Salary sacrificing part of your income into your superannuation brings about a lot of financial benefits. Employers in Australia are required to contribute the equivalent of 9.5% of an employee’s salary into a nominated superannuation fund. On top of these contributions, employees can request that their employer reduce their salary and direct the additional cash into their superannuation.
There are a number of benefit to salary sacrificing into your superannuation:
1. Reduce your tax liability: Superannuation contributions are taxed at the low rate of 15% (or 30% for individuals earning over $300 000). Therefore, by making additional contributions from your before-tax income, you are likely to decrease your overall tax liability.
2. It won’t cost your employer anything: Your employer will not have to pay any fringe benefits tax on your additional superannuation contributions, so it shouldn’t be an issue for you to make an arrangement.
3. Compound interest! The more that you contribute to your superannuation early in life, the harder your money will work for you. Even a very small additional contribution each week when you’re young can make a big difference to the final size of your nest egg.