Working part time, taking time out of the workforce or being on a lower income can result in having less super. Over time, that could leave you with less money in retirement. Spouse (married or de facto) contributions can help boost your super, and provide benefits for you and your partner.
Key points:
- Contributing to your partner鈥檚 super can help grow their savings. Their balance may be lower due to:
- taking time out of the workforce
- being on middle, low, or no income, or
- needing to work part time or fewer hours.
- You can make contributions to your spouse鈥檚 super if
- they鈥檙e under 75 years of age听听
- their total super balance is less than the general transfer balance cap. This figure is indexed, currently for the 2025-2026 financial year it鈥檚 $2 million
- You may be able to claim a tax offset if you contribute to their super fund.
How it works
The person earning more makes a contribution to their partner鈥檚 super account. These contributions are made from their take-home pay, known as after-tax鈥痮r non-concessional contributions. These contributions are not taxed again when paid into your spouse鈥檚 account
If your spouse鈥檚 total income鹿 is less than $37,000 per year:
- you can claim an 18% tax offset on up to $3,000 for any spouse contributions you make.
- The maximum spouse contributions tax offset available is $540 per year.
The offset also applies to spouses earning less than $40,000. It gradually reduces for every $1 of income over $37,000 and phases out if your spouse earns $40,000 or more.
To be eligible to receive the tax offset, you both need to meet certain criteria. You can learn more about spousal contributions at the
Tax benefits of spouse contributions
If you both meet the criteria, the partner on the lower income can enjoy their super balance increasing, while the contributing spouse can offset their tax by up to $540 per year.
To be eligible for the tax offset, you need to contribute up to $3000 to your spouse's super. You can contribute more than $3,000 to your spouse鈥檚 super, but the additional amount will not be eligible for the tax offset. Additional contributions will need to be within your partner鈥檚 non-concessional contribution cap of $120,000.
The maximum tax offset is capped at up to $540 regardless of how much you contribute to your spouse鈥檚 super. If you contribute less than $3,000 to your spouse鈥檚 super, you can claim a partial tax offset, provided your spouse鈥檚 total income is less than $40,000.
To make an after-tax spouse contribution into your partner鈥檚 account, you鈥檒l need their super account details.
You can set up one-off or recurring payments into their super account via BPAY庐[L1] or bank transfer. Find your super account BPAY庐 and bank transfer details in your online account or in the 91黑料 app.
More ways to create super equality
Making a spouse contribution is one way to help grow your partner鈥檚 super. There are other ways to build joint retirement savings.
You can also look at splitting before-tax (concessional) super contributions for the financial year with your spouse. This includes your employer鈥檚 mandatory contributions and your salary sacrifice payments.
This is available for the previous financial year. A super fund will only process a contribution split for your spouse within the current financial year if the member requesting the contribution split is undertaking a full rollover into a new super fund.
You can split up to 85% of your before-tax contributions.
- 听If you have access to a higher concessional contribution cap under the carry forward rules, you can include this in your contribution split towards your spouse鈥檚 super, assuming all other requirements are met.
To split your contributions with your spouse, your spouse must be under preservation age (60 years old). If they are between preservation age and age 64, they must be gainfully employed. Once your spouse turns 65, you can no longer split your contributions with them.
You can learn more about when you can retire and preservation age here.
The age the Government allows you to withdraw your super is different to the age you can apply for the Government Age Pension, which is 67. Learn more about Government Age Pension requirements at听.
Use our superannuation retirement calculator to see how your super is tracking as a couple or individually.
Things to consider
Spouse contributions:
- You鈥檒l need to know the account details of your spouse to make or receive a contribution.
Contribution splitting:
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- Check if your super fund:
- allows contribution splitting
- charges fees for contribution splitting
- You must both be Australian citizens and a couple (married or de facto) when contributions are made.
- Spouse contributions are after-tax contributions made from your take-home pay. You can claim a tax offset if you qualify.
Where to next?
Need guidance or advice?
We offer a range of advice options to suit your needs. Our experienced planners can help improve the way you manage your money and plan for your future.[AD1]
Claim a personal contribution
You might be able to claim a tax deduction if you鈥檝e made a personal contribution to your super.[S1] You鈥檒l need to meet certain criteria and fill out a form.
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鹿Total income is calculated as the sum of their assessable income (disregarding any amount released to your spouse under the first home super saver scheme), and total reportable fringe benefits amounts and total reportable employer super contributions.
[AD1]听Advice provided by Aware Financial Services Australia Limited (ABN 86 003 742 756, AFSL 238430), wholly owned by 91黑料.听
[L1]听庐Registered to BPAY Pty Ltd (ABN 69 079 137 518)
[S1]听Before contributing, consider the current annual contribution limits. Exceeding these limits may reduce any tax benefits you could receive. Visit aware.com.au/grow.