Australia Superannuation Calculator 2026 Retirement Balance Projection — SG 11.5% FY 2025–26

Project your super balance at retirement using real ATO Superannuation Guarantee rates, compounding returns, and actual fund fee drag. No sign-up required.

Your Details

Current Age

Retirement Age

Current Super Balance (AUD $)

Annual Gross Salary (AUD $)

Employer SG Rate (%)

11.5% for FY 2025–26; rises to 12% from 1 Jul 2025

Employee Voluntary Contribution (%)

Investment Return Rate

Annual Salary Growth (%)

Fund Management Fee (% p.a.)

Current Super Fund

Projected Retirement Balance

Balance at Retirement

Years to Retirement

Total Contributions

Total Returns Earned

Fee Drag (Cost)

Low-Fee Fund (0.15%)

⚠ Concessional Cap Alert: Your employer SG () plus your voluntary contribution () = — this may exceed the $30,000 FY 2025–26 concessional cap. Excess contributions are taxed at your marginal rate. Consider reducing voluntary contributions or speaking to a financial adviser.

Balance Growth Over Time

Age at each year. Hover bars for balance details.

Year-by-Year Projection

Age	Salary	Employer SG	Voluntary	Fees	Return	End Balance

💡 Should you switch to a low-fee fund?

Your current fee (% p.a.) vs index fund fees (0.15% p.a.):

You are projected to pay in fees over your working life.

At 0.15% fees, your retirement balance would be — a difference of .

Age Pension eligibility: Currently age 67. Super balance at retirement will be counted in the assets test. For a single homeowner (2025 estimates), the full pension cuts off around $301,750 in assets; the part pension cuts off around $686,250. Your projected balance of .

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2025–26 Super Quick Reference

SG Rate (FY2025-26)11.5%

SG Rate (from 1 Jul 2025)12.0%

Concessional Cap$30,000

Non-Concessional Cap$120,000

Tax on concessional contrib.15%

Preservation Age55–60

Age Pension Age67

FHSS Annual Cap$15,000

FHSS Lifetime Cap$50,000

Source: ATO, APRA (2025–26)

Australia Superannuation Guide 2025–26: SG Rates, Caps & Fund Comparison

Superannuation Guarantee (SG) Rates — What Your Employer Must Pay

The Superannuation Guarantee is Australia's compulsory employer contribution to your super fund. For FY 2025–26, the SG rate is 11.5% of your ordinary time earnings (OTE). From 1 July 2025 (FY 2026–27), the rate rises to 12% permanently — completing the phased increase legislated under the Superannuation Guarantee (Administration) Act. Your employer must pay SG contributions at least quarterly directly into your nominated complying super fund or MySuper product. If your employer fails to pay SG, they may be liable for a Superannuation Guarantee Charge (SGC) — you can report non-payment to the ATO.

Concessional and Non-Concessional Contributions Caps 2025–26

Super contributions fall into two categories. Concessional contributions (pre-tax) include employer SG, salary sacrifice, and personal contributions for which you claim a tax deduction. The concessional cap for FY 2025–26 is $30,000. Contributions up to this cap are taxed at only 15% inside the fund — significantly lower than most workers' marginal tax rates. Contributions above the cap are included in your assessable income and taxed at your marginal rate, with an excess concessional contributions charge applied by the ATO.

Non-concessional contributions (after-tax) — money you contribute from your take-home pay — are capped at $120,000 per year for 2025–26 (or up to $360,000 over three years using the bring-forward rule, subject to total super balance limits). Non-concessional contributions are not taxed inside the fund as you have already paid income tax. If your total super balance exceeds $1.9 million, your non-concessional cap is nil.

Carry-forward unused concessional contributions: If your total super balance is below $500,000, you can carry forward unused concessional cap amounts from the previous five years (starting from FY 2018–19) and contribute more than the annual cap in a single year. This is particularly valuable for workers who took career breaks, worked part-time, or want to catch up on super before retirement.

