See exactly how much tax you save and how it affects your take-home pay
Based on 2024–25 Australian tax rates including LITO and Medicare levy
Annual tax saving
$2,070
Before contributions tax
Net benefit
$1,170
After 15% contributions tax
Take-home reduction
$3,930
$151/fortnight less in hand
Extra super per year
$6,000
$18,500 cap remaining
By sacrificing $500/month ($6,000/year) into super, you save $2,070 in income tax. After the 15% contributions tax applied inside super, your real annual gain is $1,170 — while your take-home pay only reduces by $151 per fortnight.
Salary sacrifice is an arrangement where you redirect part of your pre-tax salary directly into your superannuation fund instead of receiving it as take-home pay. Because the contribution is made before income tax is applied, it reduces your taxable income — meaning you pay less income tax. The sacrificed amount is taxed at the flat 15% contributions tax rate inside super, rather than your personal marginal rate, which can be as high as 47% (including Medicare levy). For most employees earning above $45,000, this creates a meaningful tax advantage that also accelerates retirement savings.
You agree an amount with your employer
You nominate a dollar amount or percentage of salary to sacrifice each pay cycle. Your employer deducts this before calculating income tax on your wages.
Contributions go to your super fund
The sacrificed amount is paid directly to your super fund as an employer contribution. It counts toward your concessional (pre-tax) contributions cap.
Super fund applies 15% contributions tax
Your super fund deducts 15% contributions tax on the amount received. This is still far lower than the 32.5%–47% you would have paid as income tax.
Your take-home pay decreases by less than you sacrifice
Because your income tax drops, the actual reduction in take-home pay is smaller than the amount sacrificed. The gap is your tax saving.
Important: your employer's SG contributions count toward this cap
All concessional (pre-tax) super contributions are capped at $30,000 per financial year from 2024–25. This includes your employer's compulsory Superannuation Guarantee (SG) contributions — currently 11.5% of your ordinary time earnings — plus any voluntary salary sacrifice. If your total exceeds the cap, the excess is included in your assessable income and taxed at your marginal rate (with a 15% tax offset to avoid double taxation). For someone earning $100,000 with an employer contributing 11.5% ($11,500), the maximum additional salary sacrifice without exceeding the cap is $18,500 per year.
| Feature | Salary Sacrifice | After-Tax Voluntary |
|---|---|---|
| Tax treatment | Taxed at 15% in super (concessional) | No tax in super (non-concessional) |
| Reduces taxable income? | Yes — lowers income tax | No — paid from post-tax dollars |
| Annual cap | $30,000 (combined with employer SG) | $110,000 (or $330,000 bring-forward) |
| Government co-contribution? | Not eligible | Eligible if income < $58,445 |
| Best for | Higher income earners (45k+) | Lower income earners, windfall amounts |
Is salary sacrifice worth it?
Generally yes for incomes above $45,000. Your marginal tax rate at that level is 32.5%, and salary sacrificed contributions are only taxed at 15% inside super — a saving of 17.5 cents per dollar. At $120,000+ (37% marginal rate) the benefit grows further. Below $45,000 the benefit narrows considerably.
Can I salary sacrifice above the $30,000 cap?
You can, but it is not advantageous. Excess concessional contributions are added back to your assessable income and taxed at your marginal rate, with only a 15% tax offset. You end up paying close to the same tax as if you had never sacrificed — and the money is locked in super.
Does salary sacrifice reduce employer super?
Generally no — employer SG is calculated on your ordinary time earnings before the salary sacrifice arrangement is applied. However, some employer contracts may specify super is calculated on the reduced salary. Always check your employment contract or ask your HR team to confirm.
How much can I salary sacrifice?
Up to $30,000 minus your employer contributions. Example: employer pays 11.5% SG on $100,000 salary = $11,500. Cap remaining = $18,500, or roughly $1,541/month. The calculator above computes this automatically based on your inputs.
Does salary sacrifice affect the Medicare levy?
Yes. The Medicare levy (2% of taxable income) is calculated on your reduced taxable income after salary sacrifice. So a $6,000 annual sacrifice also saves $120 in Medicare levy — adding a small extra boost to the tax benefit shown in the calculator.
Connect your super fund via CDR, monitor concessional contributions in real time, and get personalised recommendations to optimise your tax position.
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