Clueless about Super?
Download the ATO’s current guide to superannuation here, we would be more than happy to assist you by discussing your responsibilities further: Super for employers – Everything you need to know
Understanding your Super Obligations
The ATO have a number of helpful calculators & tools to assist business with understanding their Superannuation obligations:
- Super for employers
- Working out if you have to pay super
- Checklist Salary or Wages and Ordinary Time Earnings
- Super Guarantee Eligibility
- Whats the difference, Employer or contractor, tax and super obligations
- Super Guarantee Contributions
Due Dates for Super:
You pay super for eligible employees calculated from the day they start with you. You must make the payments at least four times a year, by the quarterly due dates.
| Quarterly payment due dates for super payments | ||
| Quarter | Period | Payment due date |
| 1 | 1 July – 30 September | 28 October |
| 2 | 1 October – 31 December | 28 January |
| 3 | 1 January – 31 March | 28 April |
| 4 | 1 April – 30 June | 28 July |
When a due date falls on a weekend or public holiday, you can make the payment on the next working day.
You can make payments more regularly than quarterly if you want to. So long as long as your total Super Guarantee obligation for the quarter is paid by the due date.
What happens if you are late paying Super?
If you are late paying your super guarantee for your employees you are required to instead make payment of the outstanding super, as well as penalty interest and administration fees for each employee directly to the Australian Taxation Office.
For Information on late payment of super you can refer to the following ATO links:
Paying Super for Missed and Late Superannuation Payments
If you pay your super quarterly and are late you will need to complete the following form for the ATO:
Instructions: Instructions for completing your Super Guarantee Charge Form
Form for Completion: Superannuation Guarantee Statement
ATO Super Clearing House
Recently the way that superannuation can be paid has been reviewed by the ATO. Now all superannuation payments must be transmitted electronically. For some of our clients that may mean you have to get either compliant accounting software, or alternatively you can sign up to a Super Clearing House.
The ATO provides such a service free of charge for employers with fewer than 19 employees. A link for registration and logging in can be found below, as well as further information. Alternatively your default fund may also offer a free clearing house service so it may be worth while checking with them first.