Investment Options: How Your Choice Affects Retirement

The investment option you select is one of the most impactful decisions in your super journey. Most Australians are in the default Balanced or MySuper option — a diversified mix of Australian and international shares, property, bonds, and cash — targeting approximately 6–7% per annum over the long term. Conservative options (~4% p.a.) hold more bonds and cash, meaning lower volatility but much slower compounding over decades. Growth (~8% p.a.) and Aggressive/High Growth (~9% p.a.) options hold predominantly listed equities and are recommended for workers with 15+ years before retirement who can ride out market downturns.

The difference is staggering over time. Starting at age 30 with $50,000 and a $85,000 salary, a conservative investor (4%) retiring at 67 might accumulate ~$580,000, while an aggressive investor (9%) in the same scenario could accumulate over $1.6 million — nearly three times the outcome for the same contributions. If you are more than 10 years from retirement, being in an overly conservative fund is one of the most common and costly super mistakes Australians make.

Major Australian Super Fund Comparison

Australia has over 150 super funds, but a handful dominate by size and performance. The ATO's YourSuper comparison tool ranks MySuper products by fees and net 10-year investment returns — it is the best starting point for comparing funds. Key funds include:

AustralianSuper — Australia's largest fund ($300B+), consistently high returns, ~0.68% total fee on $50K balance.
Australian Retirement Trust (ART) — formed from QSuper + Sunsuper merger, $240B+, strong performance.
Aware Super — formerly First State Super, $160B+, strong long-term growth option returns.
Hostplus — hospitality industry fund, popular Indexed Balanced option with ultra-low fees (~0.03% investment fee).
Rest Super — retail and fast food workers' fund, $80B+, solid low-cost balanced option.
UniSuper — university and education sector, strong defined benefit and accumulation options.

When comparing funds, look at the net 10-year return after fees and taxes, not just the headline investment return. APRA publishes annual fund-level data showing performance history. A fund with a 0.1% higher fee on a $200,000 balance costs you $200 per year — and $4,000 over 20 years at the very minimum before compounding is accounted for.

The Real Cost of Super Fund Fees

Fee drag is the silent destroyer of super balances. Super fund fees typically include an administration fee (flat dollar amount, e.g., $78/year), an investment fee (% of balance, e.g., 0.50%), and possibly a performance fee. Even a seemingly small difference in fees compounds dramatically over decades. A $100,000 balance in a fund charging 1.5% total fees versus 0.15% (a good index fund) will be approximately $90,000 less after 30 years of compounding — solely from the fee difference.

The government's Protecting Your Super reforms have reduced unnecessary insurance fees and eliminated duplicate accounts, but fees still vary enormously. Use our calculator to see exactly how much your current fees cost over your projected working life, and compare it to what you'd have at a 0.15% fee (typical for a well-run index option).

Age Pension Assets and Income Test — How Super Fits In

The Age Pension (currently payable from age 67) is means-tested via both an assets test and an income test, with the lower of the two determining your entitlement. Your super balance forms part of your assessable assets once you have reached Age Pension age (super in accumulation phase for partners under pension age is assessed differently). For 2025–26, a single homeowner receives the full pension up to approximately $301,750 in assets, with a part pension available up to approximately $686,250. Above the upper threshold, no pension is payable.

The income test applies deeming rates: the ATO assumes your financial investments (including super account-based pensions) earn a prescribed rate regardless of actual returns. As of 2025–26, the deeming rate is 0.25% on the first $60,400 of financial assets for singles and 2.25% above that threshold. Planning the structure of your retirement income — including super drawdown rates, asset placement, and any gifting strategies — with a licensed financial planner can significantly increase Age Pension entitlement.

Salary Sacrifice — Boosting Super Tax-Effectively

Salary sacrifice allows you to redirect a portion of your pre-tax salary into super. The sacrificed amount is taxed at only 15% inside the fund, compared to your marginal income tax rate (which may be 32.5%, 37%, or 45% plus Medicare levy). For a person on $90,000 salary (32.5% marginal rate + 2% Medicare), salary sacrificing $10,000 into super saves approximately $2,350 in income tax per year, while simultaneously boosting retirement savings.

