Super Contribution Calculator Australia — How Much Will Your Contributions Add?

This calculator shows how voluntary contributions — salary sacrifice or personal contributions — change your projected super balance at retirement compared to employer SG contributions alone.

How Much Should I Contribute?

There is no single right answer — the optimal contribution level depends on your income, age, existing balance, and whether you have other financial priorities (mortgage, investments outside super).

General principles:

• If your employer offers to match salary sacrifice, take full advantage — that is an immediate guaranteed return
• The concessional cap is $30,000/year (including employer SG). At $80,000 salary with 12% SG = $9,600, leaving $20,400 in salary sacrifice room
• Non-concessional (after-tax) contributions can be made up to $120,000/year (or $360,000 in one year via bring-forward) — useful for lump sum additions

When extra contributions may not be the priority:

• If you have high-interest debt (personal loans, credit cards) — pay these off first
• If you have no emergency fund — build that before super contributions you can’t access for decades
• If you are under 45 and have a mortgage — weigh the benefit of mortgage offset vs super (the right answer depends on interest rates, tax, and time horizon)

Worked Examples — What Extra Contributions Actually Do

These examples use the calculator’s assumptions: 7% annual return, 15% contributions tax on concessional contributions, salary held constant.

Example 1 — Starting early at 30

Sarah, 30, earns $75,000 and has $35,000 in super. She considers adding $5,000/year in salary sacrifice.

The $5,000/year sacrifice costs Sarah approximately $3,375/year in take-home pay (after the income tax saving) — to generate ~$450,000 extra super over 37 years.

Example 2 — Mid-career at 45, higher income

David, 45, earns $130,000 and has $220,000 in super. He can salary sacrifice up to $14,400/year (remaining cap after his employer’s $15,600 SG).

David gives up approximately $6,300/year in take-home pay to put $8,500/year into super — with $2,200 effectively coming from the government via lower income tax.

Example 3 — Late starter at 55

Maria, 55, earns $95,000 and has $180,000 in super. She salary sacrifices $12,000/year.

Even over 12 years, $12,000/year extra contributions adds nearly $200,000 to Maria’s retirement balance.

Concessional vs Non-Concessional Contributions — Which to Use?

The calculator above models concessional contributions (salary sacrifice or personal deductible contributions taxed at 15% inside the fund). There is a second type:

Non-concessional contributions are after-tax money contributed to super. They attract no further tax on the way in, but there is no tax deduction. They are useful when:

• You have exhausted the $30,000 concessional cap
• You have received a lump sum (inheritance, property sale proceeds)
• You are a low-income earner in the 19% bracket where the 15% contributions tax saving is small

Non-concessional cap: $120,000/year, or $360,000 in a single year using the 3-year bring-forward rule (TSB must be under $1.9M). See Non-Concessional Contributions.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the concessional contribution cap for FY2025–26? $30,000 per financial year. This includes employer SG contributions plus any salary sacrifice or personal deductible contributions. Exceeding the cap triggers excess concessional contribution tax at your marginal rate (plus a charge). See Excess Concessional Contributions.

Can I contribute more than the cap using carry-forward? Yes — if your Total Super Balance (TSB) was under $500,000 at 30 June of the prior year, you can use unused concessional cap space from the previous 5 financial years. This can allow contributions well above $30,000 in a single year. See Carry-Forward Contributions.

Are personal contributions tax-deductible? Yes — if you are self-employed, or if your employer doesn’t offer salary sacrifice, you can make a personal after-tax contribution and then claim a tax deduction on your tax return by lodging a valid Section 290-170 notice of intent to claim. The contribution then counts as concessional and is taxed at 15% in the fund. See Personal Super Contributions.

How does the calculator handle the contributions tax? The calculator deducts 15% from the additional contribution amount before compounding — reflecting the 15% tax the fund withholds on concessional contributions. The employer SG is also shown net of this 15%.

Does it matter whether I salary sacrifice or make personal contributions? The tax outcome is broadly the same — both are concessional contributions taxed at 15% in the fund. The key difference is timing: salary sacrifice reduces each pay cheque; personal contributions are made separately and claimed back at tax time. The calculator’s projection is the same for both.

Can I use this calculator for SMSF contributions? Yes — the projection logic is the same for any super account. However, SMSF members should factor in annual operating costs (typically $3,000–$6,000+) when assessing whether extra contributions to an SMSF are worth it at lower balances. See SMSF Costs.

For further reading: Salary Sacrifice Super Calculator, Is It Worth Putting Extra Money Into Super?, Super Contribution Limits Australia, Carry-Forward Contributions. For advice tailored to your situation, speak with a licensed financial adviser through MoneySmart.