Concessional contributions cap calculator
How much of your annual before-tax contribution cap is left, including anything carried forward.
Room left this year
Estimate$25,200
30,000 standard cap plus 18,000 carried forward
- Employer contributions
- $16,800
- Your contributions
- $6,000.00
- Cap available
- $48,000
| Standard cap | $30,000 |
|---|---|
| Carried forward | $18,000 |
| Used so far | -$22,800 |
| Remaining | $25,200 |
Employer contributions consume the cap first — on $140,000 at 12% that is $16,800 of a $30,000 limit.
Do you qualify
How this is calculated
One cap, several sources
Annual before-tax caps normally count employer contributions and your own together. On a $140,000 salary a 12% employer contribution uses $16,800 before you add anything.
available = annual cap + carried forward − contributions to dateCarry-forward has conditions
Where unused cap can be carried forward, it is usually limited to a fixed number of years and gated on the size of your existing balance — five years and $500,000 in Australia.
Going over is penalised
Excess contributions are typically taxed at your marginal rate with an interest charge, removing the concession entirely. At a 39% marginal rate a $2,000 overshoot turns a $480 benefit into a bill, so checking headroom first is cheaper than fixing it after.
Worked example: A $140,000 salary with unused cap available
| Salary | $140,000 |
|---|---|
| Your contributions | $6,000 |
| Employer contributions | $16,800 at 12% |
|---|---|
| Room left | Depends on the cap |
Caps, carry-forward rules and balance limits differ by country. Pick a country above for the limits that apply to you.
What this assumes
- Employer contributions are 12% of salary.
- Contributions to date are entered accurately.
- No defined-benefit interest is involved.
- Carried-forward cap is within the allowed window.
Where this commonly goes wrong
- Contributions usually count in the year the fund receives them, not the year you send them.
- Multiple employers each contribute toward the same single cap.
- Fees and insurance deducted inside the fund do not create extra cap room.
Questions
What is a concessional contribution cap?
An annual limit on before-tax retirement contributions, covering employer and personal amounts together. Contributions inside the cap are taxed at a concessional rate; anything above it loses that treatment.
Can unused cap be carried forward?
In some systems, yes, usually for a fixed number of years and only if your existing balance is below a threshold. It is most valuable in a year when your income spikes.
Do employer contributions use the cap?
Almost always. That is what surprises people: a higher salary generates larger employer contributions, which quietly shrink the room available for anything you want to add yourself.
When does a contribution count?
In the year the fund receives it, not the year you send it. A transfer made on 29 June can easily land in July and consume the following year’s cap instead, which is a common and expensive timing error.
What if I have more than one job?
Every employer contributes toward the same single cap. Two jobs at $90,000 each generate about $21,600 of employer contributions between them, leaving far less room than either salary alone would suggest.
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Sources
General information only, based on published rules for the the current period. It does not take account of your objectives, financial situation or needs and is not financial product advice. BankSync does not hold an AFSL. Consider advice from a licensed financial adviser.
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