Government Co-contributions

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The Government co-contribution is an initiative to help eligible low to middle income earners boost their retirement savings. If your total income2 in the 2021/22 financial year is less than $41,1121 p.a. and you make non-concessional (i.e. after-tax) contributions to your super any time this financial year, the Government will match your contributions by up to $5001.
If your total income2 is less than $56,1121 p.a. in the 2021/22 financial year the Government’s matching rate will be reduced as per the table below. Assuming you qualify, the Government will automatically match and forward the co-contribution to your super fund once you’ve:
How much you receive depends on your total income. For example: If your after-tax contribution for the 2021/22 financial year is $1,000:
And your income is: | Your government co-contribution is: |
---|---|
$41,112 or less | $500 |
$45,000 | $370 |
$50,000 | $204 |
$55,000 or less | $37 |
$56,112 or more | $0 |
If your total income is $41,112 or less, you can receive the maximum Government co-contribution of $500 once you’ve made an after-tax contribution of $1,000.
If you earn above $41,112 the maximum Government co-contribution available reduces by $0.03333 for every $1 of total income above $41,112. If you earn $36,021. $565,112 or more, you will not receive any co-contribution. If you are entitled to the Government co-contribution, the minimum amount of co-contribution you will receive is $20.
To qualify for a Government co-contribution you must satisfy all of the following criteria:
Examples following are purely fictional and for illustrative purposes only to demonstrate how the rules work.
John is 45 and he receives a $50,000 salary (inclusive of compulsory superannuation guarantee). and no reportable fringe benefits. He salary sacrifices $2,000 into his superannuation, reducing his salary to $48,000. As John’s income is entirely from eligible employment, he satisfies the 10% rule (as above).
To calculate John’s maximum Government co-contribution in the 2021/22 year:
Step 1. Total of John’s assessable income, reportable fringe benefits and reportable employer super contributions.
$48,000 + $2,000 = $50,000
Step 2. Subtract $41,112 from the result.
$50,000 – $41,112 = $8,888
Step 3. Multiply the result by 0.03333
$8,888 x 0.03333 = $296
Step 4. Subtract the result from $500
$500 – $296 = $204
Super balance | |
---|---|
Government | $204 |
John's contribution | $408 |
Total | $612 |
1. In the 2021/22 financial year.
2. Assessable income plus reportable fringe benefits and reportable employer super contributions. You can find out more at www.ato.gov.au
This information is current at the time of publication 30 April 2017, and is subject to change.
This information provides an overview or summary only and it should not be considered a comprehensive statement on any matter or relied upon as such. This information does not take into account your personal objectives, financial situation or needs and so you should consider its appropriateness, having regard to your personal objectives, financial situation and needs having regard to these factors before acting on it. BTFM’s financial services guide can be obtained by contacting your adviser, calling 1300 657 010 or visiting bt.com.au.
The taxation position described is a general statement and should only be used as a guide. It does not constitute tax advice and is based on current tax laws and our interpretation. It has not been prepared by a registered tax agent. You should seek independent professional tax advice from a registered tax agent about any liabilities, obligations or claim entitlements that arise, or could arise, under a taxation law.
Superannuation is a long-term investment. The government has placed restrictions on when you can access your preserved benefits. The Government has set caps on the amount of money you can add to superannuation each year on a concessionally taxed basis. In addition, the government has set a non-concessional contributions cap. For more detail, speak with a financial adviser or visit the ATO website.
This information may contain material provided directly by third parties and is given in good faith and has been derived from sources believed to be accurate as its issue date. It should not be considered a comprehensive statement on any matter nor relied upon as such. While such material is published with necessary permission, no company in the Westpac Group accepts responsibility for the accuracy or completeness of, or endorses any such material. Except where contrary to law, we intend by this notice to exclude liability for this material. All case studies are not real life examples and are for illustrative purposes only.
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