Can you use carry-forward super if your balance is near $500,000?
Is your super close to $500,000 and you're not sure whether you can still use carry-forward contributions? You can use it in 2026-27 if your total super balance across all funds was under $500,000 on 30 June 2026, whatever it's done since.
What your balance does after that date doesn't change this year's answer. It only matters for next year's test.
On this page: Which 30 June counts · What's in your balance · Worked examples · If you're over · FAQ
Work out your carry-forward super cap for 2026-27
Which 30 June does the $500,000 test use?
The 30 June just before the financial year you want to make the contributions in. Your balance has to be less than $500,000, so exactly $500,000 fails.
| Year you want to use carry-forward | Balance tested on | Unused cap you can use |
|---|---|---|
| 2026-27 | 30 June 2026 | 2021-22 to 2025-26 |
| 2027-28 | 30 June 2027 | 2022-23 to 2026-27 |
| 2028-29 | 30 June 2028 | 2023-24 to 2027-28 |
Funds report 30 June balances to the ATO, generally by 31 October, so your 30 June 2026 figure should be showing in myGov around now. If it shows zero, the ATO says the data may not have been processed yet.
What counts towards your total super balance?
All your Australian super, added together across every fund. It's one test, not $500,000 per fund. The ATO includes:
- Accumulation accounts in every fund you're a member of, including any you've forgotten about.
- Retirement phase accounts, such as an account-based pension.
- Rollovers in transit between funds on 30 June that aren't already counted.
- For some SMSFs and small APRA funds, certain outstanding limited recourse borrowing amounts.
Personal injury and structured settlement contributions are taken out. Your annual statement may not match the ATO figure exactly, and the ATO figure is the one used.
Worked examples: can you use carry-forward in 2026-27?
$495,000 on 30 June 2026, $530,000 by March 2027
The test date has passed and the balance was under $500,000 on it. Market gains during the year don't matter.
Yes, you can use carry-forward in 2026-27. The higher balance only counts if it's still $500,000 or more on 30 June 2027.
$320,000 in one fund and $190,000 in another
Total super balance: $320,000 + $190,000 = $510,000.
No. Each fund is under $500,000, but the test uses the total.
Exactly $500,000 on 30 June 2026
The rule is less than $500,000.
No. A dollar under would have passed.
$470,000 on 30 June 2026 and a $60,000 deductible contribution
Eligible for 2026-27, so the contribution can use carried-forward cap. After 15% contributions tax, $51,000 lands in the account, so the balance is about $521,000 before any earnings or fees.
Yes for 2026-27, but likely no for 2027-28. If you were planning to spread carry-forward over two years, the first contribution can knock out the second.
What if you're over $500,000?
- Your unused amounts keep building. You just can't use them in a year your balance on the previous 30 June was $500,000 or more.
- They still expire after 5 years. If you're over for 2026-27, the 2021-22 amount expires after 30 June 2027 without a chance to use it. See when each year's unused cap expires.
- A later dip brings them back. If your balance is under $500,000 on a later 30 June, say after a market fall or a withdrawal you were making anyway, the amounts that haven't expired can be used the following year.
- The general cap still applies. You can contribute up to $32,500 of concessional contributions in 2026-27 whatever your balance.
This is general information, not advice. It applies the ATO's published rules. Your total super balance and unused cap amounts are in ATO online services through myGov, and they're the figures that count. Talk to a licensed financial adviser or registered tax agent before making a large contribution.
Check how much carry-forward cap you can use this year
Related
Sources
- ATO: Concessional contributions cap. Carry-forward needs a total super balance of less than $500,000 at 30 June of the previous financial year; 5-year expiry; $32,500 general cap from 1 July 2026. Page updated 2 July 2026.
- ATO: About your total super balance. What's included and excluded, measured at 30 June, funds generally report by 31 October, where to find it in myGov. Page updated 29 June 2026.
Last checked 29 October 2026.
Questions people ask
Can I use carry-forward super if my balance is over $500,000?
Not in a year where your total super balance was $500,000 or more on the previous 30 June. For 2026-27 that's 30 June 2026. Your unused amounts keep building and can be used in a later year when your balance on the previous 30 June is under $500,000, as long as they haven't expired.
Which 30 June is the $500,000 test for 2026-27?
30 June 2026. For 2027-28 it's 30 June 2027. It's always the 30 June just before the year you make the contributions.
Does it matter if my balance goes over $500,000 during the year?
Not for that year. Once the test date has passed, gains during the year don't change whether you can use carry-forward. They count towards the next 30 June test.
Is the $500,000 limit per fund or across all my super?
Across all your super. Your total super balance adds up every Australian fund you're in, including pension accounts and rollovers in transit.
What if my balance was exactly $500,000?
You can't use carry-forward that year. The ATO rule is a balance of less than $500,000.
Where do I find my total super balance?
In ATO online services through myGov, under Super, Information, Total superannuation balance. Funds generally report 30 June balances by 31 October.