Australian Superannuation Calculator
Project your super balance at retirement – FY2026-27 settings (12% employer contributions).
Assumes annual compounding, contributions taxed at 15% going in, returns entered net of fees, and the SG rate staying at 12%. The concessional cap ($32,500 in 2026-27) includes employer contributions plus salary sacrifice.
This calculator and page are general information only and not financial advice. Everyone’s circumstances will vary – always do your own research and consult your own financial professionals before making decisions.
Your super is probably the biggest investment account you’ll ever own.
And most Australians have never once checked what it’s projected to be worth.
Thirty seconds. Fill it in. Meet your future self.
How the projection works
Every payday, your employer puts 12% of your salary into super – that’s the Superannuation Guarantee, and it’s been 12% since July 2025.
Those contributions get taxed at 15% going in, which is almost certainly less than your marginal tax rate. Then the whole balance compounds, year after year, for decades.
That’s the entire machine. Money in, low tax, long time. The calculator just runs the maths forward.
The two numbers that change everything
Play with the inputs and you’ll notice two of them dominate the result.
The first is time. Starting at 25 instead of 35 doesn’t add a bit to your final balance – it can nearly double it. The last decade of compounding is always the biggest one, and you only get it by starting early.
The second is fees. The return field asks for your return after fees for a reason. The difference between a fund charging 0.5% and one charging 1.5% sounds trivial. Over 35 years it’s often six figures. You cannot control the market. You can absolutely control your fees – check yours today.
What about salary sacrifice?
The extra sacrifice field lets you model topping up your super from pre-tax salary. It’s one of the most tax-effective moves available to Australian workers – but there’s a cap. Your employer’s 12% plus your sacrifice can’t exceed $32,500 a year (2026-27) without losing the tax benefit. The calculator warns you if your inputs breach it. We built a whole calculator just for this decision – see the salary sacrifice calculator.
FAQ
Is 7% a reasonable return assumption? Balanced and growth super funds have historically returned in that region over long periods after fees, but past returns don’t predict future ones – that’s why the field is adjustable. Model a range.
What does “in today’s dollars” mean? A million dollars in 35 years won’t buy what a million buys today. The today’s-dollars figure adjusts your projection for inflation so the number actually means something.
Can I count on the SG staying at 12%? The legislated schedule finished at 12% in July 2025 with no further increases currently legislated. The calculator holds it constant.
Super is the slow lane. Here’s the fast lane.
Super quietly builds in the background for 40 years – that’s its job. But if you want options before you’re 60, you need assets outside super too. Building that stack from zero is exactly what The First $100K covers, with my real numbers from 71 months of doing it.