EOFY super trends highlight opportunity to plan ahead

New analysis from Rest, one of Australia’s largest profit-to-member superannuation funds, suggests many Australians use the end of the financial year as a prompt to take a more deliberate look at their super.

Rest’s analysis of voluntary contributions from its members over the past 3 financial years¹, shows voluntary contribution activity was relatively steady for most of the year, before increasing sharply in May and June:

• Around 19% of voluntary contributions — measured by the number of contributions made — occurred in May and June, with the remaining 81% spread across the rest of the year.
• Yet these two months accounted for 42% of total voluntary contribution value, meaning a much larger share of money was contributed at EOFY.
• The average voluntary contribution amount more than doubled during this period, showing that contributions made at EOFY tended to be significantly larger.

The analysis also highlights that people engage with voluntary contributions in different ways.

In the 2025-26 financial year, women accounted for around 65% of Rest members making voluntary contributions compared to 35% men. Contribution amounts tended to increase with age. Salary sacrifice and member voluntary contributions were the most common contribution types, while downsizer contributions typically involved much larger one-off amounts.

Rest Chief Member Officer Simone Van Veen says the findings highlight an opportunity for Australians to plan ahead and take simple steps over the next 12 months to support their financial future and retirement goals.

"The start of a new financial year is a great opportunity to think about the steps you can take over the next 12 months to help build your retirement savings," Ms Van Veen said.

“We know that when people start thinking about making additional contributions, they’re often looking for information to help them understand what’s possible and what options might suit their circumstances. That’s reflected in the strong increase we see in engagement with contribution-focused content during the end of the financial year.”

In the last financial year, Rest saw visits to contribution-focused webpages more than triple during May and June compared with the preceding two months.²

"Rather than waiting until June, members may benefit from taking time earlier in the year to understand their options and make a plan that feels achievable,” said Ms Van Veen.

"A new financial year is a natural time to reset and think about what you want your super to do for you over the long term. Whether it's checking your balance, reviewing your retirement goals, exploring voluntary contributions or seeing if you’re eligible for government co-contributions, understanding your options today can help you make informed decisions for the future.

"Even small changes made today can make a meaningful difference over time, particularly when you consider the impact of compounding returns over the long term."