Employer Contributions

The super guarantee

Everything you need to know about super contributions

Superannuation is an extra 11.5% on top of your wages
Employers are legally required to pay eligible employees
Super must be paid at least 4 times a year by the due dates

Note: If you’re under 18, you must also work more than 30 hours in a week to be eligible for employer super contributions

The 11.5% super guarantee

Employers are legally required to make superannuation payments to all eligible employees, into a complying superannuation fund. These payments are called the super guarantee.

Super guarantee payments sometimes appear on your payslip as ‘SG payment’.

The superannuation guarantee is 11.5% of your ordinary time earnings, which means overtime hours are not included.

When do you get paid super?

‘Stapling’ your super

Stapling means your existing super fund will automatically follow you when you change jobs.

Depending on your situation, stapling will affect you differently;

A.
If you already have a super fund
Each time you start a new job, your employer can look up your account with the ATO and assign the super fund that has been stapled to you.
- ●
  If you only have one fund, the ATO will choose that fund to be your stapled fund.
- ●
  If you have more than one fund, the ATO will determine your stapled fund based on a set of rules.
The best way to know which fund your super is being paid into, is to provide your employer with your pre-filled super nomination form.
B.
If it’s your first job and you don’t have a super fund  
You will first need to join a super fund, then ask your employer to pay into this fund. If you don’t nominate a fund by the SG deadline, your employer will create a new account with their default fund.
C.
If you recently joined a new super fund  
You will need to tell your employer the details of your new fund. You can hand in a pre-filled super nomination form or complete the ATO choice form.

FAQ

How much super should I be paid?

From 1 July 2024, the super guarantee is 11.5% of your ordinary time earnings (overtime is excluded).

The super guarantee is expected to increase to 12% by the 2025/26 financial year.

For example: If you are aged 18 and older and earn $1,000 in a month, your super guarantee contribution will be $115. This is paid into your super account by your employer.

When do I get paid super?

Employers can determine the frequency of when they make super guarantee payments. However, it is mandatory that they make payments at least once a quarter.

The SG deadlines are:

Work period							Super guarantee pay day
M	T	W	T	F	S	S	Super guarantee pay day
1 July - 30 Sept							28 Oct
1 Oct - 31 Dec
1 Jan - 31 Mar
1 Apr - 30 June

Work period							Super guarantee pay day
M	T	W	T	F	S	S	Super guarantee pay day
1 July - 30 Sept							28 Oct
1 Oct - 31 Dec							28 Jan
1 Jan - 31 Mar							28 Apr
1 Apr - 30 June							28 July

For example, if you worked between 1 July and 30 September and were eligible for super, your employer has until the 28 October to make your super guarantee payment into your super fund account.

The payment can take 1-2 business days to process, so allow a few days to pass before you check your transaction history.

As each employer could be different, you ask how frequently they make their SG payments.

Student Super members receive a notification each time a SG payment is received into their account. This means they can keep on top of their super and follow up with their employer if a payment has been missed.

Why do I see super on my payslip and not in my account?

Employers are required to set aside the super you’ve earned – this is the amount you see on your payslip. Just because it’s on your payslip does not necessarily mean it’s been paid. Your employer can wait until the quarterly deadline to make the payment.

For example, if your weekly payslip for the 20 July shows $200 for super, your employer can hold onto this money until the 28 October to make the actual payment into your super account. So, you will only see this in your super account after the payment has been made.

How can I check if I’ve been paid super?

Your employer must list the amount they have set aside for your super on your payslip. However, this does not mean your super has been paid into your super fund.

To check if your super has been paid, login to your super account and view your transactions.

What can I do if my employer is not paying me super?

If you are eligible for super and your employer does not make super payments, they are breaking the law.

Here’s the steps you can take;

1
Double check that you are eligible for super. Use the ATO’s tool.
2
Login and check your super account. For Student Super members, you’ll find this under Transactions.
3
Ask your employer to explain how your super is being calculated and when they process super payments.
4
Check that your employer is paying your super into the correct super fund. If you have nominated Student Super, you can give them your pre-filled super form.

If you cannot come to a resolution or your employer has not paid you super, you can report them to the ATO.

Can I nominate any super fund for my super guarantee?

Most Australians have the right to choose their super fund, there are exceptions in certain industries linked to specific awards. The FairWork Ombudsman has information about super and industry awards here.

Speak to your employer about nominating your super fund. You can nominate a fund by providing your employer with a super choice form. For Student Super members, you can email yourself a pre-filled super choice form by logging in and going to “Tell my employer”.

Can I make my own super payments into my account?

Yes. You can make contributions to your super account at any time, whether you are working or not.

If you aren’t currently working or if you are self-employed, you can still open a super account to make personal contributions.

Can I still open a super account if I’m not eligible to receive employer contributions?

Yes. You can open a super account and make personal contributions even if you are not eligible for employer contributions.

You can also open a super account when you’re looking for a job so you’re prepared for your first day of work.

I’ve just joined Student Super, how do I make this my ‘stapled’ super fund?

That’s easy! Use the ‘Tell my employer’ feature or provide the pre-filled form included in your welcome email. Your employer should make your next SG payments to your Student Super account. Make sure to check your next payslip and log into your account to check your transactions.

You can also consider using the ‘Find or combine my super’ feature to consolidate your super into Student Super. Combining all your super into Student Super will mean that your Student Super account will be ‘stapled’ to you for future jobs.

How do I tell my employer Student Super is my super fund?

Login to your account and use the ‘Tell my employer’ feature or provide the pre-filled form included in your welcome email. The form has all the details your employer needs to pay your super into Student Super. You can choose to email them this form or print it off and hand it in.

This is general information only and does not take account of your personal objectives, financial situation or needs. Before acting on it, consider if the information is appropriate and whether you need to speak to an accredited professional. When considering financial returns, past performance is not indicative of future performance.

This product is issued by Diversa Trustees Limited (ABN 49 006 421 638; AFSL No. 235153; RSE Licence L0000635) as trustee for Professional Super which is a sub-fund of OneSuper (ABN 43 905 581 638; RSE R1001341). Professional Superannuation Management Pty Ltd (ABN 31 617 160 791; AFSL No. 499786) (PSM) is the Promoter of Professional Super, which is marketed under multiple brands including Student Super.

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