Most employers pay the superannuation guarantee (SG) rate of 10.5% to your super. But with some employers, such as the Queensland Government, you can also make super contributions (standard contributions). And when you make your standard contributions, your employer may pay you more super.

Benefits of increasing your employee super contributions

There are two main benefits to increasing your standard contributions:

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Grow your super

Increasing the rate of super you contribute creates a big difference to how much you end up with over time.

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Receive a matching increase

Your employer may add more money to your super depending on how much you add.

How much extra super can I get?

Queensland Government employees

If you work for the Queensland Government, you can generally make contributions of between 2-5% to your super (standard member contributions). You have to make these contributions if you have a Defined Benefit account.

Increasing your standard member contributions will increase your employer's contributions. Your standard contribution rate depends on your account type (see below).

You pay Employer pays2
2% 9.75%
3% 10.75%
4% 11.75%
5% 12.75%
You pay Your multiple increases by
2% 0.135
3% 0.160
4% 0.185
5% 0.210
Multiple increases are for a full-time employee over a full year.

With a Defined Benefit account, your retirement benefit is calculated by multiplying a number that reflects both your years of service and your contribution rate (your multiple) with your final salary. Find out more about Defined Benefit accounts.

If you have a Defined Benefit account and have been paying standard contributions of less than 5%, this may result in you having less when you retire. It's possible to catch up by paying standard contributions of up to 8%. Contact us to find out if you're eligible.

Accumulation account for police officers
You pay Employer pays2
3% 12%
4% 14%
5% 16%
6% 18%
Defined Benefit account for police officers
You pay Your multiple increases by
3% 0.140
4% 0.175
5% 0.210
6% 0.245

If you're a police officer, have a Defined Benefit account, and have been paying standard contributions of less than 6%, this may result in you having less when you retire. It's possible to catch up by paying standard contributions of up to 9%. Contact us to find out if you're eligible.

Many Queensland Government employers are changing super arrangements from 1 July 2023. Find out how it affects you.

Other employees

Employers are usually only required to pay super at the compulsory minimum rate of 10.5%. But some employers pay super at a higher rate, or they pay more if you make extra super contributions yourself. If you're unsure what your employer offers, check with your payroll office.

There are also other ways you can grow your super on top of contributions from your employer.

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How to maximise your employer super contributions

If you're not already contributing the maximum in standard contributions, and you work for an employer that offers this, you can get your employer to pay more by increasing your employee contribution (standard contribution).

If they do, you can increase your standard contributions in two ways:

After-tax contributions

To start or increase your standard contributions on an ongoing basis, for Queensland Government employees, please complete this form (pdf) and give it to your payroll office.

Making after-tax contributions can also mean you get the government's super co-contribution if you earn less than $57,016 a year.

Salary sacrifice

Another way you could increase your standard contributions is via salary sacrifice, which can be tax-effective if you earn more than $45,000 per year and you're not already salary sacrificing. To set this up, please contact your payroll office or salary sacrifice provider directly.

Other ways to grow your super

Discover more ways you can add to your super, such as other contribution types. Or find out ways to claim a benefit, such as a tax deduction or the government co-contribution.

Find out more

FAQs about employee and employer contributions to super

If you're unsure what your employer offers, check with your payroll office.

For more information about standard contributions and employer contributions, read our Personal Contributions Guide (pdf).

Most non-government employers don't offer this type of arrangement, but a few do. So please check with your payroll office if you're not sure.

Yes – depending on where you work, you may be able to receive more than the SG rate of 10.5%. If you work for a Queensland Government employer, increasing your standard member contributions may increase how much your employer pays as well. For non-government employers, you can check with your payroll office whether they offer this type of arrangement.

Your employer is required to make payments at least quarterly, and you should be eligible to receive employer contributions if you are aged 18 or older. To see how much super you're being paid, check your payslip, log in to Member Online, or download our app.

This works a little differently if you have a QSuper Defined Benefit account. If you’re a Defined Benefit account member, we use a formula to calculate the concessional contributions associated with your account, which are called notional taxed contributions. You can log in to Member Online to view your estimated balance, or find out more about how Defined Benefit accounts work.

Depending on your circumstances, there can be a few disadvantages.

First, if you increase your standard contributions after tax and you are on a salary package type contract, you may end up with less in your take-home pay.

Secondly, increasing your standard contributions via salary sacrifice can be tax-effective, but it’s not right for everyone. Find out more.

When you make standard contributions and meet the eligibility criteria, you will receive a higher level of automatic insurance cover – but this level won't change whether you contribute 2% or 5%.

There are limits to how much extra you can put into your super fund each year – the contribution caps – and if you go above the limits, you'll pay your marginal tax rate on them.

It depends whether you make your standard contributions as before-tax or after-tax contributions.

Reportable employer super contributions are extra superannuation payments that your employer pays, over and above the SG rate of 10.5%.

So when you increase your standard member contributions by the before-tax salary sacrifice contribution method, you will have a higher level of reportable super contributions to list on your tax return. You can view your reportable employer super contributions in myGov or the ATO app.

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Do you know how much you're getting?

Check how much super you're paying – and getting paid – in the QSuper app or Member Online.

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