Super guides
Plain-English answers to the super questions Australians actually Google. Every figure is sourced from the ATO or APRA and dated — because super law changes and stale content is worse than no content.
The ATO YourSuper comparison tool, explained (and what it misses)
What the gov tool shows, what it hides, and the four things you need to check before picking a fund.
How much super should I have at my age?
Median balances, ASFA targets, and what 'on track' actually looks like by decade.
Super contribution caps for 2025–26 (with carry-forward)
Concessional $30k, non-concessional $120k, bring-forward $360k — plus how carry-forward really works.
First Home Super Saver scheme — eligibility, amounts, process
Save $50k inside super at concessional tax rates, then release it for a home deposit. Exactly how it works.
Division 293 tax — what high earners actually pay
The extra 15% on concessional contributions over the $250k threshold. Who pays, how much, how you pay it.
How to consolidate your super — the safe way
Step-by-step via myGov, plus the insurance and exit-fee traps that cost people thousands.
Salary sacrifice into super — the biggest tax break most people miss
Exact mechanics, tax arithmetic, Div 293 interaction, and setup with payroll.
Age Pension eligibility, rates, and tests
Centrelink assets + income tests, deeming, and how your super interacts with the pension.
Spouse contributions and contribution splitting
The $540 offset, plus moving up to 85% of concessional contributions to your partner's account.
When can you access your super? Preservation age explained
Preservation age is 60 for most Australians. Full guide to conditions of release and early access rules.
How to set up an SMSF — step by step
Trustee structure, trust deed, ABN/TFN, investment strategy, and the real ongoing cost.
Pay off the mortgage or top up super?
The classic trade-off, worked through with real numbers and age-based rules of thumb.
Super co-contribution — free $500 from the government
Low-income earners contribute $1,000, government matches $500. Full eligibility and process.
Downsizer contribution — $300,000 from your home sale into super
From age 55, bypass normal contribution caps with proceeds from selling your main residence.
Account-based pension — how retirement phase works
Minimum drawdowns, the $1.9M transfer balance cap, and why earnings become tax-free.
Insurance inside super — death, TPD, income protection
What default cover includes, the switching fund trap, and when the insurance is actually worth the premiums.
Super for self-employed and contractors
Personal deductible contributions, Notice of Intent, and catching up via carry-forward.
How to choose a super fund — what actually matters
The five things to check, and the marketing signals to ignore.
Transition to retirement (TTR) strategies
How TTR works post-2017, when it still saves tax, and how to convert it to a proper retirement pension.
Carry-forward (catch-up) concessional contributions
Use unused cap from the last 5 years — the biggest single tax break in super for anyone with a past low-income period.
LISTO — Low Income Super Tax Offset
Automatic $500 refund of contributions tax for earners under $37,000. No application needed.
Binding death nominations for super
Super doesn't pass through your will by default. The 3-year expiry trap and how to avoid it.
MySuper vs Choice — which investment option to pick
MySuper is the performance-tested default. Choice lets you pick your own mix. Who should switch and who should stay put.
Ordinary Time Earnings — what super is actually paid on
SG is paid on OTE, not total wages. What's included, what's excluded, and how to check you're being paid correctly.
Payday Super from 1 July 2026 — what changes
The biggest change to SG since it started. From July 2026, super must be paid on payday, not quarterly.
Super for casual workers
Casuals are entitled to 12% SG on ordinary earnings. Multi-job traps, under-18 rules, and gig economy treatment.
Super and divorce — how it's split
Splitting orders, flagging orders, offset settlements, and the defined-benefit valuation problem.
General information only — not financial advice. Super decisions are long-term; verify with a licensed adviser.