Should I make pre or post-tax super contributions?

Asked by: Joelle Hoppe  |  Last update: January 20, 2026
Score: 4.3/5 (1 votes)

Try to estimate which one best reflects your present and future tax situation. If you expect your tax bracket to increase, the Roth contribution option will clearly make more financial sense. If you predict the reverse, pretax contributions will benefit you more in the long run.

Should I contribute to HSA pre or post tax?

All HSA contributions are pre-tax, at least as far as federal income tax goes. Anything transferred in from ``after tax'' dollars simply delays that pre-tax treatment until you report them on your next tax return.

Is it worth making after-tax contributions to super?

If you choose to enhance your super with an after-tax contribution, you might qualify to claim a tax deduction. Claiming this deduction could lower your taxable income, meaning your contribution may be taxed at a lower rate of 15% rather than your higher marginal tax rate.

Is it better to contribute pre or post tax?

Unless you make very little money, you always want some pre tax, because the first 12k income is tax free (standard deduction), and the next couple tax brackets are small, so you should always be pulling pre tax money until you start hitting the higher tax brackets, at which point you'd pull from your Roth.

Should I make before or after-tax contributions?

By redirecting pre-tax income into your super, you reduce your taxable income and potentially pay less tax. This maximises your retirement savings and takes advantage of the concessional tax treatment of super contributions, leading to significant long-term benefits.

How To Save Tax with Super Contributions?

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Are after-tax contributions worth it?

For high-income savers who have access to aftertax 401(k) contributions, fully funding the 401(k) up to the $69,000/$76,500 limit will tend to beat saving in a taxable account, especially if the investor has a good-quality plan and doesn't need the liquidity of the taxable account.

Is super before or after-tax?

You can make before-tax super contributions and after-tax super contributions. Each option has their own tax implications. Super contributions from after-tax income aren't taxed in the fund, however earnings on these contributions whilst in your fund are subject to tax of up to 15%.

Is it better to deduct pre-tax or post-tax?

Payroll deductions made before taxes are taken out (aka pre-tax deductions) have the advantage of reducing your taxable income, while those made after taxes (aka post-tax deductions) don't. Post-tax deductions, though, may still have other advantages.

Should you save 20% pre or post-tax?

Budget 20% for savings

In the 50/30/20 rule, the remaining 20% of your after-tax income should go toward your savings, which is used for heftier long-term goals. You can save for things you want or need, and you might use more than one savings account.

How to split pre-tax and Roth contributions?

You can split your annual elective deferrals between designated Roth contributions and traditional pre-tax contributions, but your combined contributions can't exceed the deferral limit - $23,000 in 2024; $22,500 in 2023; $20,500 in 2022; $19,500 in 2021 ($30,500 in 2024; $30,000 in 2023; $27,000 in 2022; $26,000 in ...

What happens if I contribute more than $27,500 to Super?

If you exceed your concessional contributions cap. If you exceed your concessional contributions cap, the excess concessional contributions (ECC) are included in your assessable income. ECC are taxed at your marginal tax rate less a 15% tax offset to account for the contributions tax already paid by your super fund.

How much super do I need for $50,000 a year?

How Much Super Do I Need to Retire on $50,000 a Year? To retire on $50,000 a year from age 65, a single person would need around $350,000 and a couple would need $100,000 in super to cover expenses until age 90. This is based on an investment earnings rate within super of 6.5% p.a. and inflation of 3% p.a.

How do I reduce my taxable income?

Individuals can take advantage of various tax-related retirement planning strategies to reduce their taxable income today and post-retirement.
  1. Traditional 401(k) and Roth 401(k) ...
  2. Traditional IRA and Roth IRA. ...
  3. Solo 401(k) and SEP-IRA. ...
  4. Bunching Donations. ...
  5. Donate stock or appreciated assets. ...
  6. Qualified Charitable Distributions.

Why does my HSA lower my tax refund?

When you contribute money to an HSA, it decreases your adjusted gross income (AGI) which determines your taxable income. Since the U.S. runs on a tax rate system based on your income, the lower your AGI, the lower your tax bill.

Should I select pre-tax or post-tax health insurance?

For health insurance, the decision between pre-tax and post-tax contributions depends on your financial strategy and healthcare needs. Pre-tax health insurance contributions lower your taxable income, which means you could pay less in income tax throughout the year.

What is the downside of an HSA?

Drawbacks of HSAs include tax penalties for nonmedical expenses before age 65, and contributions made to the HSA within six months of applying for Social Security benefits may be subject to penalties. HSAs have fewer limitations and more tax advantages than flexible spending accounts (FSAs).

Is it better to invest pretax or post tax?

While applying taxes reduces the amount of money available to invest, sometimes after-tax investment vehicles such as Roth IRAs can produce better overall returns because, unlike pretax accounts, withdrawals from these after-tax accounts can be made without owing taxes.

How much money do you need to retire with $80,000 a year income?

One popular retirement planning rule of thumb is the 4% rule. This guideline states that you can determine just how much you will need to save by dividing your desired annual retirement income by 4%. For an income of $80,000, you would need a retirement nest egg of about $2 million ($80,000 /0.04).

What is the $1000 a month rule for retirement?

The $1,000 per month rule is designed to help you estimate the amount of savings required to generate a steady monthly income during retirement. According to this rule, for every $240,000 you save, you can withdraw $1,000 per month if you stick to a 5% annual withdrawal rate.

Is it better to contribute to HSA pre or post tax?

HSA Tax Advantages

All contributions to your HSA are tax-deducible, or if made through payroll deductions, are pre-tax which lowers your overall taxable income. Your contributions may be 100 percent tax-deductible, meaning contributions can be deducted from your gross income.

Should I save 15% pre or post tax?

Our guideline: Aim to save at least 15% of your pre-tax income1 each year, which includes any employer match. That's assuming you save for retirement from age 25 to age 67. Together with other steps, that should help ensure you have enough income to maintain your current lifestyle in retirement.

Is it better to contribute to Roth or pre-tax?

Everyone's situation is different. For example, if you expect your tax rate to be higher in retirement than in your working years, it may be to your advantage to make Roth contributions. If you expect your tax rate to be lower, pretax contributions may be the better choice. Use Empower's Pretax vs.

Are super contributions pre or post tax?

If you claim a tax deduction for them, they're concessional contributions and are effectively from your pre-tax income. They are taxed in the fund at a rate of 15%. If you don't claim a tax deduction for them, they're non-concessional contributions and are from your after-tax income or savings.

How much should I contribute to Super?

Your employer must pay at least 11.5% of your 'ordinary time earnings' into your super account. The minimum amount that your employer must pay into your superannuation fund. It is currently 11.5% of your gross salary. Ordinary time earnings are what you earn for your ordinary hours of work.

What is the difference between pre-tax and post tax contributions?

With pre-tax contributions, you postpone paying taxes on the money you contribute, but you'll pay taxes later on both your contributions and their earnings. With Roth contributions, you pay taxes now on the money you contribute, but it grows tax-free.