When it comes to securing your financial future, most superannuation advisors thinks superannuation is one of the most significant investments you can make in your lifetime. In truth, for the ordinary Australian, superannuation is one of the keys to ensuring you can enjoy a retirement free of the burden of money worries. But did you realise that depending just on the payments your company is legally required to make on your behalf may not be enough to ensure a stress-free retirement?
As a result, the Australian government has made it simple to make additional payments to your super fund through voluntary super contributions. This is one of the superannuation advice australia we give our clients at Omura Wealth Advisers. Contributing voluntarily to your chosen fund may also help you reduce your tax liabilities if you have a higher-than-average income because the tax rate on your contributions may be lower than your marginal tax rate.
But what are the benefits of actively increasing your super and how can they help you achieve a more secure financial future?
That Should be the beginning.
If you’d like to learn more about how voluntarily contributing to super might benefit you and your unique financial situation, our team of qualified financial advisors is here to assist.
What Is the Process of Voluntary Super Contributions?
Anything you contribute to your selected account, such as the superannuation contributions you get from your job, will use compounding interest to enhance your investment return over time.
This implies that, depending on the fund in which you hold your superannuation and your investing plan, the initial investment you make today by voluntarily contributing to your selected account may pay off handsomely in the long run.
You can make two kinds of super contributions:
Contributions at a Reduced Rate
Concessional contributions are those placed into your super account using pre-tax dollars. This is often handled on your behalf by your employer through salary sacrifice or salary packaging, but you can also make additional concessional payments on your own.
However, people earning more than $250,000 may be subject to an extra 15% tax on part or all of their concessional payments. There is also a limit to how much more you may put into your selected account in a year, with the sum of these plus your employer’s additions not exceeding $25,000 each year. If you exceed the $25,000 limit, you may be required to pay additional tax.
Contributions Without Restrictions
In addition to concessional super contributions, you can fund your selected account with after-tax earnings. Because you have previously paid tax on this money through your income tax, these additions are known as non-concessional contributions.
The non-concessional contribution maximum for your selected fund is $100,000 every fiscal year, which is significantly larger than the concessional contribution limit of $25,000.
Non-concessional contributions are not taxed once they enter your fund, and they may be accessed tax-free after you reach your prefered retirement age. This makes superannuation one of the most tax-effective investment alternatives accessible to the average Australian worker.
According to some Australian Superannuation advisor, for anyone earning more than $37,000 per year, paying both concessional and non-concessional contributions is tax-effective.
Concessional contributions assist you in reducing your immediate tax liabilities by allowing you to take advantage of a reduced tax rate, but non-concessional contributions allow you to accumulate wealth over time, which may subsequently be accessed tax-free at retirement. At the same time, they assist you in achieving a stress-free retirement by working to enable you to live your ideal retirement lifestyle.
Consider the following scenario: You make $90,000 before taxes, not including your employer’s payment on your behalf. If you elect to contribute $10,000 of your income to your prefered fund through concessional contributions, you will save around $3450 in taxes. This extra $3450 in tax is instead placed in your super, which will continue to increase as you become older, allowing you to live the retired lifestyle you’ve always desired.
Who Gains from Voluntary Super Contributions?
We’ve already stated it, but people with a higher-than-average income who want to reduce their tax responsibilities may profit the most from voluntarily contributing to their prefered fund. This is especially true if your marginal tax rate is higher than 15%, as making concessional contributions allows you to take advantage of a reduced tax rate.
All concessional contributions are also tax deductible if you are self-employed. However, there are certain restrictions on who can claim a tax deduction. To be eligible for a tax benefit on your voluntary super payments, you must also be under the age of 75.
- If you are between the ages of 65 and 74, you must meet the work test, which states that you must work a minimum of 40 hours in each 30 consecutive day period in order to make voluntary contributions to your super account.
- Your voluntary contributions should not be used to supplement an existing super income stream or pension.
- You must not contribute to an untaxed super fund or a Commonwealth public sector defined fund, whether married or de facto, and you must not contribute to a Commonwealth public sector defined fund.
It’s a prevalent misconception that in order to maximise the tax benefits of concessional super payments, you must make them in increments through salary sacrifice. However, it is, however, absolutely feasible—and in certain situations, even preferable—to make donations from cash retained in your bank account.
This is where our team of superannuation consultants can assist you, by providing you with the technical information and assistance you require to determine what the best manner of superannuation contribution is for your specific financial circumstances.
They may also assist you by examining your present financial condition and developing a strategy for maximising your super to help you attain your ideal financial future.
Get Your Super Sorted Right Away!
Do you want to start increasing your super? voluntarily contributing to your super through concessional and non-concessional contributions is one of the most tax-effective methods to enhance your wealth for retirement while reducing your immediate tax responsibilities.
But, like with many elements of your financial life, getting started on developing a superannuation plan that will ensure you have the comfortable and stress-free retirement you’ve always wanted might be more difficult than you think.
But it doesn’t have to be that way.
With a skilled superannuation advisor on your side, you’ll never have to wonder if you’re doing enough to maximise your superannuation contributions or if you’re on pace to meet your financial objectives. Our team of superannuation experts is here to keep you on course for a brighter financial future.
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