How to check that you are being paid the right amount of super

Most of us are used to checking our pay as we see the money come into our bank accounts weekly, fortnightly or monthly. But what about your super? You may not check on it as frequently as your bank account, so you might not realise if a mistake has been made. That is why it is important to check your employer super contributions regularly.

Here’s a few simple tips to help you stay on top of your employer contributions, understand what you’re entitled to and what to do if you sniff out an error.

1. Know your entitlements

If you have a job, it’s most likely that your employer is legally required to make super contributions into your eligible fund. These are known as superannuation guarantee (SG) contributions.

Superannuation Guarantee payments:

• Your employer must make these payments to your super account at the same time as your salary and wages, in line with Payday Super rules. 
• The amounts of these payments must be at least 12% of your qualifying earnings (QE), a calculation that is made each pay cycle.

2. Investigate your payslip

Now that you know how much super you should be paid, it’s time to check your payslips.

So, while the correct amount may be listed on your payslip, it doesn’t always mean that the money has been deposited into your super fund.

Which brings us to our next step...

3. Cross-check your payslip with your super account

To see when the SG contributions are paid and if they are the correct amount, get in touch with your super fund, check their app, member portal or review your annual statements. It should show you all the employer contributions that your employer has paid.

4. You’ve noticed a mistake, what now?

If you’re not being paid the right amount of super — or you haven’t been paid at all — speak to the payroll area at your work. There’s likely a simple explanation. If that doesn’t get you anywhere, you can lodge an unpaid super enquiry with the Australian Taxation Office.