Threshold for tax-free retirement super increases

The amount of money that can be transferred to a tax-free retirement account will increase to $2m on 1 July 2025.

The transfer balance cap - the amount that can be transferred to a tax-free retirement account – is indexed to the Consumer Price Index (CPI) released each December. If inflation goes up, the general transfer balance cap (TBC) is indexed in increments of $100,000 at the start of the financial year.

In December 2024, the inflation rate triggered an increase in the cap from $1.9m to $2m.

Everyone has an individual transfer balance cap. If you have started a retirement income stream, when indexation occurs, any increase only applies to your unused transfer balance cap. 

If you are considering retiring, either fully or partially, indexation of the transfer balance cap provides a one-off opportunity to increase the amount of money you can transfer to your tax-free retirement account. That is, if you start taking a retirement income stream for the first time in June 2025, your transfer balance cap will be $1.9m but if you wait until July 2025 your transfer balance cap will be $2m, an extra $100,000 tax-free.

If you are already taking a retirement income stream, indexation applies to your unused TBC - so, you might not benefit from the full $100,000 increase on 1 July 2025.

Where can I see what my cap is?

Your superannuation fund reports the value of your superannuation interests to the Australian Taxation Office (ATO). You can view your personal transfer balance cap, available cap space, and transfer balance account transactions online through the ATO link in myGov.