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D12 Personal superannuation contributions 2021

Complete question D12 to claim a personal superannuation contributions deduction.

Last updated 26 May 2021

Did you make personal superannuation contributions during the year to a complying superannuation fund or a retirement savings account (RSA)?

No

Go to question D13 Deduction for project pool 2021, or return to main menu Individual tax return instructions 2021.

Yes

You may be able to claim a deduction. Read below.

What can you claim?

You may be able to claim a deduction for personal superannuation contributions that you made to your superannuation fund or RSA provider from your after-tax income, for example, from your bank account directly to your superannuation fund.

You cannot claim a deduction for superannuation contributions paid by your employer directly to your superannuation fund or RSA provider from your before-tax income such as:

  • the compulsory superannuation guarantee
  • salary sacrifice amounts
  • reportable employer superannuation contributions shown on your annual payment summary.

Before you can claim a deduction for your personal after-tax superannuation contributions, you must have:

There are other eligibility criteria that you must meet – continue reading.

Are you eligible to claim a deduction?

You may be able to claim a deduction for personal contributions you made to a complying superannuation fund or RSA in 2020–21 if:

  • you satisfied the age-related conditions
  • you gave a valid notice of intent to your superannuation fund or RSA provider, in the approved form, and advised them of the amount you intend to claim as a deduction
  • you gave the notice of intent on or before the day you lodged your 2021 tax return or 30 June 2022, whichever is earlier
  • at the time you gave the notice, the superannuation fund or RSA provider still held the contributions in respect of which you gave the notice; this requirement may not be met if, for example, you withdrew those contributions under the COVID-19 early release of superannuation program before giving the notice
  • your superannuation fund or RSA provider acknowledged your valid notice
  • your superannuation fund was not a
    • Commonwealth public sector superannuation scheme with a defined benefit interest
    • constitutionally protected fund or other untaxed fund that would not include the contributions in their assessable income
    • superannuation fund that notified the Commissioner before the start of the income year that they elected to treat all member contributions to the
      • superannuation fund as non-deductible
      • defined benefit interest within the superannuation fund as non-deductible.

Before claiming a deduction, you should consider the broader tax outcomes that apply if you have:

  • withdrawn your super under the COVID-19 early release of superannuation program, and
  • recontributed that amount back into your super fund to claim a personal super contribution deduction.

Any tax benefit obtained in relation to such a deduction could be cancelled if you enter into a scheme mainly for the purposes of obtaining a tax benefit.

See also

You cannot claim a deduction for personal superannuation contributions if:

  • your personal superannuation contributions were not received by your superannuation fund or RSA provider before 1 July 2021 – contributions received by the superannuation fund or RSA provider after 30 June 2021 can only be claimed as a deduction in 2021–22, even if you took steps (such as posting a cheque, or initiating a direct debit) prior to 30 June 2021
  • you made the contributions more than 28 days after the end of the month in which you turned 75 years old
  • you were under 18 years old on 30 June 2021 and you did not receive any income from activities that resulted in you being treated as an employee for the purposes of the superannuation guarantee law or from you carrying on a business
  • either of the following applied to you
    • you made a contribution that was attributable, either in whole or in part, to a capital gain that you made, and
      • you chose to apply the small business capital gains tax retirement exemption to all or part of that capital gain, and
      • you were under 55 years old just before you made that choice, or
    • the contribution was attributable, either in whole or in part, to a capital gain, and
      • a company or trust chose to apply the small business capital gains tax retirement exemption to all or part of that capital gain, and
      • you were under 55 years old just before the contribution was made
  • you did not provide your superannuation fund or RSA provider with a valid notice of intent to claim a deduction in the approved form
  • you made contributions to a superannuation fund or RSA provider that are attributable to the following super housing measures
  • you provided your superannuation fund or RSA provider with a valid notice of intent to claim a deduction in the approved form but you have not received an acknowledgment of this notice from your superannuation fund or RSA provider.

You may be entitled to a super co-contribution for your personal contributions that you do not claim as a tax deduction. Do not include any amount at this item for the purpose of asking us for a super co-contribution. We calculate this automatically from information reported by your superannuation fund or RSA provider and from other items on your tax return. For more information, see Superannuation contribution caps and government super contributions.

