Create your myGov account and link it to the ATO

Update your TFN registration details

Help and support to lodge your tax return

Check the progress of your tax return

Income, deductions, offsets and records

Occupation and industry specific income and work-related expenses

Residential rental properties and holiday homes

Medicare and private health insurance

Coming to Australia or going overseas

Work out which registrations you need

Instalment notices for GST and PAYG instalments

Public business and international groups

What type of NFP is your organisation?

What tax concessions are available?

Your obligations to workers and independent contractors

Valuing contributions and minor benefits

National rental affordability scheme

Encouraging NFP participation in the tax system

Induction package for administrators

Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission

Access the YourSuper comparison tool

News and alerts for APRA-regulated funds

Reporting and administrative obligations

Missed and late super guarantee payments

SuperStream for APRA-regulated funds

Departing Australia Superannuation Payment

Small Business Superannuation Clearing House

Consultation, open forums and speakers

Key tax topics for Tax professionals

Annual report and other reporting to Parliament

Complying with procurement policy and legislation

Guidelines for contractors and suppliers

Payment of super from foreign super funds

Downsizing contributions into superannuation

Re-contribution of COVID-19 early release superannuation amounts

Repealing the work test for voluntary super contributions

Visibility of super for permitted family law proceedings

Super contributions - too much can mean extra tax

Claiming deductions for personal super contributions

Division 293 tax - information for individuals

Inactive low-balance super accounts

Making an election to release money from super

Guide for employees and self-employed - reportable superannuation contributions

Online services - super for individuals

Super guarantee opt out for high income earners with multiple employers

Super contributions - for defined benefit funds and untaxed funds

Superannuation surcharge - information for individuals

Downsizer contributions for individuals

Access due to a terminal medical condition

COVID-19 early release of super (closed 31 December 2020)

Early access on compassionate grounds

Excess contributions tax and how funds report your contributions

Illegal super schemes - beware of offers to withdraw your super early

Individuals receiving military invalidity benefits - impact of court decision

Pay as you go withholding for military superannuation payments

Super lump sums from a foreign super fund

Tax treatment of transfers from foreign super funds

Transfer balance cap - defined benefit income streams

Trans-Tasman retirement savings portability scheme for individuals

Treatment of military invalidity benefits following Full Federal Court decision

Withdrawing your super and paying tax

Super information for temporary residents departing Australia

ATO-held USM for New Zealand permanent residents and citizens

Your super is your future. The superannuation choices you make today will help shape your lifestyle in retirement. We can help you get your super sorted now so you maximise your super savings for when you retire.

Super, or superannuation, is important because the more you save, the more money you will have in retirement. Super is a long-term investment which grows over time.

For most people, super begins when you start work and your employer starts paying a percentage of your salary or wages into a super fund account for you.

Your super fund invests and manages this money for you until you retire.

The earlier you learn about what you are entitled to, what your employer needs to pay, and limits that apply, the better off you will be when you retire.

Adding a little extra, choosing a fund whose investment strategies align with your circumstances and checking how much you are paying in fees and charges will help your super grow over your whole working life. TheYourSuper comparison toolwill help you compare MySuper products and choose a super fund that meets your needs.

At different times in your life there are important decisions you can make that will greatly impact your retirement savings. From choosing the right fund to managing the number of funds you have and increasing the amount you put away, these are all decisions you can make to maximise your super.

For most people, your first job is where your super will begin and you will need to make some decisions toget your super started.

Most people can choose the fund their super goes into. You can do so by using aSuperannuation standard choice form(NAT13080) when you start a new job. You should discuss your eligibility to choose a fund and this form with your employer.

From 1November 2021, your employer may have an extra step to take to comply with choice of fund rules if you dont choose a fund. They may need to request details of a stapled super fund from us.

A stapled super fund is an existing super account which is linked, or stapled, to an individual employee so that it follows them as they change jobs.

We will notify you of thestapled super fundrequest and the fund details we have provided.

TheYourSuper comparison toolhelps you choose a super fund by displaying MySuper products ranked by fees and net returns. The Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASICs) Moneysmart website also provides information on what to look for when comparing and choosing a fund atMoneysmart choosing a super fundExternal Link.

If you dont (or cant) choose your own super fund, and you do not have astapled super fund, your employer will pay your super into a super account for you.

You should provide yourtax file number(TFN) to your employer and super fund. If you dont, your super fund may take extra tax out of your super contributions and will not be able to accept your personal contributions.

Where you have an income but no employer to pay super for you (for example, if youreself-employed), you could open a super account and start your super savings.

