The end of the financial year is approaching, and 2026 is not a year to let it pass without reviewing your superannuation. Two significant changes arrive on 1 July 2026: contribution caps are increasing and payday super begins. More importantly, some contribution windows close permanently on 30 June and cannot be recovered.
Whether you are five years from retirement or already transitioning, here are seven strategies worth considering before the deadline passes.
⚠️ Deadline Alert: 30 June 2026
Unused carry-forward concessional cap amounts from the 2020/21 financial year expire permanently on 30 June 2026. Once gone, they cannot be extended or recovered.
1. Use Your Carry-Forward Concessional Contributions Before They Expire
Since 2018/19, Australians with a total super balance under $500,000 (as at the previous 30 June) have been able to carry forward unused concessional contribution cap amounts for up to five years.
The current concessional cap is $30,000 per year. If you have not used your full cap in previous years, you may have accumulated significant unused capacity. The earliest year in the carry-forward window for 2025/26 is the 2020/21 financial year. Any unused amount from that year disappears permanently on 30 June 2026.
If you have not fully used your concessional cap for the past five years, your available concessional capacity could be as high as $167,500 for this financial year alone.
Example: Sandy
Sandy had $400,000 in super on 30 June 2025. She has $40,000 in unused carry-forward cap amounts from previous years. This year, she can contribute up to $70,000 in concessional contributions ($30,000 current cap plus $40,000 carry-forward) and claim a tax deduction on the personal contributions.
Action: Check your unused concessional cap amounts through your myGov account or by contacting your super fund. If you have capacity, consider making a personal deductible contribution before 30 June.
2. Make the Most of the Current Non-Concessional Cap
The non-concessional (after-tax) contributions cap for 2025/26 is $120,000. From 1 July 2026, this cap rises to $130,000.
If you are under 75 and your total super balance is below $1.9 million (as at 30 June 2025), you may also be able to use the bring-forward rule to contribute up to three years’ worth of non-concessional contributions in a single year. The current three-year maximum is $360,000. From 1 July 2026, it rises to $390,000.
In most cases, contributing $360,000 now and getting an extra year of compounding inside super is more valuable than waiting for the higher $390,000 cap. However, this depends on your total super balance and whether you have already triggered a bring-forward arrangement.
Action: If you have funds outside super and want to boost your retirement savings, consider making a non-concessional contribution before 30 June. Check your total super balance to confirm your eligibility and bring-forward capacity.
3. Consider the Downsizer Contribution
If you are 55 or older and have sold (or are selling) your home, the downsizer contribution allows you to contribute up to $300,000 per person (or $600,000 per couple) directly into super from the sale proceeds.
Downsizer contributions do not count towards your concessional or non-concessional caps. There is no total super balance test and no work test requirement. The property must have been owned for at least 10 years and the contribution must generally be made within 90 days of settlement.
This is one of the few remaining ways to make large contributions to super regardless of your existing balance.
Action: If you are planning to sell your family home or have recently settled, speak with a financial adviser about whether a downsizer contribution suits your overall strategy.
4. Review Your Investment Mix Inside Super
As you approach retirement, the allocation of your super between growth assets (shares, property) and defensive assets (cash, bonds) becomes increasingly important. A portfolio that was appropriate at 45 may carry too much risk at 60, or conversely, may be too conservative to generate the returns needed for a 25-year retirement.
The end of the financial year is a natural checkpoint to review your investment options, rebalance if needed, and ensure your super fund’s strategy aligns with your retirement timeline.
Action: Log in to your super fund and review your current investment allocation. If you are unsure whether your mix is appropriate for your age and risk profile, this is exactly the type of question a financial adviser can help with.
5. Consolidate Multiple Super Accounts
If you have worked for multiple employers over your career, you may have super scattered across several funds. Each account typically charges its own administration fees and insurance premiums. Over time, this duplication quietly erodes your balance.
As at the most recent data, there was just under $18.9 billion in lost super waiting to be claimed across Australia.
Action: Use your myGov account linked to the ATO to search for lost or unclaimed super. Before consolidating, check whether any existing insurance cover attached to an old account is worth retaining.
6. Contribute for Your Spouse
If your spouse earns less than $40,000 per year, you may be eligible for a spouse contribution tax offset of up to $540 when you contribute to their super. The receiving spouse’s total super balance must be below $2 million (as at 30 June 2025; rising to $2.1 million from 1 July 2026).
Spouse contributions are an effective way to build both partners’ super balances closer to equal, which can have significant benefits for retirement income structuring and age pension eligibility.
Action: If one partner has a lower super balance, consider a spouse contribution before 30 June. This is particularly relevant for couples where one partner has taken career breaks.
7. Prepare for Payday Super Starting 1 July 2026
From 1 July 2026, employers must pay superannuation guarantee contributions within seven business days of each payday. This replaces the current quarterly system where employers can take up to three months to remit your super.
For employees, this means your super gets invested sooner and starts compounding earlier. For business owners, it means payroll systems and clearing house arrangements need to be updated before 1 July.
If you are both an employee and a business owner, this change affects you on both sides. The ATO will have real-time visibility of unpaid or late contributions from day one of the new system.
Action: Employees should check that their employer is aware of the payday super changes. Business owners should contact their payroll provider or clearing house to confirm their systems are ready.
Do Not Let the Deadline Pass
The end of each financial year brings contribution opportunities that cannot be recovered once they pass. The 2020/21 carry-forward amounts expiring on 30 June 2026 are a clear example. A single conversation with a financial adviser before that date could identify thousands of dollars in contribution capacity you did not know you had.
Book your pre-EOFY super review
Great Advice offers a free initial Goals Meeting where we confirm your current cap usage, identify any carry-forward space, assess your eligibility for the strategies above, and give you a clear action plan before 30 June.
Call 1300 205 522 or visit greatadvice.com.au to book your consultation.
References
- Australian Taxation Office (ATO), Key Superannuation Rates and Thresholds: Contributions Caps.
- Australian Taxation Office (ATO), Carry-Forward Concessional Contributions.
- Australian Taxation Office (ATO), Non-Concessional Contributions Cap and Bring-Forward Arrangements.
- Australian Taxation Office (ATO), Downsizer Super Contributions.
- Australian Taxation Office (ATO), Lost and Unclaimed Super.
- Australian Taxation Office (ATO), Spouse Contributions Tax Offset.
- Australian Taxation Office (ATO), Payday Super: Changes from 1 July 2026.
- Colonial First State, Balance-Boosting Strategies as Super Contribution Caps Are Set to Rise, March 2026.
- Grant Thornton Australia, Time to Revise Your Superannuation Strategy: Changes to Concessional and Non-Concessional Caps, March 2026.
General Advice Warning: This article contains general information only and does not take into account your individual objectives, financial situation, or needs. Superannuation rules are complex and the strategies discussed may not be suitable for everyone. Before making any financial decisions, you should seek personal financial advice from a licensed adviser. Great Advice Financial Advisers is a Corporate Authorised Representative of Akumin Financial Planning Pty Ltd (AFSL 232706).
