Video: Boosting your super

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Understanding insurance within super

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Whether retirement feels like a distant thought, or just around the corner – one thing is certain – the more money in your super, the more you can enjoy your lifestyle in retirement.

During your working life, your employer will contribute to your super. But what if those contributions aren’t enough for your retirement? There are ways you can boost your super balance today – with even small changes making a difference to your super balance in retirement.

Let’s look at the options.

Find any lost super

There are billions of dollars sitting in lost and unclaimed super accounts. Do you know where all your super is? If you’ve ever changed jobs, or changed addresses, you might be missing out on any lost super. Ask your super fund to do a search for any lost super. You might be able to boost your super balance sooner than you thought. 

Pre-tax contributions

You could add to your super before-tax. That is, using money from your salary, before tax is deducted. Your employer may offer ‘salary sacrificing’. This means asking them to pay some of your wages or salary into your super, instead of your bank account. Contributions made this way are generally taxed at 15%, which could mean you pay less tax. 

After tax contributions

Another way to increase your super, is to make contributions with your after-tax dollars – which can be claimed as a deduction at tax time. This could be an option if you’re self-employed, or your employer doesn’t offer pre-tax contributions – or you receive income that you’d otherwise pay tax on, at your full marginal tax rate.

If you are employed, you can also think about doing a combination of salary-sacrifice contributions and personal deductible contributions – if that work better for you and your circumstances.

Just be mindful, there are caps to how much you can contribute into your super each year. 

There are a number of other ways you could give your super a boost.

A low-income super tax-offset

If you earn $37,000 or less in a year, you might be eligible to receive a low-income superannuation tax offset of up to $500 each year. The ATO will work out if you’re eligible and pay the money into your super account automatically.

Government co-contribution

If you make after-tax contributions and earn less than $56,112 each year (before tax) you may be eligible for a government co-contribution, of up to $500. When you lodge your tax return the ATO will determine if you’re eligible, and pay it into your super automatically. 

Downsizer contribution 

If you’re 65 or over, then you may be eligible to contribute up to $300,000 (or $600,000 combined for a couple) from the proceeds of the sale of your home, into your super. The contribution is not tax deductible and doesn’t count towards your contribution caps. 

Growing your spouse’s super 

If your spouse or partner is a low-income earner, a stay at home parent, or not working at the moment, they may not be receiving super contributions from an employer. You can help grow their super by making contributions to their super account. Under certain conditions you may also be able to claim a tax offset of up to $540. 

And another great way to help your spouse or partner boost their super may be splitting  some of your own super contributions into their super account.

With a variety of ways to boost your superannuation, it’s worth exploring the different options available to see which best suit your budget today – to help you achieve your goals for tomorrow.  

For more helpful information on maximizing your super, visit bt.com.au/boostyoursuper.