Question 1

How much extra super should I contribute each month?

Accepted Answer

Even a modest extra contribution of $100 to $250 per month (or 2% to 5% of your salary) can add $150,000 to $250,000+ to your retirement nest egg over 25 to 30 years thanks to compound investment returns and concessional tax treatment.

Question 2

What is the difference between contributing a percentage vs a dollar amount?

Accepted Answer

Contributing a percentage of salary (e.g. 5%) automatically scales with your pay rises over your career, keeping your savings rate proportional. Contributing a fixed dollar amount (e.g. $250/month) gives you exact predictability in your monthly household budget.

Question 3

How does salary sacrifice save on income tax?

Accepted Answer

Salary sacrifice contributions are paid from your pre-tax income and taxed at only 15% inside your super fund, rather than your personal marginal tax rate (32% to 47%). This means putting $300 into super might only reduce your take-home pay by around $190 to $210.

Question 4

What is the maximum voluntary super contribution I can make in 2026-27?

Accepted Answer

The annual concessional contributions cap is $30,000 for 2026-27. This includes your employer's 12.0% Super Guarantee plus any pre-tax salary sacrifice contributions. If your total super balance was under $500,000 on 30 June of the previous financial year, you can also access unused cap amounts from the past 5 rolling years.