See also

You need to know

Personal superannuation contributions are amounts you paid to an eligible complying superannuation fund or RSA to provide superannuation benefits for yourself, or for your dependants in the event of your death.

Most superannuation funds are eligible complying superannuation funds. If you are unsure contact your superannuation fund.

The deduction you claim can reduce your taxable income to nil, but it cannot add to or create a loss.

The deduction you claim may also be used in the income tests for eligibility for certain tax offsets and government benefits. See Income tests 2021.

If you are 67 years old or older, you can make personal contributions only if you meet certain conditions. You should check with your superannuation fund or RSA provider.

If you were under 18 years old on 30 June 2021 and you made the contribution in 2020–21, you can claim a deduction for your personal superannuation contributions only if you earned income from:

  • activities or circumstances which treat you as an employee for superannuation guarantee purposes, such as, salary or wages or other remuneration in return for your personal labour or skills
  • carrying on a business.

See also

Complete this item only if your superannuation fund or RSA provider has given you an acknowledgment of your valid notice which advised them of the amount you intend to claim as a deduction.

Superannuation contributions splitting

Complying superannuation funds and RSA providers may allow you to split your superannuation contributions with your spouse. However, personal superannuation contributions for which you don't claim an income tax deduction cannot be split to your spouse's superannuation account. A spouse can be of any sex.

If you intend to lodge a notice of intent to claim a deduction for personal superannuation contributions with your superannuation fund or RSA provider, you must do it before you lodge your superannuation contributions splitting application for those contributions.

A superannuation contributions splitting application can only be made to your superannuation fund or RSA provider:

  • during the income year that follows the income year in which you made the contributions (such as during 2021–22 for contributions you made in 2020–21), or
  • during the same income year you made the contributions if your entire benefit is to be rolled over, transferred or cashed before the end of that year.

See also

Superannuation contribution caps and government super contributions

Amounts that count towards your concessional contributions cap are:

  • your personal superannuation contributions that you claim as an income tax deduction
  • your employer contributions
  • amounts you salary sacrificed into superannuation (these are known as Reportable employer superannuation contributions and appear on your payment summary; you show them at item IT2 on your tax return).

The 2020–21 concessional contributions cap is $25,000.

You can increase the concessional contributions cap that applies to you when you carry-forward unused concessional contributions amounts from previous financial years.

You may have to pay more tax if:

  • the contributions you claim as a deduction, plus
  • your employer contributions, plus
  • your salary-sacrificed contributions (that is, your reportable employer superannuation contributions)

exceed your concessional contributions cap.

Your personal superannuation contributions that are not allowed as income tax deductions count towards your non-concessional contributions.

For 2020–21, the annual non-concessional contributions cap is $100,000 if your total superannuation balance on 30 June 2020 was less than $1.6 million.

You may have to pay more tax if you exceeded the non-concessional contributions cap.

See also

You may be entitled to a government super co-contribution based on the personal contributions you made for which you did not or could not claim a tax deduction.

The super co-contribution is a matching government superannuation contribution for low income earners who made a personal superannuation contribution.

You may be entitled to a low income super tax offset (LISTO) based on:

  • your concessional contributions
  • your personal superannuation contributions for which a tax deduction was allowed.

The LISTO is a government superannuation contribution (up to a maximum of $500) for low income earners, and it is designed to offset the tax paid by your superannuation fund or RSA provider on concessional contributions.

Check that you have provided your tax file number to your superannuation fund or RSA provider to ensure:

  • you can make a personal contribution, and
  • you receive your co-contribution entitlement.

See also

Answering this question

You need to provide the following details of the superannuation fund or RSA provider that you made your personal contributions to and that provided you with an acknowledgment of your notice of intent:

  • full name of fund
  • account number
  • fund ABN or TFN.

This information is available in Using ATO online services – individuals and sole traders or you can contact your superannuation fund or RSA provider.

Completing this item

Step 1

Have you provided, in the approved form, a valid notice of intent to claim a deduction for personal superannuation contributions to your superannuation fund or RSA provider?

Yes

Go to step 2.

No

Send this notice to your superannuation fund or RSA provider before you lodge your tax return. You are not entitled to claim a deduction for personal superannuation contributions unless you have given the notice and received an acknowledgment from your superannuation fund or RSA provider.

