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EOFY Super Contribution Strategy for High-Income Professionals and Business Owners
Concessional and non-concessional contributions, carry forward, bring-forward and spouse strategies for 2026-27, planned across the year rather than in the last fortnight of June.
2026-27 at a glance
The caps that apply this financial year
From 1 July 2026. Confirm current figures on the ATO site before contributing.
Concessional cap
$32,500Employer SG, salary sacrifice and personal deductible contributions combinedNon-concessional cap
$130,000After-tax contributions, per yearBring-forward
$390,000Three years at once, if your total super balance was under $1.84 million at 30 June 2026Transfer balance cap
$2.1mGeneral cap on what can move into retirement phaseWhy timing matters
Superannuation contribution caps operate on a strict financial year basis. Contributions must be received by your fund by 30 June to count towards that year’s cap. Contributions received after that date fall into the following year, regardless of when they were initiated.
For salary sacrifice, the date that counts is when the fund receives the money, not when the payroll instruction is given. BPAY and electronic transfers made in the final days of June may not clear in time. For a large voluntary contribution, the safest approach is to have it received by your fund no later than the third week of June.
Contribution planning works best across the whole year, not in the last fortnight. Every dollar of unused cap that is not carried forward is a permanent loss of tax efficiency, and over a career the difference can compound to hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Concessional contributions and salary sacrifice
The concessional contributions cap for 2026-27 is $32,500. It includes employer super guarantee (12 per cent of ordinary time earnings), salary sacrifice amounts, and personal contributions for which you claim a tax deduction. All concessional contributions across all funds count towards this single cap.
Salary sacrifice is the most common way for employees to use the cap. It directs part of pre-tax salary into super, reducing assessable income. Business owners can get the same benefit through personal deductible contributions: you contribute from your own funds and claim a deduction by lodging a notice of intent to claim with your fund before you lodge your tax return.
If your income plus concessional contributions is above $250,000, Division 293 adds a further 15 per cent tax on some or all of those contributions, making 30 per cent in total.
Example
A surgeon earning $480,000 receives employer SG calculated on the maximum super contribution base, a quarterly limit on the salary an employer must pay SG on, not her full salary. At the 12 per cent SG rate this uses almost all of her concessional cap, leaving little room for salary sacrifice. Her strategy therefore turns to carry forward, if her total super balance was below $500,000 at the previous 30 June, and to non-concessional contributions.
A general example only. Actual outcomes depend on employment terms, quarterly earnings and contribution history.
Carry forward unused concessional cap
Unused concessional cap amounts accumulate on a rolling five-year basis. If your total superannuation balance was below $500,000 on 30 June of the previous financial year, you can use unused cap amounts from up to five previous years on top of the current year’s cap.
In 2026-27 the oldest unused amount available is from 2021-22; any unused amount from 2020-21 expired on 30 June 2026. The oldest amounts are used first.
| Financial year | Annual cap | Contributions made | Unused cap |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021-22 | $27,500 | $20,000 | $7,500 |
| 2022-23 | $27,500 | $20,000 | $7,500 |
| 2023-24 | $27,500 | $20,000 | $7,500 |
| 2024-25 | $30,000 | $27,500 | $2,500 |
| 2025-26 | $30,000 | $25,000 | $5,000 |
| Total unused | $30,000 |
In this example, $30,000 of unused cap is available. Combined with the 2026-27 cap of $32,500, the maximum concessional contribution for the year is $62,500, provided the total super balance was below $500,000 on 30 June 2026. Your own unused amounts are shown in ATO online services through myGov.
Non-concessional contributions and bring-forward
The non-concessional (after-tax) cap for 2026-27 is $130,000. People under 75 can bring forward up to three years of cap in one year, up to $390,000, depending on their total super balance at 30 June 2026.
| Total super balance at 30 June 2026 | Bring-forward period | Maximum |
|---|---|---|
| Below $1.84 million | 3 years | $390,000 |
| $1.84 million to below $1.97 million | 2 years | $260,000 |
| $1.97 million to below $2.1 million | 1 year | $130,000 |
| $2.1 million or more | Nil | Nil |
If a bring-forward was triggered in an earlier year, the remaining amount is set by that earlier arrangement. Check before contributing.
Spouse contributions
You can contribute to your spouse’s super from your after-tax income. If your spouse’s assessable income, reportable fringe benefits and reportable super contributions total $37,000 or less, a tax offset of up to $540 may be available. The offset reduces above $37,000 and stops at $40,000.
For couples where one spouse has taken a career break or reduced hours, spouse contributions help keep that spouse’s super growing. To claim the offset, the receiving spouse’s total super balance must have been below the general transfer balance cap ($2.1 million for 2026-27) at the previous 30 June, and the contribution must not exceed their non-concessional cap.
