Partnerships are about supporting each other. If you or your partner's super balance needs a boost, there are two different ways that you can do this.
How to boost each other’s super
Contributions you or your partner* make to the other’s super can come from either before- or after-tax money. The processes and benefits for each option vary, and the best option for you and your partner will depend on your circumstances.
Before-tax - splitting concessional contributions
Splitting contributions
You can split certain super contributions paid to your account and transfer them to your spouse’s super. Choosing to split contributions with your spouse could suit you if:
- your spouse is older than you and will have earlier access to their super benefits
- your spouse is younger than you and transferring your contributions to them will increase your Age Pension benefits
- you wish to boost your spouse’s super balance.
You can split up to 85% of your concessional (or before-tax) contributions - that is, employer, salary sacrifice and deductible personal contributions. Splitting contributions is not available for after-tax contributions.
How to get started
Check your balance
If you’re requesting to split your contributions in your NGS Super account, your account balance following the split cannot be less than $10,000. You can request one split per year.
Check your request timing
If you want to split your contributions, we must receive your application by the end of the financial year after the contributions were made.
Complete a Contribution Splitting form
Once you’ve decided on the amount you’d like to split with your spouse (within the limit), simply complete a Contribution Splitting form and send it to us.
To find out more about the rules around contribution splitting, read our fact sheet Split super contributions with your spouse.
More information
* For the purposes of splitting contributions and making spouse contributions, any reference to ‘your partner’ means your spouse defined as a person (of any sex):
- you are legally married to
- you are in a relationship that is registered under certain state or territory laws
- who lives with you on a genuine domestic basis in a relationship as a couple (known as a de facto spouse).
However, the ATO specifically states that if you are legally married to someone but you live 'separately and apart' on a permanent basis, then that person will not be regarded as your spouse under superannuation laws.
1A receiving spouse who is at least age 67 but under age 75 must have met the conditions of the work test (or work test exemption).
Work test: You are required to work at least 40 hours in 30 consecutive days in the financial year that the spouse contribution is made.
Work test exemption: If your Total Super Balance (as defined in footnote reference 2) at the previous 30 June is less than $300,000, you will be exempt from this work test for 12 months from the end of the financial year in which you last met the work test. This exemption applies only once.
2 Total Super Balance includes the total value of your superannuation interests in both accumulation and retirement phase at the end of the previous financial year:
- For Accumulation, this is generally the withdrawal value at 30 June.
- For the retirement phase, this is the balance of your Transfer Balance account which is managed by the ATO.
View your Total Superannuation Balance through the ATO via my.gov.au
Consolidate your super
If you're with more than one super fund, you're paying more than one set of fees. Managing your superannuation is a lot easier when it's all in the one place. Find and consolidate any lost super with us online - it only takes a few minutes.
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