About the super guarantee
The super guarantee charge (SGC) applies when employers don’t pay the minimum amount of super guarantee (SG) for their eligible employees to the correct fund by the due date.
The minimum SG is calculated as a percentage of each eligible employee’s earnings (ordinary time earnings) to a complying super fund or retirement savings account (RSA).
For information on the maximum, see Maximum super contribution base.
Super guarantee percentage
Table 21: Super guarantee percentage
Period | General super guarantee (%) | Super guarantee (%) for Norfolk Island (transitional rate) |
|---|---|---|
1 July 2002 – 30 June 2013 | 9.00 | 0 |
1 July 2013 – 30 June 2014 | 9.25 | 0 |
1 July 2014 – 30 June 2015 | 9.50 | 0 |
1 July 2015 – 30 June 2016 | 9.50 | 0 |
1 July 2016 – 30 June 2017 | 9.50 | 1 |
1 July 2017 – 30 June 2018 | 9.50 | 2 |
1 July 2018 – 30 June 2019 | 9.50 | 3 |
1 July 2019 – 30 June 2020 | 9.50 | 4 |
1 July 2020 – 30 June 2021 | 9.50 | 5 |
1 July 2021 – 30 June 2022 | 10.00 | 6 |
1 July 2022 – 30 June 2023 | 10.50 | 7 |
1 July 2023 – 30 June 2024 | 11.00 | 8 |
1 July 2024 – 30 June 2025 | 11.50 | 9 |
1 July 2025 – 30 June 2026 | 12.00 | 10 |
1 July 2026 – 30 June 2027 | 12.00 | 11 |
1 July 2027 – 30 June 2028 and onwards | 12.00 | 12 |
Note: If you need percentages for years prior to 2002–03, refer to former sections 20 and 21 of the Superannuation Guarantee (Administration) Act 1992, available from our Legal database.
Your contributions for each employee are required to be paid on at least a quarterly basis.
Quarter | Period |
|---|---|
1 | 1 July – 30 September |
2 | 1 October – 31 December |
3 | 1 January – 31 March |
4 | 1 April – 30 June |
Maximum super contribution base
The maximum super contribution base is used to determine the maximum limit on any individual employee's earnings base for each quarter of any financial year. Employers don't have to provide the minimum support for the part of earnings above this limit.
Income year | Maximum contribution base (maximum income per quarter for SG purposes) | Maximum SG payment amount per quarter |
|---|---|---|
2025–26 | $62,500 | $7,500.00 |
2024–25 | $65,070 | $7,483.05 |
2023–24 | $62,270 | $6,849.70 |
2022–23 | $60,220 | $6,323.10 |
2021–22 | $58,920 | $5,892.00 |
The maximum super contributions base is indexed in line with AWOTE each income year. The new indexed amount is generally available each February.