In an attempt to repair the Federal Budget and lower the overall national debt, the government is seeking to introduce changes to the way superannuation in accumulation phase is taxed over the threshold of $3 million.
Currently, earnings from super in the accumulation phase are taxed at a concessional rate of 15% regardless of the super account balance. It is now proposed that from the 2025–2026 income year, the concessional tax rate applied to future earnings for those with super account balances above $3 million will be 30%. This change would not apply retrospectively to earnings in previous years, and would not impose a limit on the size of super account balances in the accumulation phase.
This measure would affect an estimated 0.5% of people who have money in Australian super accounts, or around 80,000 individuals, so the government considers it a “modest” adjustment which is in line with its proposed objective of superannuation – to deliver income for a dignified retirement in an equitable and sustainable way.
To illustrate just how little the change would affect ordinary Australians: in the latest ATO taxation statistics (relating to the 2019–2020 income year), the average super account balance for Australian individuals is around $145,388, with a median balance of only $49,374. In addition, according to ASFA (Association of Superannuation Funds of Australia) estimates, for a comfortable retirement, a single homeowner individual aged 67 at retirement will need $65,445 per year. If that individual lives to the ripe old age of 100, their required balance would only equate to an amount of $1.5 million in super – well below the $3 million threshold proposed.
With younger Australians increasingly facing cost of living pressures, astronomical house prices, slow wages growth and uncertain international headwinds, most have no hope of contributing up to the maximum concessional cap every year and attaining a super balance even close to $3 million, short of winning the
lotto or receiving a lucky inheritance. This effect is amplified for women, who are usually more likely to take time away from work, or move to part-time opportunities, in order to raise children and take on caring responsibilities.
According to the latest Expenditure and Insights Statement released by the Treasury, government revenue foregone from super tax concessions amount to $50 billion per year, and the cost of these concessions is projected to exceed the cost of the Age Pension by 2050. With this single proposed change, the government estimates that around $2 billion in revenue will be generated in its first full year of implementation, which can be used to reduce government debt and ease spending pressures in health, aged care and the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS).
According to Treasurer Jim Chalmers, the government will seek to introduce enabling legislation to implement this change as soon as practicable. Consultation will still be undertaken with the super industry and other relevant stakeholders to settle the implementation of the measure.
