By Paul Feeney, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Otivo

The financial year doesn't wait. Once 30 June ticks past, a handful of super levers close for the year — and one of them, the oldest year of unused carry-forward cap, can close for good. None of these are huge moves on their own; most are small administrative tasks. But for some Australians, running through them in the last few weeks of June lands differently than doing the same things in July. Here are the four worth a look, and why the timing matters.

Before 30 June, several superannuation actions become time-bound. Personal deductible contributions must be made and a notice of intent lodged with the fund. Unused concessional contributions cap from earlier years may be eligible for carry-forward if conditions are met. As at May 2026, the general concessional contributions cap is $30,000 for 2025–26 (ATO).

What actually changes for super at 30 June?

For super, the financial year is more than a tax marker. It's the line that resets the concessional contributions cap, ticks the clock on whether unused cap from earlier years can still be carried forward, and sets the deadline for a specific document — a notice of intent to claim a deduction — that determines whether a personal contribution is taxed concessionally or counted as non-concessional.

In other words, what counts as "in" or "out" for the 2025–26 financial year depends on whether the action — and the paperwork — landed before midnight on 30 June.

A useful frame: there are four levers that only the end of the financial year can pull. The current-year concessional cap, the notice of intent for personal deductible contributions, the oldest year of unused carry-forward cap, and a small set of contributions whose eligibility is assessed across the financial year as a whole. Each works differently, and each is worth a look before the year closes.

How does the concessional cap work, and what room is left?

The concessional contributions cap is a single combined limit. It covers employer Super Guarantee, salary sacrifice, and personal contributions for which a deduction is claimed — all counted in the same bucket. As at May 2026, the general cap is $30,000 for 2025–26, indexed to AWOTE in $2,500 increments.

The combined nature is where people sometimes get caught. Salary sacrifice doesn't sit alongside SG with its own ceiling — both count towards the same $30,000. So does any personal deductible contribution made during the year. The question worth running before 30 June is the simple one: how much of the cap has employer SG and any existing salary sacrifice already used, and what's left?

There's a second consideration for higher earners. Where combined income and concessional contributions exceed $250,000 in a financial year, Division 293 tax applies — an extra 15% on concessional contributions above the threshold. That brings the total tax on those contributions to 30% rather than 15%. Concessional, still — but a different calculation. "Income" for the Division 293 test includes taxable income, reportable fringe benefits, net investment losses, and the concessional contributions themselves.

The $30,000 cap also isn't a flat ceiling for everyone. Members eligible to use carry-forward — covered below — may have considerably more room in a given year.

The notice of intent — the deadline most people get wrong

Personal deductible contributions — contributions made in the member's own name, with a tax deduction then claimed for that financial year — come with an extra step that catches people out. To claim the deduction, a valid notice of intent must be lodged with the super fund, and the fund must acknowledge it before the deduction is claimed on the tax return.

The deadline is not simply "30 June". It's the earlier of two dates: the day the individual lodges their tax return for that financial year, or the end of the financial year after the contribution was made. So a personal deductible contribution made in May 2026 could in theory have a notice lodged any time up to 30 June 2027 — but only if the 2025–26 tax return hasn't already been lodged. Many people lodge in July or August, which can quietly shrink that window to a few weeks.

A notice of intent that arrives late, or after a tax return has been lodged for the relevant year, is invalid. The contribution still sits in the fund, but it gets recategorised as non-concessional — and the deduction is lost.

One related point on age. Individuals aged 67 to 74 making personal deductible contributions also need to meet the work test (40 hours of gainful employment in 30 consecutive days during the year) or qualify for the work test exemption. The work test was removed for non-deductible contribution types from 1 July 2022 — but it still applies to personal deductible contributions made in that age range. From age 75, voluntary contributions are generally not accepted, with limited exceptions including mandated employer contributions and downsizer contributions.

What is carry-forward, and who can use it?