Remember: salary sacrifice counts toward your $30,000 concessional contributions cap. Your total concessional contributions (employer SG + salary sacrifice + personal deductible contributions) must not exceed $30,000 for FY 2025–26. Speak to your payroll department or HR to arrange a salary sacrifice agreement before the financial year starts for maximum efficiency.

Disclaimer: This calculator provides estimates for educational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice. Superannuation rules, tax rates, and SG rates change regularly. Consult a licensed financial adviser or the ATO (ato.gov.au/super) for advice specific to your situation. Past investment returns do not guarantee future performance.

Frequently Asked Questions

The Superannuation Guarantee rate for FY 2025–26 is 11.5% of an employee's ordinary time earnings. This will rise to 12% from 1 July 2025 (FY 2026–27) and remain at 12% permanently under current legislation. Employers must pay SG contributions at least quarterly into a complying super fund.

The concessional contributions cap for FY 2025–26 is $30,000 per year. This covers employer SG contributions, salary sacrifice amounts, and any personal contributions you claim a tax deduction for. Contributions within this cap are taxed at 15% inside the fund. Excess concessional contributions are included in your assessable income and taxed at your marginal rate plus an excess contributions charge.

Most Australian super funds offer at least four investment options: Conservative (lower risk, bonds/cash, ~4% p.a. long-term), Balanced (mix of growth/defensive assets, ~6–7% p.a.), Growth (majority in shares/property, ~8% p.a.), and High Growth or Aggressive (almost all shares, ~9% p.a. long-term). The default option for most funds is Balanced or MySuper. Your choice significantly impacts your retirement balance over decades.

Super is generally preserved until you reach your preservation age (between 55–60 depending on birth year) and retire, or turn 65. Early access is only allowed in very limited circumstances: severe financial hardship, compassionate grounds (approved by ATO), terminal medical condition, permanent incapacity, or departing Australia as a temporary resident. Unauthorised early release is illegal and attracts severe tax penalties.

The FHSS scheme allows first home buyers to save money for a deposit inside their super fund and benefit from the concessional tax treatment. You can make voluntary contributions (up to $15,000 per year, $50,000 total) and then request a release. Released amounts are taxed at your marginal rate minus a 30% tax offset. The scheme typically provides better after-tax returns than saving in a standard bank account.

You can nominate a death benefit beneficiary by completing a binding or non-binding death benefit nomination form with your super fund. A binding nomination (valid for 3 years unless your fund offers non-lapsing binding nominations) instructs the trustee to pay your benefit to your nominated dependants (spouse, children, financial dependants) or your estate. Non-binding nominations are guidelines only — the trustee retains discretion. Review your nomination regularly, especially after major life events.

Compare super funds using ATO's YourSuper comparison tool at ato.gov.au. Key metrics: investment returns (net 10-year average), fees (annual administration fee + investment fee as % of balance), insurance premiums, and services. Major industry funds (Australian Super, ART, Hostplus, REST, Aware Super) consistently rank well on low fees and strong long-term returns. Even a 0.5% reduction in fees can add tens of thousands to your retirement balance over a working life.

You can consolidate super funds through myGov — link your ATO account and use the "Super" section to roll over old accounts. Alternatively, complete a rollover request form with your new fund. Before rolling over, check whether you will lose any insurance cover (life, TPD, or income protection) that you may have in your old fund. Consolidating reduces duplicate fees and makes your super easier to manage.

Most Australian super funds automatically provide three types of insurance: Life/Death cover, Total and Permanent Disability (TPD) cover, and Income Protection (salary continuance). Premiums are deducted from your super balance. Automatic insurance typically applies if you are aged 25+, have a balance of $6,000+, and meet the fund's eligibility criteria. You can adjust or opt out of cover — review your needs especially if you are young with a small balance, as premiums can erode growth.

The Age Pension eligibility depends on both an income test and an assets test. For a single homeowner (July 2025 estimates), the full pension cut-off is around $301,750 in assets; the part pension cuts out at approximately $686,250. For couples, thresholds are higher. Your super balance at retirement will be counted in the assets test once you reach Age Pension age (currently 67). The deeming rate rules also mean your super is assessed as generating income even if you keep it invested.