Leverage Superannuation to Supercharge Your Net-Worth in 2026 

Building wealth takes more than just quiet thinking and deliberation. It demands action – bold moves that don’t just shift the needle but help create lasting impact. 

For women especially, these moves don’t come easy – we wrestle with cultural and systemic biases that make it harder for us to manage and take control of our own money. 

But in this article, The Intentional Investor brings you 3 ways in which you can re-claim that power – without having to fight the big battles! 

We’re looking at how superannuation – an underrated tool in your financial kit can help tip the scales – in your favour. 

Because super is looked upon as ‘future-money’, it is often neglected and analysed only when absolutely necessary. But this stops now because in 2026, we’re showing you how to leverage your superannuation to supercharge your net worth. 

Make Concessional Contributions To Keep More of your Money

Concessional contribution is a contribution made into your superannuation from your pre-tax income. This amount is taxed at a concessional (lower) rate of 15% inside your super fund, rather than at your personal marginal tax rate.

Here’s an example to show how it works for Jane – a woman in her 30’s who works a regular 9 to 5. 

Jane earns $100,000 a year and makes a concessional contribution of $500 a month into her super fund.

On her contribution of $500; Jane’s super fund retains $425 in her account and pays $75 in tax. 

However, if Jane makes no contribution at all, the $500 is taxed at the marginal income tax rate (34.5%) and she takes home $327.50 after paying $172.50 in tax when filing for her personal income tax. 

How does this move help Jane? 

• She saves $97.50 / month [$172.50 less $75] in tax. This is an annual savings of $1,170
• The contributions of $500/month ($6000/year) reduce her taxable income by that amount. Add to that, this money is invested via her super fund, which earns interest over her working years. 

Super Strategy for Super Couples: Contributions and Tax Offsets

The Australian Superannuation system recognises that income inequality may exist between partners. This disparity may come through as women; (and sometimes men) find themselves becoming primary caregivers, parents and adapting to different stages of life where earning capacity is severely impacted. 

To remedy this, superannuation policy provides for retirement planning at a household level rather than just at an individual level allowing the higher-earning partner to make a super contribution into the lower earning-partner’s super account and receive a tax offset for it. 

Consider how this impacts Jane, who now works part time because she has to care for her ailing father and is his primary caregiver: 

Her husband Joe earns a good income and wants to leverage the superannuation policy to enhance Jane’s super balance for the near term, ensure the money grows for her retirement and obtain tax benefits, if they exist. 

So, Joe makes an after-tax contribution of $3,000 into Jane’s super account. These are non-concessional contributions (i.e., Joe does not claim them as a tax deduction).

Because Joe contributes $3,000 and Jane’s income is below $37,000, Joe becomes eligible for a tax offset of up to 18% of that contribution, which is $540. 

That $540 reduces Joe’s income tax payable in the year Joe lodges his tax return. It doesn’t go into Jane’s super—it directly reduces Joe’s tax bill.

Couples who find themselves in similar situations can leverage their superannuation accounts to remedy (to an extent) the inequality that exists because of various life circumstances. Such contributions are subject to finer details, terms and conditions so be mindful if and when you implement these. 

From Superannuation to Settlement: A Smarter First-Home Path

Most first-time homeowners are unable to enter the property market because they don’t leverage the policy that hides in plain sight – The First Home Super Saver (FHSS) Scheme.

This policy allows first-time home buyers to save money for a home deposit inside their superannuation fund. Contributions are made into super, that are taxed at a lower rate, earn interest and can be withdrawn to pay for a deposit when the time is right. 

In Jane’s case, here’s how she leveraged this policy to save for a deposit right within her super account. 

Jane followed a simple path:

At the time of implementing this strategy, Jane was above 18 and had never purchased a property before. She read about the policy in more detail and found out that she could use this scheme to purchase a new or existing home.

She made concessional contributions of upto $15,000 a year for 3 years and in the fourth year, made a final contribution of $5000 towards the First Home Super Saver Scheme. 

By doing this, she paid a total of $7,500 in tax and saw $42,500(excluding interest earned) deposited in her super account to pay towards her first home deposit. She also reduced her taxable income by $50,000 over four years. 

Following this strategy allowed Jane to not just save for her first home, but also helped her realise significant tax savings. 

The Intentional Investor Take:

Your super account is your superpower. At different stages in life, it works differently – not just as a place to invest for retirement but as a vehicle for effective tax planning. 

It’s worthwhile to start thinking about how money moves in your super account, if you haven’t done so already. And if you’d like a brief overview of how things work – we talk about ways in which you can grow your super balance here. 

If you’d like more information on superannuation and how to maximise it for your personal situation, please leave a comment and we will get back to you.