What is the bring-forward rule?
According to the Australian Taxation Office (ATO), the bring-forward rule allows those under 65 years old to make up to three years’ worth of non-concessional (after-tax) contributions to their super in a single income year. This means you can put up to $300,000 – or three times the current $100,000 annual non-concessional contributions cap – into your super in one financial year without having to pay extra tax, the ATO says. Essentially, those who use the rule are ‘bringing forward’ their next two years of caps into the current year.
How does the bring-forward rule work?
The number of future-year caps you’re entitled to bring forward will depend on what your total super balance is at the end of the previous financial year. More specifically, the ATO states that from 1 July 2017, your total super balance will need to be $1.4 million or less on 30 June for you to be able to bring forward your next two years of caps. This would allow you to make a total of three years’ worth of after-tax contributions (or $300,000) in a single financial year.
If your balance is between $1.4 million and $1.5 million, the ATO says you can bunch up two years’ worth of contributions (or $200,000) into one income year. But if you have over $1.5 million in super, the ATO says you won’t be entitled to use the bring-forward rule and will only be entitled to make contributions up to the annual cap.
Finally, bear in mind the ATO’s advice that if your total super balance is $1.6 million or more, your annual non-concessional cap will be zero, meaning that any after-tax contributions you make into your super could be taxed at a higher rate.
| Total superannuation balance on 30 June of the previous financial year | Non-concessional contributions cap for the first year | Bring-forward period |
|---|---|---|
| Less than $1.4 million | $300,000 | 3 years |
| $1.4 million to less than $1.5 million | $200,000 | 2 years |
| $1.5 million to less than $1.6 million | $100,000 | No bring-forward period, general non-concessional contributions cap applies |
| $1.6 million or more | Nil | N/A |
Source: ATO for 2017-2018 bring-forward period
The bring-forward rule is automatically triggered as soon as you make a non-concessional contribution that exceeds the annual cap. For example, if you contributed $150,000 as a non-concessional contribution in the 2017-2018 financial year, this would be $50,000 over the annual cap. If you’re eligible, this contribution would trigger the bring-forward rule, meaning that you could make further total contributions of up to $150,000 over the 2018-2019 and 2019-20 financial years, depending on what your total super balance was on 30 June 2018.
Who is eligible to use the bring-forward rule?
Whether you can use the bring-forward rule depends on two factors: your total super balance and your age. As previously mentioned, from 1 July 2017 the bring-forward rule is only available to those with under $1.5 million in super, and you can only make full use of it if your balance is $1.4 million or less. Secondly, the ATO says you must be under 65 years old for at least one day during the triggering financial year (the first year you use the bring-forward rule) to be eligible. However, the Federal Government has promised to extend the bring-forward rule to those aged 65 and 66 from 1 July 2020.
Keep in mind that as soon as you turn 65 years old, you will need to satisfy the work test (work at least 40 hours over 30 consecutive days) before you can make any super contributions. This may be relevant if you are under 65 on 1 July of the triggering financial year, but later turn 65 during that year.
If you’re considering making non-concessional contributions over your annual cap, you may want to seek personal financial advice. This may be particularly helpful if you are approaching 65 years old or if your total super balance is nearing $1.6 million.
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