If you are atemporary residentstarting work in Australia, you may also be entitled to super.

When you change jobs, if eligible you will again be given the option tochoose your own super fund. This is a good time toreview your current super fundand consider whether you are happy with its fees, fund performance and investment strategies. Refer togrowing your superandemployees.

Use theYourSuper comparison toolto help you compare MySuper products or seeMoneysmartExternal Linkfor more information on choosing a super fund

If youve already had a few jobs you may have other super accounts. You can save money on fees by combining your super into one account. A good place to start is tocheck your superusing ATO online services through myGov. From there, you can find and transfer your super to consolidate your accounts.

Before consolidating, check with your fund to see if there are any exit fees or if you will lose any valuable insurance. For more information, seeMoneysmartExternal Link insurance through super.

You may be at a point where you are happy with your current super fund and feel that there is no further action for you to take. However, there are occasions where there may be super being held for you that you dont know about, for example if it has been lost or forgotten about.

You can log in to ATO online services through myGov tokeep track of your super. You can see the super accounts held for you, and whether we are holding any super for you. You can also consolidate these into your preferred super account.

Keeping track of your super will help you maximise the amount available to you when you retire. You should also regularly check:

your payslips and super fund statements make sure youremployeris paying the right amount of super for you

your super statement track your super and see how much you are paying in fees and charges

for options toadd more money to your superand any limits that apply.

MoneysmartExternal Link super contributions has some good tips for keeping track of your super over the course of your working life.

Making extra contributions is a great way to boost your retirement savings. It could also help you reduce your tax. You may have different options depending on your age, how much you want to put in and your super balance. For more information, seegrowing your super.

Some of the main ways you can personally make extra contributions include:

arranging with your employer to makesalary sacrifice contributions. This may also reduce your overall taxable income

makingpersonal super contributions. This may also result in agovernment co-contributionof $500 if you are eligible

having your spouse contribute super for you orsplitting contributionswith your spouse

making adownsizing contribution into superif you are selling your home and are 65years or older.

Before you make decisions about your super, you need to understand whats best for you. This will depend on your income and personal circumstances.

Its important to consider any consequences of making super contributions astoo much super can mean extra tax.

In some circumstances the government can also make additional contributions to your super as a:

You dont need to apply for thesegovernment super contributions. We will work out if you are eligible. If your fund has your TFN, we will pay it straight into your super fund account.

You can generally only withdraw your super when you reach retirement. It isillegalto access super early without meeting a condition of release. Fees and penalties will apply for doing so.

Be cautious of promoters and scammers who claim to offer early access to super and may ask for your personal information. If you are approached by someone about a scheme, phone us on131020immediately to seek advice and protect your super. You can also check if your adviser is a registered tax practitioner attpb.gov.auExternal Link.

You may be able toaccess your super earlyin the following types of circumstances and if you meet certain requirements, where you:

are saving for your first home First home super saver scheme

need to withdraw super oncompassionate groundsor if you have aterminal medical condition

aretemporarilyunable to work or arepermanentlyincapacitated

have a super account balanceless than $200

Reaching retirement age is a huge milestone. After years of contributing, this is the time where you can finally begin to access your hard-earned super.

There are rules aroundwithdrawing and using your super. Severe penalties and fees apply for accessing it illegally. Its important you are confident you meet the requirements before you access your super.

At this point you should also consider howtax will apply to your super benefits. This will depend on a number of different factors, such as your age and whether your super comes from a taxed or untaxed source.

In retirement you may also think aboutdownsizing your homeand choosing to contribute some of the proceeds from the sale to your super.

Explains the superannuation contributions youre entitled to, how to build your super and keep track of it, and how benefits are paid.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people

Appoint someone to act on your behalf

Dispute or object to an ATO decision

Tax and individuals - not in business

We are committed to providing you with accurate, consistent and clear information to help you understand your rights and entitlements and meet your obligations.

If you follow our information and it turns out to be incorrect, or it is misleading and you make a mistake as a result, we will take that into account when determining what action, if any, we should take.

Some of the information on this website applies to a specific financial year. This is clearly marked. Make sure you have the information for the right year before making decisions based on that information.

If you feel that our information does not fully cover your circumstances, or you are unsure how it applies to you, contact us or seek professional advice.

© Australian Taxation Office for the Commonwealth of Australia

You are free to copy, adapt, modify, transmit and distribute this material as you wish (but not in any way that suggests the ATO or the Commonwealth endorses you or any of your services or products).