You're about to get more super. Here's all you need to know
The guarantee, which is the minimum amount employers must pay into their employees super fund, has increased from 11.5 per cent to 12 per cent, giving the average worker hundreds of dollars more in super contributions a year.
This latest increase marks the end of years of incremental increases to the minimum super contribution requirement from 9 per cent to 12 per cent after it was legislated back in 2012.
This is the final scheduled increase mandated by the Australian Taxation Office, which must be paid quarterly, although it can be paid more often.
This month also marks the time when superannuation payments must be included in the government's Parental Leave Pay scheme. The superannuation increase also applies to Commonwealth Parental Leave Pay, benefiting millions of Australians. It will narrow the gender super gap by around a quarter, which is about $50,000 for Australians nearing retirement.
What do I need to do?
Check your next payslip to ensure that the new rate has been applied to the superannuation your employer has paid on your behalf into your super fund. To get the most out of the extra payments, make sure you consolidate your super into one fund to avoid paying extra fees.
Also, take a moment to check how much you're paying in fees to your super fund, compare its performance to see if it's holding back your super compared to other funds, and check your fund is the best fit for your age and retirement goals.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles

Sky News AU
12 minutes ago
- Sky News AU
US fears other countries may weaponise pharmaceuticals
America's largest pharmaceutical manufacturer has told the White House to target hostile countries that may weaponise the supply of drugs. The argument was submitted in a detailed document to the US Commerce Department. One of the largest drug manufacturers is warning Australians the White House was right to be concerned about the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme. Australian experts fear the US President Donald Trump's blanket 200 per cent tariff on pharmaceuticals may wipe $3 billion from the local drug industry.

Herald Sun
18 minutes ago
- Herald Sun
Australians are spending their tax returns prior to getting the rebate
Don't miss out on the headlines from Business Breaking News. Followed categories will be added to My News. Australians have already spent an estimated $1.8bn of their expected tax return despite not the ATO warning Australians shouldn't even bother lodging a return until after July 14. New research by ING shows Australians are jumping the gun this tax time and have already spending up big after two years of cost of living pressures. ING survey data shows a quarter of Australians who think they will be getting a refund this tax time have already spent some of it. A further one in 10 have spent it all. The average amount Aussies have already spent in anticipation of their tax refund is $1,529 – adding up to an estimated $1.8 billion nationwide in pre-emptive spending. Australians are spending their tax return prior to even getting a refund. Picture: NewsWire / John Appleyard This comes as Aussies are expecting around $1177 in their tax return adding up to $11.2 billion nationwide. ING head of consumer and market insights Matt Bowen told NewsWire Australians are excited about their tax return and are looking to splurge. 'People are expecting a refund, around $1177, which is enough to excite people given a cost of living crunch and some people are pulling the trigger a little bit early, happy to spend the money before its even arrives in their bank account,' Mr Bowen said. 'I would say it is a function of having a few years of difficult cost of living. 'We certainly see tax time as a bit of a windfall of the household budget and people are getting excited and spending it quickly.' But Australians spending their tax return on indulgent purchases is nothing new. ING research shows two in five Australians have used their tax return at some point to splurge on items with new phone or laptop, new furniture, fine dining, concert tickets and collectibles, like Labubus, topping the list for what taxpayers are buying. Aussies who are spending more are likely to spend it on technology. Picture: NewsWire / John Appleyard But not all of the early splurge has been on discretionary spending. Around 41 per cent say some of the money will be put towards savings, while 24 per cent will cover essential expenditures and 12 per cent are adding the money to their mortgage. Australians also plan to use the money to invest or add to their super. ING research about tax payers already spending their refund comes as the tax man asks Aussies to slow down and wait until at least July 14 before submitting their tax return. ATO Assistant Commissioner Rob Thomson said employers have until July 14 each year to finalise payroll data, urging Aussies to wait until late July allows for the ATO to prefill information in your tax return. 'We know doing your tax return is something to tick off your to-do list each year, but there's no need to rush. The best time to lodge is from late July once everything is ready,' Mr Thomson said. 'We pre-fill information from your employer, banks, government agencies and health funds into your tax return to help you get it right the first time – regardless of whether you use a registered tax agent or lodge yourself.' Originally published as Tax return spending spree: Aussies spend $1.8bn before refunds

News.com.au
an hour ago
- News.com.au
Tax return spending spree: Aussies spend $1.8bn before refunds
Australians have already spent an estimated $1.8bn of their expected tax return despite not the ATO warning Australians shouldn't even bother lodging a return until after July 14. New research by ING shows Australians are jumping the gun this tax time and have already spending up big after two years of cost of living pressures. ING survey data shows a quarter of Australians who think they will be getting a refund this tax time have already spent some of it. A further one in 10 have spent it all. The average amount Aussies have already spent in anticipation of their tax refund is $1,529 – adding up to an estimated $1.8 billion nationwide in pre-emptive spending. This comes as Aussies are expecting around $1177 in their tax return adding up to $11.2 billion nationwide. ING head of consumer and market insights Matt Bowen told NewsWire Australians are excited about their tax return and are looking to splurge. 'People are expecting a refund, around $1177, which is enough to excite people given a cost of living crunch and some people are pulling the trigger a little bit early, happy to spend the money before its even arrives in their bank account,' Mr Bowen said. 'I would say it is a function of having a few years of difficult cost of living. 'We certainly see tax time as a bit of a windfall of the household budget and people are getting excited and spending it quickly.' But Australians spending their tax return on indulgent purchases is nothing new. ING research shows two in five Australians have used their tax return at some point to splurge on items with new phone or laptop, new furniture, fine dining, concert tickets and collectibles, like Labubus, topping the list for what taxpayers are buying. But not all of the early splurge has been on discretionary spending. Around 41 per cent say some of the money will be put towards savings, while 24 per cent will cover essential expenditures and 12 per cent are adding the money to their mortgage. Australians also plan to use the money to invest or add to their super. ING research about tax payers already spending their refund comes as the tax man asks Aussies to slow down and wait until at least July 14 before submitting their tax return. ATO Assistant Commissioner Rob Thomson said employers have until July 14 each year to finalise payroll data, urging Aussies to wait until late July allows for the ATO to prefill information in your tax return. 'We know doing your tax return is something to tick off your to-do list each year, but there's no need to rush. The best time to lodge is from late July once everything is ready,' Mr Thomson said. 'We pre-fill information from your employer, banks, government agencies and health funds into your tax return to help you get it right the first time – regardless of whether you use a registered tax agent or lodge yourself.'