If you earn less than $41,112 a year and make an after-tax contribution to your super in 2021-22, the government may add up to $500 extra to your super. This is called the government's super co-contribution.

Benefits of the government co‑contribution

By making a contribution, you can earn yourself a government bonus:

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Grow your super

Any extra contributions you make now create a big difference to how much you end up with over time.

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Receive a matching bonus

The government adds money to your super depending on how much you add.

Super threshold 2021-22 How much you can get

If you're eligible and earn under $41,112 in the 2021-22 financial year, and you make an after-tax contribution, the government pays up to $500 into your super. So they pay 50 cents for every $1 that you contributed yourself.

If you earn between $41,112 and $56,112, you may still be eligible for a partial co-contribution. The more you earn, the less the government contributes to your super – and over $56,112 per year, you can't receive the co-contribution.

You also need to earn 10% of your income from your employers and/or running your own business.

This table shows how much you need to contribute to get the maximum government co-contribution.

You total income Your after-tax contribution Max gov co-contribution
$41,112 or less $1,000 $500
$46,112 $666 or more $333
$51,112 $334 or more $167
$56,112 Any amount $0
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Eligibility for the super co-contribution 2021-22

To make sure you get the government's matching co-contribution, you need to:

  1. Make an after-tax contribution (add money from your bank to your super) or standard member contribution (common for Queensland Government employees)
  2. Earn less than $56,112 total in 2021-22, and 10% of your income must come from your employers and/or running your own business
  3. Lodge your tax return for this financial year.

After you lodge your tax return, the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) calculates the co-contribution and pays it to your QSuper account.

You won't be able to get the co-contribution if:

  • You claim a tax deduction for this contribution
  • You make a spouse contribution, not a contribution to your own super
  • You're 71 years or older
  • Your total super balance was more than $1.7 million at the end of last financial year
  • You go over your contributions cap for the year
  • You were on a temporary visa at any time during the financial year (except New Zealand citizens or prescribed visas).

Make a low income contribution to your super

Want to be eligible for the government co-contribution? You can make after-tax contributions as a once-off deposit or as regular payments:

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Payroll
Contact your employer’s payroll office to set up regular payments.
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In person
Our Member Centres accept EFTPOS or cash (cash limit $1,000).
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Online
Find your BPAY® details in our app, in Member Online, or in your annual statement.
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Form
For a once-off contribution, send us a Deposit form (pdf) with a cheque or money order. To set up ongoing contributions as a Queensland Government employee, use this form (pdf).

If you have a QSuper account, you can get personal financial advice over the phone about the best way to get the most from your super. Find out more.

Other ways to grow your super

Other options for low income earners may include making before-tax contributions to claim the low income super tax offset (LISTO), or claiming a tax deduction for your after-tax contribution instead.

Find out more

FAQs about the government super contribution

Depending on how much you earn, they do contribute when you do. It's not an exact match, because they pay 50c for every $1 you pay, up to $500 (where you paid $1,000), if you earn less than the super co-contribution income thresholds.

In 2021-22, you can get the super co-contribution if you're eligible and you earn less than $41,112 in that financial year.

If you earn between $41,112 and $56,112, you may still be eligible for a partial co-contribution.

Once you're earning more than $56,112 a year, you can't receive the co-contribution.

The second income test for the super co-contribution is that you need to earn 10% of your income from your employers and/or running your own business.

To make sure you get the government's matching co-contribution, you need to be a low income earner, add money to your super, and lodge your tax return.

You also need to be 70 years and under, have a total super balance of less than $1.7 million, within your contributions cap for the year, and not on a temporary visa.

Finally, you need to make sure you make the right type of contribution to be eligible for the super co-contribution: an after-tax contribution (money from your bank) or standard member contribution (common for Queensland Government employees), not a spouse contribution or a contribution you're claiming a tax deduction for.

If you meet all of these conditions, you're eligible to get the super co-contribution once a year.

To learn more about adding money to your super, download our Personal Contributions Guide (pdf).

No, you don't pay the super contributions tax or income tax on this payment from the ATO into your QSuper account. So it is a tax-free payment and does not affect your taxable income.

As for the money you add to your QSuper account, you'll be making an after-tax contribution, which means it's money in your bank that you've already paid income tax on. So before-tax payments (e.g. salary sacrifice or after-tax contributions where you claim a tax deduction) don't get the government's co-contribution.

When talking about super, a "contribution" means adding money to your super account. You, your employer, your spouse, or the government can all make contributions to your super fund.

Learn more.

There are some things you can check if you want to grow your super on a low income:

And to really make the most of your super, QSuper members can get personal financial advice over the phone.

You can also try our online learning modules (no cost, designed for members), with classes on managing debt, understanding super and investing, and more.

Some of our podcast episodes even address specific challenges for low income earners, such as those who had to access their super during the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Add money to your super

If you're a low income earner, make a contribution to your super using the details in Member Online or contact your payroll office to set up regular payments.

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