Super contributions & balance: maths & Excel

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Excel examples use English function names, comma separators and percentages entered with the % sign. Regional settings may require semicolons. Every input is hypothetical. Display two decimal places, but do not round intermediate calculations.

1. Create the input cells

B2=50000 opening balance, B3=9600 employer contributions, B4=2400 extra before-tax contributions, B5=15% contributions tax, B6=5% annual return after earnings tax and before fees, B7=0.7% percentage fee, B8=100 fixed fee, B9=2.5% inflation.

2. Derive net contributions

B10: =B3+B4
B11: =B10*(1-B5)
B12: =IF(B10>32500,"Check cap and eligibility","Check all fund receipts")

B10=$12,000 and B11=$10,200. The $32,500 comparison is the general 2026–27 concessional cap, not a personalised available cap or a contribution recommendation.

3. Build the annual ledger

Start row 16 with A16=1 and B16=$B$2. Columns C–F are growth, fees, net contribution and closing balance.

C16: =B16*$B$6
D16: =B16*$B$7+$B$8
E16: =$B$11
F16: =MAX(0,B16+C16-D16+E16)
G16: =F16/(1+$B$9)^A16
A17: =A16+1
B17: =F16

Copy C16:G16 into row 17 and continue for the selected number of years. First-year growth=$2,500, fees=$450, closing balance=$62,250. G is purchasing power in today’s dollars. Contributions arrive after growth and fees, so they earn no return in the year they arrive.

4. Compare fee scenarios without changing other inputs

Duplicate the sheet and change only B7 or B8. The difference in final balances is the modelled fee effect. This does not compare actual funds: investments, insurance, service and realised returns can differ. No personal income-tax saving is calculated.

Match the assumptions

Constant annual contributions, credited at year end after the selected contributions tax. Return is after assumed earnings tax but before fees. Percentage fees apply to opening balance; a fixed annual fee is then deducted. No insurance, wage growth, government payments, Division 293, low-income offsets, excess-contribution tax or withdrawals. Negative balances are floored at zero. Figures are nominal except the inflation-adjusted result. This is not a salary-sacrifice tax-saving or employer-obligation calculator.

References and verification

Official references checked for this release on 1 November 2026. Rules and product terms can change.

Educational scenarios only. All amounts are AUD. These calculations do not assess your circumstances or recommend a product or strategy. Results are estimates, not forecasts or personal financial, credit or tax advice. Inputs stay in your browser and are not saved automatically. The optional Save control stores a scenario on this device; exported files contain your entered amounts. Check official rules and actual provider terms. Prepared by the Working Wealth editorial team, 1 November 2026; independent professional review is pending.

Contributions, fees and future purchasing power