Insurance premiums paid from super reduce the balance invested but do not count towards the caps. Review your insurance before making large contributions; see our risk insurance strategy.
The Five-Point Contribution Diagnostic
Each year, Build MyWealth applies a structured review so that no contribution opportunity is missed and no cap is breached.
Year-to-date concessional audit
Total concessional contributions received by all funds, checked against the $32,500 cap, including employer SG, salary sacrifice and personal deductible contributions.
Carry forward eligibility
Confirm the total super balance was below $500,000 on 30 June 2026 and add up unused amounts from 2021-22 to 2025-26.
Non-concessional room
Work out non-concessional capacity from the total super balance, and whether a bring-forward was triggered in an earlier year.
Spouse contribution and offset
Check whether the lower-income spouse qualifies for the offset and has non-concessional room.
Receipt timing and paperwork
Make sure the money reaches the fund by 30 June and that any notice of intent to claim a deduction is lodged correctly.
Common questions
What is the concessional contributions cap for 2026-27?
The concessional contributions cap for 2026-27 is $32,500. It includes employer super guarantee, salary sacrifice and personal contributions claimed as a tax deduction. It was $30,000 in 2025-26.
What happens if I exceed the concessional cap?
Excess concessional contributions are included in your assessable income and taxed at your marginal rate, with a 15 per cent tax offset for the contributions tax already paid by the fund. You can elect to release up to 85 per cent of the excess from your fund.
How does carry forward work?
If your total super balance was below $500,000 on 30 June of the previous financial year, you can use unused concessional cap amounts from up to five previous years. Unused amounts expire after five years, and the oldest amounts are used first.
What is the non-concessional cap for 2026-27?
The annual non-concessional cap is $130,000. People under 75 with a total super balance below $1.84 million at 30 June 2026 can bring forward up to $390,000 in one year.
How does salary sacrifice reduce tax?
Salary sacrifice redirects pre-tax salary into super, where it is taxed at 15 per cent instead of your marginal rate. For someone earning above $190,000, that is a saving of up to 32 cents per dollar sacrificed (47 per cent marginal rate less 15 per cent contributions tax), or about 17 cents on contributions that also attract Division 293 tax.
Can a business owner make personal deductible contributions?
Yes. You can contribute personally and claim a tax deduction by lodging a valid notice of intent to claim with your fund, before the earlier of lodging your tax return for that year or the end of the following financial year.
What is the deadline for contributions to count this year?
Contributions must be received by your fund by 30 June. The date the fund receives the money is what counts. Allow at least five business days for electronic transfers and BPAY.
Can I contribute to my spouse’s super?
Yes. A tax offset of up to $540 may be available if your spouse’s income is below $40,000, phasing out between $37,000 and $40,000.
How do I check my unused carry forward amounts?
Log in to myGov, go to ATO online services, select Super, then Information, then Concessional contributions. Your tax agent can also see this information.
Does employer super guarantee count towards my cap?
Yes. Super guarantee is 12 per cent of ordinary time earnings and counts towards the $32,500 concessional cap, along with salary sacrifice and personal deductible contributions.
What is Division 293 tax?
Division 293 adds a further 15 per cent tax on concessional contributions for people whose income plus concessional contributions exceeds $250,000, taking contributions tax to 30 per cent on the affected amount.
Advice led by Sangram
Sangram Rana
Principal Financial Adviser. Qualified accountant and registered tax agent.
Strategy and key advice meetings are led by Sangram, with the Build MyWealth team supporting analysis, preparation and implementation.
Sangram Rana is a 2026 Australian Wealth Management Awards finalist for Adviser of the Year, Estate Planning, and an IFA Excellence Awards finalist for Risk Adviser of the Year in 2022, 2023 and 2025. Build MyWealth is a 2026 IFPA Australian Financial Industry Awards finalist for SMSF Practice of the Year.
Are you using every dollar of your caps?
Request a consultation to check your contribution room for 2026-27. Your first meeting is a 30-minute online conversation with Sangram Rana. We reply within one business day.
General advice warning: any advice on this site is general in nature only and has not been tailored to your objectives, financial situation or needs. Before acting on this information, consider whether it is appropriate for you and seek personal advice.
Build MyWealth is a trading name of Accounting Cloud Pty Ltd. Accounting Cloud Pty Ltd is a Corporate Authorised Representative (No. 1306106) and Sangram Rana is an Authorised Representative (No. 1251526) of Lifespan Financial Planning Pty Ltd (AFSL 229892). This page contains general information only and does not constitute personal financial advice. Financial Services Guide available at lifespanfp.com.au.
Rates and thresholds should be confirmed on ATO published pages at the time of implementation, as indexation and legislation changes can occur.