Superannuation

About superannuation

Superannuation is a payment that is made by an employer on behalf of an employee to the employee's superannuation fund. Employers are required by law to make a payment of 11.5% of the employee's wage (as at 1 July 2024), and this is in addition to their wage.

Superannuation is generally payable for all employees who are aged between 18 and 69 years.

From 1 July 2025, you will be entitled to be paid superannuation if you receive parental leave pay. Services Australia will assess your entitlement to superannuation when you apply for parental leave pay. The Australian Taxation Office (ATO) will pay a lump sum superannuation contribution to your nominated fund in the financial year following the one in which you received parental leave pay.  

If an award or enterprise agreement applies to your job, you may have other rights in relation to superannuation.

Payment of superannuation

Your employer must pay superannuation on your behalf, at least once every three months. The payments must be made by the following cut-off dates

Employer hasn't paid your superannuation

If your employer isn't paying your superannuation regularly, or isn't paying you superannuation at all, you can contact the Australian Tax Office (ATO) and make a complaint against your employer. The ATO will investigate your complaint. For more information, see Unpaid super on the ATO website.

Before you make a complaint, you should check if your employer is paying superannuation by looking at your payslip or contacting your superannuation fund. You can also check your super online using myGov​​. For more information, see Keeping track of your super on the ATO website.

From 1 January 2025, your employer may be committing an offence if they intentionally underpay you, including superannuation, after this date.

For more information, see Criminalising wage underpayments and other issues on the Fairwork Ombudsman website.

Accessing your superannuation

You can access your superannuation funds when you:

• turn 65, even if you are still employed
• reach the preservation age, and retire or start transitioning to retirement
• meet the early access requirements.

Your preservation age will be between 55 and 60 years old.

If you were born before 1 July 1960, your preservation age is 55. If you were born after 30 June 1960, the preservation age increases by one year to age 60 on an annual basis.

For more information, see Super withdrawal options on the Australian Taxation Office website.

Early access

You can only access your superannuation early on limited grounds, including:

• severe financial hardship
• compassionate grounds
• a terminal medical condition
• a temporary incapacity
• a permanent incapacity
• a balance of less than $200 and your employment has been terminated.

You should get legal advice if you think you need to access your superannuation.

For more information, see When you can access your super early on the Australian Taxation Office website.

Superannuation and family separation

If you and your partner have separated, you may need to negotiate a property settlement to sort out your finances and divide your assets. In this process, superannuation is treated like property and can be divided as part of a settlement.

For more information, see Finance and property.