You can download a Notice of intent to claim or vary a deduction for personal super contributions form from ato.gov.au or contact your superannuation fund as they may have their own form you can use.

Step 2

Have you received an acknowledgment from your superannuation fund or RSA provider that you gave them a valid notice of intent to claim or vary a deduction for personal super contributions?

Yes

Print X in the Yes box at item D12 on page 15 of your tax return. Go to step 3.

No

Until you receive an acknowledgment from your superannuation fund or RSA provider, you are not entitled to a deduction for personal superannuation contributions. You may either wait to lodge your tax return until you receive the acknowledgment, or you may lodge now (without claiming the deduction) and request an amendment once you have received the acknowledgment. If your superannuation fund or RSA provider has rejected your notice or advised that it is not valid, you are not entitled to claim a deduction.

Go to question D13 Deduction for project pool 2021.

Step 3

Were you 18 years old or older on 30 June 2021?

Yes

Go to step 5.

No

Go to step 4.

Step 4

Did you receive income from carrying on a business or from activities that resulted in you being treated as an employee for superannuation guarantee purposes?

Yes

Go to step 7.

No

You are not entitled to a deduction for personal superannuation contributions. Go to question D13 Deduction for project pool 2021.

Step 5

Did you turn 75 years old before 1 June 2020?

Yes

You are not eligible to claim a deduction for personal superannuation contributions for 2020–21. Go to question D13 Deduction for project pool 2021.

No

Go to step 6.

Step 6

Did you turn 75 years old between 1 June 2020 and 31 May 2021 inclusive?

Yes

Add up all the contributions you made between 1 July 2020 and the 28th day of the month following the month in which you turned 75 years old (inclusive) which you are eligible to claim as a tax deduction. This is the amount you write at H item D12 on page 15 of your tax return (supplementary section). Go to step 7.

No

Go to step 7.

Step 7

Add up all your 2020–21 contributions which you are eligible to claim as a tax deduction, and write the amount at H item D12 on page 15 of your tax return.

Step 8

If you contributed to only one superannuation fund or RSA, print its full name, its Australian business number (ABN) or tax file number (TFN), and your account number in the boxes at item D12. Remember, your superannuation fund or RSA provider must have given you an acknowledgment of your valid notice which advised them of the amount you are claiming as a deduction.

If you contributed to more than one superannuation fund or RSA, print 'Additional information' in the Full name of fund box at item D12 and follow the instructions at Schedule of additional information. In the other boxes, provide details of the superannuation fund or RSA provider to which you made the largest contribution and from which you have received an acknowledgment.

You cannot write an amount at H that is higher than the amount your superannuation funds or RSA providers acknowledged.

You may vary your valid notice to reduce the amount stated in relation to your contribution (including to nil). You cannot vary your valid notice to increase the amount stated in relation to your contribution.

You must notify your superannuation fund or RSA provider of any variation, in the approved form, on or before the day you lodge your 2021 tax return or 30 June 2022, whichever is earlier. Once you have provided notification, the amount you write at H for that contribution is limited to the reduced amount.

You may vary your notice after that date if the amount stated does not meet the personal superannuation contributions conditions and we have disallowed an amount of your deduction, for example, if the deduction you claimed exceeds your assessable income.

You can only vary your notice after that date by the amount of the deduction that does not meet the conditions and that we disallowed.

See also

Schedule of additional information

If you are claiming a deduction at this item you may need to provide a schedule of additional information.

If you contributed to more than one superannuation fund or RSA, you must provide additional information. On a separate sheet of paper, print:

  • Schedule of additional information – Item D12
  • your name and address
  • your tax file number.

Then, for each superannuation fund or RSA provider from which you have received an acknowledgment of your notice of intent to claim the deduction, print:

  • the full name of the superannuation fund or RSA provider
  • the ABN or TFN of the superannuation fund or RSA provider
  • your account number
  • the amount that you are claiming as a deduction.

Print X in the Yes box at Taxpayer's declaration question 2 on page 10 of your tax return. Attach your schedule to page 3 of your tax return.

If you need more information, phone 13 10 20.

Check that you have...

  • Kept your notice of intent to claim a deduction and the acknowledgment of your notice from your superannuation fund or RSA provider, as we may ask to see them
  • Attached to page 3 of your tax return your Schedule of additional information – Item D12, if you need to send us one

Where to go next

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