and higher income earners. The trade is that the money is locked away until you meet a condition of release. After tax contributions have already been taxed at your marginal rate, so nothing further is taken on the way in. Their advantage sits elsewhere: at $49,293 or less, an after tax contribution can attract the government co contribution of 50c in the dollar up to $500. The maths shifts at the low end. Under about $45,000 you are taxed at 15% plus the 2% Medicare levy, so a before tax contribution saves considerably less there while still locking the money away. None of this accounts for your age, your other income or when you will need the money. Talk to a licensed adviser or a registered tax agent before acting.

Before you contribute extra, check the ground underneath it

Super is money you cannot get back until you retire. That is the point of it, and it is also the risk.

Extra contributions are locked away. Preservation age is 60 and there are only narrow grounds for early release, so this is not money you can reach if the car fails in March. The sequence usually discussed is emergency fund first, high interest debt second, extra contributions third. Contributing to super while carrying a credit card at 20% is usually going backwards, because the card costs you around 20% a year while the contribution saves only the gap between your marginal rate and 15%. There is a quietly harmful version of this too: contributing more than you can spare and then borrowing to cover the shortfall it creates. If salary sacrifice makes the fortnight tight, it is not free. Two things are worth doing whether or not you contribute a dollar extra: check you are not paying fees on multiple super accounts, and check your employer's contributions are landing each pay now that payday super has commenced.

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FAQs

Everything you need to know.

What is the concessional contributions cap for 2026-27?

$32,500. This includes your employer's superannuation guarantee contributions and any salary sacrifice, so your available room is the cap less what your employer already contributes.

How does the government co-contribution work?

If your income is $49,293 or less in 2026-27 and you make an eligible after tax contribution, the government contributes 50c for every dollar, up to a maximum of $500. It reduces as income rises and cuts out at $64,293.

What is the superannuation guarantee rate in 2026-27?

12% of qualifying earnings. Since 1 July 2026 employers must pay it at the same time as wages, with the contribution reaching your fund within 7 business days.

Is salary sacrifice better than after tax contributions?

It depends on your marginal tax rate and your circumstances. Concessional contributions are taxed at 15% in the fund, which helps if your marginal rate is higher than that. After tax contributions may attract the co contribution at lower incomes. This is general information and not financial advice.

Can I access extra super contributions before retirement?

Generally no. Super is preserved until you reach preservation age and meet a condition of release. Only limited early access grounds exist. Treat extra contributions as money you will not see for some time.

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Terms and conditions apply. All applications are subject to credit assessment, eligibility criteria and lending limits. Information provided is factual information only, and is not intended to imply any recommendation about any financial product(s) or constitute tax advice. If you require financial or tax advice you should consult a licensed financial or tax adviser. BPG Credit Pty Ltd, ABN 59 673 570 575, Australian Credit Licence 554659, is the credit provider for Beforepay Personal Loans. Beforepay Pay Advance is offered by Beforepay Finance Pty Ltd, ABN 45 636 670 525. Both entities are subsidiaries of Beforepay Group Limited, ABN 63 633 925 505. Level 9, Suite 1, 77 Castlereagh Street, Sydney NSW 2000. Beforepay Group Limited and its Beforepay goods and services are in no way sponsored, approved or affiliated with Quadpay Inc., Openpay Pty Ltd, Afterpay Pty Ltd, ZipMoney Payments Pty Ltd and their associated entities/affiliated companies. Bank logos and trademarks are the property of their respective owners and are used for identification purposes only. No endorsement or affiliation is implied.

Super Contribution Calculator

The trade this calculator shows you