Most people don't use their full super cap every year. If your super balance is under $500,000, the unused amounts don't just disappear. You can catch up later, for up to five years.
The 2026–27 numbers
- This year's concessional cap: $32,500 (up from $30,000).
- To carry forward, your total super balance must be under $500,000 on 30 June 2026.
- Unused amounts last five years. In 2026–27 you can use unused cap from 2021–22 to 2025–26. Anything left from 2021–22 is gone after 30 June 2027.
What counts as concessional
Money that goes into super before income tax: your employer's super guarantee, salary sacrifice, and personal contributions you claim as a tax deduction. All of it counts towards the cap.
How catch-up works, in plain English
- Look up what went in each year. Your super fund statement or myGov (ATO online services) shows your concessional contributions by year.
- Find the gap. Each year's cap minus what went in is your unused amount. The caps were $27,500 for 2021–22 to 2023–24, then $30,000 for 2024–25 and 2025–26.
- Check your balance. Your total super balance on 30 June 2026 must be under $500,000.
- Put it in. Usually a personal contribution before 30 June 2027, then a notice of intent to claim a deduction lodged with your fund before you lodge your tax return.
- Oldest first. Unused amounts are used up oldest year first.
Try it: how much room do you have?
Concessional contributions that went in each year:
Who it suits
- People who had time out of work: parental leave, study, travel, career breaks.
- Anyone with a big one-off income year, such as a bonus, a capital gain from selling shares or an investment property, or a business sale.
- Part-timers and the self-employed who couldn't spare the cash in earlier years.
Watch-outs
- Concessional contributions are generally taxed at 15% in the fund. If your income plus concessional contributions is over $250,000, Division 293 tax can add more.
- Go over your available cap and the extra is taxed at your marginal rate.
- Money in super is locked away until you meet a condition of release, usually retirement.
- The notice of intent has to be with your fund and acknowledged before you lodge your return or roll the money over.