Personal superannuation contributions overview

Adding your own contributions to your super fund is a simple and effective way to boost your superannuation.

Personal super contributions are amounts an individual contributes to their super fund from their after-tax income. These contributions are in addition to any compulsory super contributions an individual’s employer makes on their behalf and do not include super contributions made through a salary-sacrifice arrangement.

Personal contributions are non-concessional (after-tax) contributions that count towards a person’s non-concessional contributions cap unless they have claimed a tax deduction for them.

While employees generally can’t claim a tax deduction for personal super contributions, they may be eligible for a super co-contribution.

Those who are under the age of 65 can make personal after-tax contributions to their super fund if they’re not working. Those who are 65 years of age or over can only make personal after-tax super contributions if they aren’t yet 75 years of age and have been gainfully employed for at least 40 hours over 30 consecutive days during the financial year.

Some people may be eligible to claim a tax deduction for contributions made to their super if they are not an employee. This includes people who get their income from:

• a personal business (self-employed)

• investments (including interest, dividends, rent and capital gains)

• government pensions or allowances

• super

• partnership or trust distributions

• a foreign source