Superannuation Concessional Contribution Cap Over Time

Finance Charts · Superannuation

Australia's general concessional contribution cap from 2007–08 to 2025–26 in nominal and inflation-adjusted 2025–26 dollars.

Frequency: financial_yearPeriod: 2007-08–2025-26Real-value base: 2025-26Updated:

Interactive chart

The general cap restated using full-financial-year CPI.

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Superannuation Concessional Contribution Cap Over TimeAustralia's general concessional contribution cap from 2007–08 to 2025–26 in nominal and inflation-adjusted 2025–26 dollars. Use the view and series controls before the chart to explore the data. Focus this chart and use the Left and Right Arrow keys to hear exact visible values. The complete data is also available in the table below.$85.8k$64.4k$42.9k$21.5k$02025–26 AUD per year2007-082010-112012-132015-162017-182020-212022-232025-26

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Showing 2025–26 dollars with 1 available series.

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Key findings

  • The general concessional cap is $30,000 in 2025-26.
  • In CPI-adjusted terms, the general cap changed by -62.9% from 2007-08 to 2025-26.
  • The lowest real general cap was $29,219 in 2023-24.
  • The highest real general cap was $80,954 in 2007-08.

Data table

Superannuation Concessional Contribution Cap Over Time data
Financial yearGeneral cap (nominal AUD)General cap (2025–26 AUD)Historical higher cap, if applicableHistorical higher-cap eligibility
2007-08$50,000$80,954.48$100,000Aged 50 or over; transitional cap
2008-09$50,000$78,516.19$100,000Aged 50 or over; transitional cap
2009-10$25,000$38,363.53$50,000Aged 50 or over
2010-11$25,000$37,207.63$50,000Aged 50 or over
2011-12$25,000$36,362.49$50,000Aged 50 or over
2012-13$25,000$35,562.4
2013-14$25,000$34,619.08$35,000Aged 59 or over on 30 June 2013
2014-15$30,000$40,848.53$35,000Aged 49 or over on the last day of the previous financial year
2015-16$30,000$40,295.86$35,000Aged 49 or over on the last day of the previous financial year
2016-17$30,000$39,617.61$35,000Aged 49 or over on the last day of the previous financial year
2017-18$25,000$32,384.91
2018-19$25,000$31,865.93
2019-20$25,000$31,440.44
2020-21$25,000$30,947.27
2021-22$27,500$32,581.66
2022-23$27,500$30,442.88
2023-24$27,500$29,218.89
2024-25$30,000$31,116.64
2025-26$30,000$30,000

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What this chart shows

The chart shows Australia’s general concessional super contribution cap in both nominal terms and inflation-adjusted terms. It highlights how the current general cap compares with earlier financial years after restating values in current-dollar terms.

The nominal series uses the Australian Taxation Office general concessional contributions cap for each financial year. The inflation-adjusted view restates the general cap using full-financial-year Consumer Price Index data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics. Historical higher age-based caps are treated as policy annotations rather than merged into the general-cap line.

Methodology and formulas

  • The primary series is the ATO general concessional contributions cap for each financial year.
  • Real values use the arithmetic mean of the four quarterly CPI observations in each complete financial year.
  • Historical higher age-based caps are retained in the table as policy annotations rather than merged into the general-cap line.

Read the shared Finance Charts data and publication methodology.

Sources and attribution

Limitations

  • A higher age-based or transitional cap applied to some people in earlier years.
  • Carry-forward unused-cap rules from 2018–19 can increase an eligible individual's available cap.
  • This page is general historical information and does not calculate a person's available cap.
  • Carry-forward unused-cap rules from the relevant policy period can increase an eligible individual's available cap.
  • This material is general educational information, not financial or tax advice.
  • CPI measures price change for a representative basket and is not a household-specific cost-of-living index.
  • The index reference period is September 2025 = 100; index re-referencing does not change inflation rates.
  • Higher age-based or transitional caps applied in some earlier years.
  • Carry-forward rules from 2018–19 can make an individual's effective available cap higher than the general cap.

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General information only. This chart is educational and does not provide personal financial, tax or legal advice. Check current rules with the official publisher or a qualified adviser before making a decision.

Calculations and factual observations are produced by deterministic code. Explanatory wording may be AI-assisted; numeric claims must pass metric-reference validation before publication.

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