Superannuation hit another milestone on 1 July 2023, with the Superannuation Guarantee rate rising for the third year in a row to reach 11 percent.
There are two more scheduled increases to come, to bring the rate to 12 percent on 1 July 2025.
The increase is designed to ensure that our super balances keep up with the cost of living by the time current employees reach retirement, so they can enjoy a comfortable retirement.
According to the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA), inflation is defined as an increase in the level of prices of the goods and services that households buy. For example, remember your parents telling you that a movie ticket used to cost $1 when they were kids? That’s an easy example of inflation at work.
Given super is a long term investment, it’s important to ensure that the dollars you contribute and invest today will be able to support you decades down the line in your retirement, when the prices of the goods and services you buy are likely to have risen significantly from where they are now.
So, while 3 percent of an employee’s wages may have been an adequate contribution in 1992, the same amount wouldn’t go quite as far in 2023.
The increase to the Superannuation Guarantee is mandated by the government – that means you don’t need to do anything to receive it, as your employer is obligated to make contributions at this rate.
However, if you currently work at the Qantas Group and have a second employer that contributes to your account, you may want to check that they are contributing to your super at the new, increased rate. Currently, employers must make contributions at least quarterly, so you may not be able to see them in your account for a few more months, but you can check your payslips.
Percentages are all well and good, but let’s take a look at what the increases look like as actual dollars going to your super account:
| Salary of $65,000 | Salary of $100,000 | |
|---|---|---|
| 9.5% | $6,175 | $9,500 |
| 10% | $6,500 | $10,000 |
| 12% | $7,800 | $12,000 |
| Difference | $1,625 | $2,500 |
(Remember, your employer’s contributions to your super come from your pre-tax salary. This means they’re concessional contributions, which are taxed at 15% when they reach your super account.)
So, what will those extra contributions look like over time?
According to projections from the Association of Superannuation Funds of Australia (ASFA), a 30 year old with a starting balance of $40,000, earning average career wages, could expect to have an extra $85,000 in their super when they retire at 67 was a result of the SG increasing to 12%*.
Let’s look at what their balance at retirement would be if the Superannuation Guarantee:
You can calculate the impact of the increases on your balance with our retirement income simulator.
*Source: ASFA Economic Snapshot 2 July 2021. Projections for illustrative purpose only. In reality, a worker will not earn average wages throughout his/her career.
If you need help with making a decision about your super, you can get simple advice over the phone. It’s included as a part of your membership so there’s no extra cost.
