For the 2012/2013 year, only one concessional (before-tax) contributions cap exists for all ages, and that cap is $25,000. Before July 2012, we had a concessional cap for under-50s and a concessional cap for those 50 years and over. From the 2013/2014 year, we will have a special concessional cap … [Read more...]
Question: Your site says: “By starting a TRIP, you don’t have to retire to withdraw your super benefits. You can work part-time or full-time or even casually.” But on the TRIP form I have from my super fund it says I have to be permanently retired or be working part time. Which is correct? I … [Read more...]
Note: Since the concessional contributions cap was halved to $25,000 for over-50s (announced in May 2012, and effective from July 2012), anyone using the popular transition-to-retirement pension/salary sacrifice strategy, or considering using such a strategy, will need to review this strategy, … [Read more...]
Note: Since the concessional contributions cap was halved to $25,000 for over-50s (announced in May 2012, and effective from July 2012), anyone using the popular transition-to-retirement pension/salary sacrifice strategy, or considering using such a strategy, will need to review this strategy, … [Read more...]
This updated article is a must-read if you make contributions to a super fund, in addition to your employer’s compulsory Superannuation Guarantee contributions. If you have a salary sacrifice arrangement in place then you will need to check how much, and when, these additional concessional … [Read more...]
Salary sacrificing, by making before-tax superannuation contributions, is a popular strategy for employees on middle-to-high incomes. The deal is that you increase your superannuation balance (and pay 15% contributions tax) while reducing the amount of income tax payable (up to 46.5%) on your salary … [Read more...]
Q: Are the caps relating to ‘concessional’ and ‘non-concessional’ contributions regarded as separate? Put simply, can I contribute $25,000 concessional and $450,000 non-concessional sums (a total contribution of $475,000) to my super fund for the 2012/2013 year? A: ‘Yes’ is the answer … [Read more...]
Q: Does a co-contribution received after using up the total bring forward cap of $450,000 mean that an excess contribution has been made, or is the Government co-contribution excluded from the after-tax contribution cap? A: A superannuation co-contribution is a tax-free super contribution paid by … [Read more...]
Q: I am self-employed and I have never made super contributions in my life. Am I eligible to make super contributions, and can I claim a tax deduction for those super contributions? You can make two types of super contributions: non-concessional (after-tax) contributions and concessional … [Read more...]
Q: Since July 2009, salary sacrificed super contributions have counted towards the co-contribution income test. Was there a similar change made in relation to the income test that applies to concessional contributions when claiming tax-deductible contributions? My understanding is that the income … [Read more...]
Many Australians find the stodgy language of superannuation confusing. The terminology associated with superannuation is a barrier to self-education and may deter some Australians from taking early steps to plan for retirement. Millions of Australians care about their super account even though they … [Read more...]
Q: My employer has suddenly ceased trading and despite appearing on weekly payslips, I and fellow employees find no super contributions have been made, in my case for over 12 months. What, if any recourse, do we have? If your employer has not paid your super entitlements into your super fund, … [Read more...]
Q: I am trying to understand how my super is taxed and it seems that it is taxed at every turn. Can you please explain when, and how, a super benefit is taxed? A: If it were not for tax, superannuation wouldn’t exist. You would simply invest in your own name. Superannuation is taxed at lower … [Read more...]
Q: I checked my statement and I put an extra $10 per week into my super and each time an amount is put in, it has been taxed. Is this right? I thought that my contributions were tax-free? A: I’m not certain if you’re asking: whether you pay any tax at all when you use your income to make … [Read more...]
Note: The co-contribution rules for the 2012/2013 year are very different from the co-contribution rule applicable for the 2011/2012 year. For your reference and convenience, we have retained the 2011/2012 co-contribution rules at the end of this article. The Federal Government is giving away … [Read more...]
