04 June 2026
5 min read
By Lara Sinclair
Four ways to top up your super and potentially save on tax this EOFY.
Summary
Looking to start the new financial year with a bigger super balance and a smaller tax bill? See if you could qualify for the government super co-contribution and check out our guide to four key EOFY levers you can pull before 30 June – concessional, non-concessional, carry-forward and bring-forward – and what each one may mean for your retirement.
Give your super a boost – and you may also get one from the government – before June 30
The Federal Government paid out $105 million in co-contribution payments to 330,324 super accounts in 2024-251.
Now time is running out for eligible Australians to qualify for a co-contribution payment in 2025-26 – and to capitalise on other EOFY super contributions strategies that could lower your tax while boosting your long-term savings.
Over time, even modest contributions can compound to be worth thousands of dollars in your retirement savings.
What is the government super co-contribution?
If you meet the income and eligibility tests, and you make a personal non-concessional (after-tax) contribution to your super fund this financial year, the government may also make a co-contribution up to a maximum of $500 to your super.
The government co-contribution you receive depends on your income and how much you contribute.
Don’t miss our EOFY contribution cut-off dates
Our deadline for voluntary contributions to super is 3pm on 25 June 2026.
EOFY cut-off dates for other transaction types start from 10 June.
How super contribution strategies work at EOFY
All EOFY super contribution strategies utilise either before-tax money (concessional contributions) or after-tax money (non-concessional contributions), so it’s important to understand the difference.
Before-tax (concessional) contributions
These are paid from your pre-tax income as employer Super Guarantee (SG) contributions, salary sacrifice contributions or personal contributions claimed as a tax deduction.
As they’re from your pre-tax income, you won’t pay income tax on these amounts.
Instead they are taxed at 15% inside super – unless you are a high income earner2.
They count toward your annual concessional cap. In 2025-26, this is $30,000.
Learn more about salary sacrifice.
After-tax (non-concessional) contributions
These are paid from money you've already paid tax on – such as savings, after-tax income, an inheritance, or proceeds from a sale.
They are not taxed again inside super.
They count toward your annual non-concessional cap. In 2025-26, this is $120,000.
Four EOFY super contribution strategies to consider
1. Claim the government co-contribution
If you're a low or middle income earner and you make a personal after-tax contribution, the government may contribute up to $500 to top up your super.
The lower income threshold at which people may be eligible to receive the full $500 co-contribution is $47,488 in 2025-26. The upper income threshold at which the payment cuts out is $62,488.
To be eligible to receive the payment, you must make a personal, after-tax contribution to your super, and meet some other conditions – and the government will contribute 50 cents for every dollar you add, up to a maximum of $500.
These income thresholds will increase from 1 July for the 2026-27 financial year.
Learn more about making an after-tax contribution.
2. Maximise the concessional cap
Top up with salary sacrifice or a personal deductible contribution to bring your total concessional contributions (SG plus salary sacrifice plus personal deductible contributions) up to the annual $30,000 concessional (pre-tax) cap for 2025-26.
3. Use any unused carry-forward concessional cap amounts (5-year rule)
If your total super balance (TSB) was under $500,000 on 30 June 2025 and you didn't use your full concessional cap in any of the past five years, you can roll any unused cap amounts from those years forward and use them this year.
Check your myGov ATO record for your unused concessional cap amounts.
4. Bring forward up to three years of non-concessional (after-tax) cap amounts
If you’re under 75 years of age you may be able to trigger the bring-forward rule and contribute up to three years of non-concessional (after-tax) cap for the next two financial years, depending on your TSB.
If you haven’t made any non-concessional (after-tax) contributions, and your TSB was less than $1.76 million on 30 June 2025, you may be able to contribute up to $360,000 using this strategy – which can be useful after a windfall or an inheritance.
Learn more about the bring-forward rule.
Over time, even modest contributions can compound to be worth thousands of dollars in your super.
2025-26 super contribution caps at a glance
Concessional (before-tax)
$30,000
Anyone with taxable income
Non-concessional (after-tax)
$120,000
Members with spare savings
Carry-forward concessional
Unused cap from prior 5 years
Members with a TSB of less than $500,000
Bring-forward non-concessional
Up to 3 years' cap in one year
Members under 75 who receive a windfall or inheritance
Source: Australian Taxation Office. Figures apply to the 2025–26 financial year and may change.
Other EOFY deadlines that matter
30 June cut-off: the cleared-funds rule
A contribution counts for this financial year only when the money is received and cleared by CFS on or before 30 June. Bank transfers and BPAY can take a few business days, which is why our deadline for voluntary contributions to super is 3pm on 25 June 2026.
Don't leave it until the last day. See all our EOFY cut-off dates.
Notice of Intent to claim a deduction
If you make a personal contribution and want to claim a tax deduction on all or part of it, you must submit a Notice of Intent to CFS before you lodge your tax return (and before you roll out of the fund).
Skipping this step means the contribution is treated as non-concessional and the deduction is lost.
Learn more about submitting a Notice of Intent
Next steps with CFS
Before you act, run three quick checks:
Confirm your remaining contribution cap amounts in FirstNet.
Login to your accountModel the before-tax and after-tax impact with the CFS super calculator.
Use our super calculator- If your situation is complex (carry-forward, bring-forward, multiple employers), talk to a financial adviser.
EOFY super contribution strategies FAQs
You can make concessional contributions in excess of the concessional contribution cap but this can have tax consequences. Alternatively you could make non-concessional contributions up to your non-concessional cap instead.
Log in to myGov and view your ATO-held super details. Your unused concessional cap is calculated and shown there each year. You must also have a total super balance (TSB) under the $500,000 threshold on 30 June of the prior year to use it
Yes. Submit a Notice of Intent to Claim a Deduction before lodging your tax return. CFS will acknowledge receipt — keep the acknowledgement for your records.
CFS’ deadline for contributions is 3pm on 25 June 2026. This is because the contribution must be received and cleared by the fund on or before 30 June.
Yes. Salary sacrifice, employer SG and any personal deductible contributions all count toward the same annual concessional cap.
Ready to act before 30 June?
To boost your super before the EOFY, login to your FirstNet account by 3pm on 25 June and make a contribution.
What's next?
Different types of super contributions
Learn more about the benefits of making additional contributions more to your super.
Consolidate your super and save on fees
Got more than one super account? It’s quick and easy to consolidate your super with CFS.
How does salary sacrificing into super work?
Salary sacrifice comes from your pre-tax income, so you won’t pay income tax on that amount.
¹ 2024-45 Superannuation co-contribution report, Australian Taxation Office
2 If you’re a high income earner, your concessional contributions may be subject to an extra 15% Division 293 tax.
Disclaimer
Avanteos Investments Limited ABN 20 096 259 979, AFSL 245531 (AIL) is the trustee of the Colonial First State FirstChoice Superannuation Trust ABN 26 458 298 557 and issuer of FirstChoice range of super and pension products. Colonial First State Investments Limited ABN 98 002 348 352, AFSL 232468 (CFSIL) is the responsible entity and issuer of products made available under FirstChoice Investments and FirstChoice Wholesale Investments.
Information on this webpage is provided by AIL and CFSIL. It may include general advice but does not consider your individual objectives, financial situation, needs or tax circumstances. You can find the target market determinations (TMD) for our financial products at https://www.cfs.com.au/tmd which include a description of who a financial product might suit. You should read the relevant Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) and Financial Services Guide (FSG) carefully, assess whether the information is appropriate for you, and consider talking to a financial adviser before making an investment decision. You can get the PDS and FSG at www.cfs.com.au or by calling us on 13 13 36.