Carry-forward is the rule that lets unused concessional cap roll on. It's the lever that turns 30 June into a hard deadline rather than a soft one, because each year that passes, the oldest year of unused cap drops off the back.

It's worth separating the mechanics from the eligibility — they're often confused.

Mechanics

• Available since 1 July 2018.
• Unused concessional contributions cap amounts can be carried forward for up to five financial years.
• Unused amounts are applied oldest-first, and expire after five years.

Eligibility — all three conditions must be met in the year of the catch-up contribution

• Total Super Balance below $500,000, measured on 30 June of the prior financial year.
• Unused concessional contributions cap in one or more of the previous five financial years.
• Eligible to make super contributions — generally being under age 75 (funds can accept contributions up to 28 days after the end of the month the member turns 75).

For 2025–26, the cap year on the chopping block is 2020–21. Unused cap space from 2020–21 expires at midnight on 30 June 2026. After that date, that year's headroom can't be used.

Non-concessional contributions, spouse contributions, and the co-contribution

For someone who has already filled the concessional cap, or who wants to move a one-off sum into super, the non-concessional contributions cap is the next lever. As at May 2026, the annual NCC cap is $120,000 for 2025–26, with a three-year bring-forward of up to $360,000 available where eligibility tests are met. Bring-forward eligibility depends on being under age 75 at any point in the financial year, and on a Total Super Balance below the general transfer balance cap — $2.0 million for 2025–26 — on 30 June of the prior year.

A few smaller items also have an end-of-year flavour:

• A spouse contribution may attract a tax offset where conditions are met, based on the receiving spouse's income. The eligibility test for the offset is assessed on the financial year as a whole.
• The government super co-contribution applies a match (up to a capped amount) on personal after-tax contributions for eligible lower-income earners. Eligibility is assessed across the financial year, so a contribution made in late June counts toward the same window as one made the previous July.
• Salary sacrifice changes only apply to remaining pay periods. An arrangement set up in late June affects only the last pay run or two of the year — useful to know if the goal is to mop up cap headroom rather than to make a structural change to take-home pay.

Otivo Pty Ltd (AFSL and Australian Credit Licence No. 485665) provides licensed digital financial advice in Australia. The Salary sacrifice contributions and Tax-deductible personal contributions modules are two places to model how these decisions interact with the cap for a specific situation.

Frequently asked questions

Is 30 June the deadline for the contribution to be sent, or for the fund to receive it?

A contribution generally counts towards the financial year in which the fund receives it — not the day the payment leaves the contributor's account. Bank processing can take several business days, especially across weekends and public holidays. Contributions left to the final week of June carry timing risk.

Can a notice of intent be amended after it's been lodged?

A notice of intent can generally be varied down — to claim a smaller deduction than originally notified — but not varied up. If a larger deduction is later intended, a fresh notice for the additional amount is the mechanism, provided the deadlines for that additional amount are still open and the original notice hasn't already been actioned through the tax return.

Has the work test really been removed?

The work test was removed for non-deductible contribution types from 1 July 2022. It still applies to personal deductible contributions made by individuals aged 67 to 74. The ASIC MoneySmart guidance sets out the contribution rules by age in plain English.

Where to from here

End-of-year super tasks tend to be small in isolation and material in aggregate. A short review before 30 June — what's been contributed, what cap room remains, and whether carry-forward conditions are met — is usually a quick exercise. Otivo's Retirement planning and Salary sacrifice contributions modules can help model how these levers interact for a specific situation.

The information in this communication is current as at May 2026 and has been prepared by Otivo Pty Ltd ABN 47 602 457 732, AFSL and Australian Credit Licence No. 485665. This content is general information only and has been prepared without taking into account your objectives, financial situation or needs. It is not personal financial or taxation advice and should not be relied on as such. Before acting on any information, you should consider its appropriateness having regard to your personal circumstances. This material must not be reproduced in whole or in part, or posted on any social media platform, without the prior written consent of Otivo Pty Ltd.