Super co-contributions

Often referred to as the 'Government co-contribution', or simply 'co-contributions', this is an additional contribution paid by the Australian Government to you as a reward for making an after tax personal contribution to your super.

This benefit is for lower-income earners and does not apply to those on higher incomes. For current income thresholds and the rate the government contributes on your behalf, search "Low income super tax offset" on the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) website at ato.gov.au.

To receive the co-contribution, you must:

1. make an eligible personal contribution during the financial year
2. have a total income of less than the higher income co-contribution threshold for the year
3. receive 10% or more of your total income from eligible employment-related activities or carrying on a business, or a combination of both
4. be under 71 years old at the end of the financial year
5. not have held a temporary visa at any time during the financial year*
6. have lodged your tax return for the relevant financial year
7. not have contributed more than your non-concessional contribution cap
8. have a total super balance below the transfer balance cap at 30 June of the previous financial year^**, and
9. have not claimed a deduction for the concessional contribution you have made.

* Unless you are a New Zealand citizen or it was a prescribed visa.

^** For details of the transfer balance cap, refer to our Tax and super page.

Work test

You can make or receive non-concessional personal and salary sacrifice contributions without meeting the work test (or exemption), but you must still meet the work test (or exemption) to claim a deduction for personal superannuation contributions so they are treated as concessional contributions.

If you're 75 years old or older, you can only claim a deduction for contributions you made before the 28th day of the month following the month in which you turned 75.

To find out more, search "work test" on the ATO website at ato.gov.au

Applying for the co-contribution

You don't need to apply for the co-contribution. If you meet all of the eligibility criteria and have provided your TFN to ESSSuper, the co-contribution will be automatically deposited in your super account.

You will not receive the Government co-contribution if you are claiming your superannuation payments as a tax deduction.

Emergency Services Superannuation Board ABN 28 161 296 741 (ESSB), the Trustee of the Emergency Services Superannuation Scheme ABN 85 894 637 037 (ESSSuper). The information contained on this web page is of a general nature only. It should not be considered as a substitute for reading the relevant ESSSuper Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) that contains detailed information about ESSSuper products, services and features. Before making a decision about an ESSSuper product, you should consider the appropriateness of the product to your personal objectives, financial situation and needs. It may also be beneficial to seek professional advice from a licensed financial planner or adviser. An ESSSuper PDS is available on our PDS and handbooks page or by contacting us.