Super Guarantee
Must be paid on time!
Paying super contributions
As an employer, you must pay super contributions for your eligible employees to a complying fund or retirement savings account to avoid the super guarantee charge.
Super payment due dates
An employee’s fund must receive their super payments on or before the quarterly super due dates.
Payments can be made at least 4 times a year. This applies from the day employees start working for you. Payment due dates occur quarterly.
Due date considerations
Some super funds, awards and contracts require you to pay super more regularly than quarterly.
Meeting the SG contribution payment dates does not ensure compliance with other super funds, awards and contracts.
You should check the contractual obligations you have with your super fund, award or contract to ensure super contributions are paid on time.
| Quarterly super payment due dates | ||
| Quarter | Period | Payment due date |
| 1 | 1 July – 30 September | 28 October |
| 2 | 1 October – 31 December | 28 January |
| 3 | 1 January – 31 March | 28 April |
| 4 | 1 April – 30 June | 28 July |
When a super due date falls on a weekend or public holiday, your contribution must be received by the fund on or before the next business day.
You can also make payments more frequently than quarterly, for example fortnightly or monthly. If you do, ensure you pay your total super guarantee (SG) contribution for the quarter by the due date.
If you have missed the quarterly payment due date or made late super payments, you will need to lodge a superannuation guarantee charge (SGC) statement and pay the SGC to the Australian Taxation Office. The missed or late super payments are no longer tax deductible and penalties and charges may apply.
Clearing houses
A clearing house distributes super contributions to your employees’ funds on your behalf.
- SG payments made to a commercial clearing house before the SG due date may not reach the super fund until after the due date.
- Your employee’s super contribution is only considered ‘paid’ on the date it’s received by the super fund. Not the date it’s received by the clearing house.
- Note: It is important that you leave enough time for your SG payments to reach the super fund and allow for their processing time frames.
If you would like to discuss any super guarantee details with us, please get in touch with your accountant at Wilson Colman.
DISCLAIMER: This information on this website is not advice. Clients should not act solely based on the material contained in this newsletter. Items listed are general comments only and do not constitute or convey advice. Also, changes in legislation may occur quickly. We, therefore, recommend that our formal advice be sought before acting in any of the areas.