If you have contributed less than $25,000 in a financial year (from 1 July 2018) and have you have a Total Superannuation Balance of less than $500,000 at 30 June of the previous financial year. you are eligible to access your unused concessional contributions cap space on a rolling basis for five years. Amounts carried forward that have not been used after five years will expire.

For example, if you only contribute $10,000 in a year, the following year you are able to contribute an extra $15,000 on top of the standard $25,000 limit. This is because you contributed $15,000 less than the $25,000 limit.

You can roll forward this $10,000 amount for five years, which means if you don’t contribute an extra $10,000 in the next year, you can contribute an extra $10,000 in the following year. After five years, you can’t contribute this extra $10,000.

2018/19 is the first financial year you can carry forward unused cap amounts and these amounts can be used from 1 July 2019. Unused cap amounts can be carried forward for up to five years.

The table below is an example of how it works.

Financial yearAnnual CC cap amountCarried forward cap available at start of financial yearConcessional contributions madeUnused cap carried forward from end of financial year
2018/19$25,000$25,000Nil$25,000
2019/20$25,000$50,000$15,000$35,000
2020/21$25,000$60,000$15,000$45,000
2021/22$25,000$70,000$15,000$55,000
2022/23$25,000$80,000$15,000$65,000

 

The maximum contribution caps, based on an accumulation of nil contributions in each prior year is shown in the table below.

Income yearMaximum* CC cap with carry forward rule
2019–20$25,000 to $50,000
2020–21$25,000 to $75,000
2021–22$25,000 to $100,000
2022–23$25,000 to $125,000
from 2023–24$25,000 to $150,000

 

Please note that these rules are current as at 6 March 2020 and may be subject to change. Ensure you contact an advisor and receive professional advice for the specifics of your situation.

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