Boosting Your Superannuation: Seven Powerful Strategies

Caroline Gillies • February 22, 2024

Boosting Your Superannuation: Seven Powerful Strategies

1.   Maximising Tax-Deductible Contributions: Historically, salary sacrifice has been a popular method to bolster one's superannuation savings while enjoying tax advantages. Contributions made through this method are taxed at a favourable rate of 15%, compared to the individual's marginal tax rate, which can reach up to 45%. Recent changes have made these pre-tax contributions, known as concessional contributions, more flexible. Individuals can inject funds into their super at any time and claim a tax deduction, up to the annual cap of $27,500. From 1 July 2024 the concessional contribution cap will increase from $27,500 to $30,000.
 

2.   Leveraging Catch-Up Contributions: Individuals with a super balance below $500,000 at the beginning of a financial year can tap into unused concessional contribution caps from the previous five years. This presents a valuable tax planning opportunity, particularly for those experiencing significant capital gains events, such as selling investments, as they can mitigate a substantial portion of the tax liability by channelling additional funds into their super.


3.   Harnessing Co-Contributions: The government offers incentives for lower-income earners by matching contributions of up to $500 annually for those who deposit $1000 of after-tax income into their super fund. Eligibility varies based on income, with individuals earning below $58,445 qualifying for partial co-contributions, and those earning under $43,445 eligible for the full $500, providing an impressive 50% return on their investment.


4.   Utilising Spouse Contributions: Couples can optimise their super balances and tax savings by contributing to the account of a low-income spouse. Individuals can claim a tax offset of up to $540 by depositing $3,000 into their spouse's fund, provided the spouse earns below $40,000.


5.   Implementing Super Splitting: As couples approach retirement, maintaining similar super balances becomes crucial for managing asset caps, retirement income, and insurance. Super splitting allows individuals to transfer up to 85% of their pre-tax super contributions from the previous financial year to their spouse's account, subject to their fund's policies.


6.   Capitalising on Age Advantages: Transferring superannuation funds into the account of a younger spouse as one partner reaches pension age can strategically shield assets from Centrelink's assets testing, potentially increasing eligibility for age pension benefits.


7.   Exploring Downsizing Opportunities: Individuals aged over 55 who downsize their homes can inject an additional $300,000 from the sale proceeds into their super without affecting other contribution caps. This includes the annual $110,000 cap for after-tax contributions (to rise to $120,000 after 1 July 2024), providing a valuable avenue for boosting retirement savings.


If you would like to discuss any of these strategies further we recommend contacting your Financial Planner.

By Caroline Gillies March 26, 2026
More data doesn’t mean better decisions. Many business owners are drowning in numbers but starving for direction, tracking everything and understanding nothing. The result? Decisions based on gut feel, cash flow surprises, and growth that looks good on paper but doesn’t actually strengthen the business. Vanity metrics can be misleading. Total revenue, website traffic, or social media likes might feel positive, but they don’t always reflect real performance or profitability.  Real KPIs tell a different story. They give you clarity, control, and confidence in your decisions. While every business is different and the right KPIs will vary, here are some examples of powerful KPIs businesses often track: • Profit Margin – Are you actually making money? • Cash Flow – Do you have enough cash to operate and grow? • Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC) – What does it cost to win a new customer? • Debtor Days – How quickly are you getting paid? • Customer Lifetime Value (CLV) – How much is each customer worth over time? If you’re not tracking the right numbers for your business, you’re essentially flying blind. Because success isn’t about more data—it’s about the right data.
By Caroline Gillies March 1, 2026
From 1 July 2026, the Federal Government will introduce one of the most significant changes to superannuation administration in recent years: “Payday Super.” These reforms fundamentally shift how and when employers meet their Superannuation Guarantee (SG) obligations. What’s Changing? Under the new rules, SG contributions must be paid at the same time as salary and wages and received by the employee’s super fund within seven business days of payday. This replaces the current quarterly payment system. The changes apply to all eligible employees, including those captured under the expanded definition of “employee,” and extend to salary sacrifice amounts and other qualifying earnings (QE). Employers will calculate SG at the legislated 12% rate on QE, which includes ordinary time earnings and relevant additional payments. Contributions remain subject to the Maximum Contribution Base, limiting employer liability to approximately $30,000 per employee per financial year. Employers will also be required to report QE and SG liabilities through Single Touch Payroll (STP), enabling the ATO to monitor compliance more closely and identify underpayments earlier. Operational Impact for Employers The shift to payday reporting and payment means payroll systems must be updated to calculate, process, and remit super contributions each pay cycle. Businesses will need to ensure their software can manage QE calculations and facilitate timely electronic payments to super funds. Cash flow management will also require attention, particularly for small businesses accustomed to quarterly payments. Super will become a real-time obligation rather than a periodic liability. Importantly, failure to meet the new deadlines will trigger the revised Superannuation Guarantee Charge (SGC), including penalties and interest. While late contributions and SGC amounts remain tax deductible, interest and penalties do not. Employers currently using the Small Business Superannuation Clearing House must transition to alternative payment solutions before its closure on 30 June 2026. Preparing Now Although implementation begins in 2026, early preparation is essential. Reviewing payroll systems, assessing cash flow impact, and updating internal processes will help ensure a smooth transition and minimise compliance risk. Payday Super represents a move toward greater transparency and timeliness, but it also demands proactive planning from employers. If you would like assistance preparing your business for Payday Super, our team at Clear Vision Accountancy Group is here to help. Please contact us on 4688 2500 to discuss how we can support your transition and ensure you remain compliant. We drew inspiration for this article from the ATO
By Caroline Gillies December 11, 2025
The ATO is cracking down on people who claim too many tax deductions for properties that they use both personally and as rentals — especially holiday homes. A new draft ruling says that if you use a property for both personal use and renting it out, you must split (apportion) the expenses in a fair and reasonable way. You can only claim deductions for the portion of time or space used to earn rental income. If the ATO thinks your property is really a holiday home — for example, you block out peak times for your own use and only rent it occasionally — they can classify it as a “leisure facility.” If that happens, you cannot claim big expenses like mortgage interest, council rates, land tax or maintenance. You’ll only be allowed to claim small costs like cleaning, advertising and platform/agent fees. The ATO says many owners of holiday homes have been claiming too much by showing “rental losses” every year. They are now looking more closely at cases where the owner keeps the property unavailable for rent during busy periods.  How do I stay off the ATO naughty list? If you mix personal use with rental use, be careful. Only claim the rental part of your expenses, or the ATO may deny most of your deductions.