For most people, Super runs quietly in the background. Employer contributions go in on schedule — at least quarterly, sometimes more frequently — the balance ticks up, and it doesn’t get much active attention. But for farming families and regional business owners, the period between now and 30 June is one of the most valuable windows in the financial calendar. Most people don’t use it to its full potential.
Understanding the Contribution Caps
Super contributions fall into two broad categories, and each has an annual limit.
Concessional contributions are made from pre-tax income — employer super guarantee payments, salary sacrifice, and personal contributions you claim as a tax deduction. For 2025–26, the concessional cap is $30,000. Contributions within this cap are taxed at 15% inside super, which for most people is significantly lower than their marginal tax rate.
Non-concessional contributions are made from after-tax income — money you’ve already paid tax on. The cap for 2025–26 is $120,000 per year. If you’re under 75 and your total super balance is below the general transfer balance cap, you may also be able to bring forward up to three years’ worth of non-concessional contributions and contribute up to $360,000 in a single year, depending on your circumstances.
Knowing where you sit against both caps before 30 June is the starting point for any super strategy.
Spousal Contributions: Building Super as a Household
If your spouse earns a low income or is not currently working, contributing to their super account can benefit both of you.
When you contribute to a low-income spouse’s super from your after-tax income, you may be eligible for a tax offset of up to $540. The full offset is available when your spouse’s income is $37,000 or below, and it phases out at $40,000. It’s a modest figure, but it compounds over time — and for farming families where one partner manages the farm without a formal salary, it’s a way of building retirement savings for both people, not just the one drawing an income.
Spousal contributions also count toward the receiving spouse’s non-concessional cap, so it’s worth factoring that in if they’re also making contributions of their own.
Catch-Up Contributions: If You’ve Had Gaps
Life doesn’t always allow for consistent super contributions. Career breaks, business pressures, tough seasons — there are plenty of reasons why super gets deprioritised. The good news is that the tax rules allow some flexibility.
If your total super balance is below $500,000, you can carry forward unused concessional contributions from the previous five financial years and put in more than the standard $30,000 in a single year. For farming families who’ve had leaner seasons or years of lower income, it’s a practical way to top up when cashflow allows.
Whether it makes sense comes down to your current balance, your income this year, and where super fits in your broader financial picture — which is exactly the kind of conversation worth having with your accountant or financial planner before 30 June.
Tying It Back to Your Financial Plan
Super isn’t a standalone product — it’s a piece of a larger picture. How much you contribute, when, and in which form should connect to what you’re trying to build: retirement income, wealth outside the farm, financial security for a spouse who may not have a separate asset base.
For farming families, super is often the only asset that sits entirely outside the farm. Land, machinery and livestock are productive, but they’re also illiquid, subject to seasonal risk, and frequently tied up in succession arrangements that take years to work through. Building super alongside the farm — rather than treating it as a competing priority — is simply sound financial planning, particularly for family members whose retirement security shouldn’t rest entirely on what happens to the property.
If you haven’t had a proper super conversation as part of your broader financial plan — not just the EOFY deduction conversation, but the long-term one — that’s worth doing before 30 June while the decisions are still in front of you.
Frequently Asked Questions
For 2025–26, the concessional (pre-tax) cap is $30,000 and the non-concessional (after-tax) cap is $120,000. Your age, income, and total super balance all affect what you can actually contribute, so talk to your financial planner about where you stand.
Concessional contributions are made from pre-tax income — including employer payments, salary sacrifice, and deductible personal contributions. They're taxed at 15% inside super. Non-concessional contributions come from after-tax income and are not taxed again inside super, though they do count against a separate annual cap.
Yes. Spousal contributions are made from your after-tax income into your spouse's super account. If your spouse earns $37,000 or less, you may be eligible for a tax offset of up to $540. The offset phases out as their income approaches $40,000. Spousal contributions count toward the receiving spouse's non-concessional cap.
If your total super balance is below $500,000 at 30 June of the previous financial year, you can carry forward unused concessional cap amounts from the past five years and make a larger concessional contribution in a single year. This is useful for people who have had years of lower contributions and are now in a position to catch up.
Your super fund is required to notify you if you're approaching or have exceeded your cap. You can also check via your myGov account. The safest approach before making any additional contributions is to speak with your accountant or financial planner to confirm your current position.
For farming families, super is often the only asset that sits entirely outside the farm — not subject to seasonal risk, debt obligations, or succession arrangements. Contributing to super doesn't have to come at the expense of the farm. For many families, it's an important part of building a more complete financial picture. Talk to Greg Thornton, MBC's Financial Planner, about how super fits into your overall plan.
Super rules are complex, and individual circumstances vary. This article is general information only and does not constitute financial advice. To understand what's right for your situation, speak with a qualified financial planner.
Talk to Greg Thornton, MBC's Financial Planner →
