If you’ve been keeping an eye on your super, you might be wondering whether the contribution limits are increasing this year. The answer is – not yet.
Two key caps that determine how much you can put into super each year will stay the same from 1 July 2025.
Concessional contributions
These are contributions made before tax – like employer contributions, salary sacrifice, or personal contributions that you claim as a tax deduction. They’re taxed at 15% when they go into your super fund (unless you’re a high-income earner, in which case extra tax may apply).
And here’s a bonus – if you haven’t used your full concessional caps in recent years and your total super balance is under $500,000 as at 30 June 2025, you may be able to use the catch-up (carry-forward) rule to contribute more.
Non-concessional contributions
These are contributions made from your after-tax money. You don’t get a tax deduction for these contributions, but they’re a great way to boost your super savings over time.
Plus, if you’re under 75, you might be able to use the bring-forward rule to contribute up to $360,000 in one go by using three years’ worth of caps. Just remember – eligibility rules apply, like your total super balance and whether you’ve used this rule before.
For now, these caps are staying at $30,000 for concessional contributions and $120,000 for non-concessional contributions per financial year. If you were hoping to contribute even more, you’ll need to wait for a future increase.
So what is changing? The transfer balance cap
Starting 1 July 2025, the limit on how much super you can move into a tax-free retirement pension account will go up from $1.9 million to $2 million. This limit is called the transfer balance cap. This change means you can transfer more of your super into a tax-free pension when you retire.
The money you withdraw from your super pension (also called an account-based pension) is not taxed if you are 60 or over and the pension’s investment earnings are not taxed either. This can make a big difference to your savings in retirement.
If you haven’t started a pension before, the new cap of $2 million applies to you in full. However, if you’ve already started one, your personal cap may be somewhere between $1.6 million and $2 million, depending on your past pension history.
In the end, this increase is great news for anyone thinking about retirement, giving you more room to grow your super in a tax-free environment.
Why does this matter?
Even though the contribution caps aren’t going up, the increase to the transfer balance cap is a good reminder to check in on your super strategy, especially if retirement is on the horizon.
If you’re still working, now’s a great time to make sure you’re making the most of the current concessional and non-concessional contribution limits to build your super while you can.
And if you’re approaching retirement, consider how the higher transfer balance cap could open up more tax-free opportunities for your pension savings. It might be worth thinking about whether you should contribute more to your super now to make the most of it later.
Need help?
Super can be complex, but you don’t have to work it all out on your own. If you’d like help understanding these changes or planning your next steps, get in touch with us. We’re here to help.
Disclaimer: This update is intended as general information and is not tailored to individual circumstances. Please get in touch with us if you would like specific advice.