Under the First Home Loan Super Saver Scheme, first home buyers can withdraw a portion of their extra super contributions and use them a deposit for a property.
In 2022, the federal government announced that buyers will be able to access up to $50,000 in voluntary super contributions, up from the previous maximum of $30,000.
Benefits of the First Home Super Saver Scheme
You can earn a higher return on the deposit money as the return on a super account is higher than a regular savings account.
You can salary sacrifice these contributions into your super account so they come from your pre-tax income. This means you’ll avoid being taxed for making deposits.
The money in the account will be taxed at 15%, meaning most Australians using the scheme will pay much less tax on their contributions.
When it’s time to withdraw funds, you’ll be taxed at a marginal rate less a 30% offset.
The First Home Super Saver Scheme explained
Step one: Depositing
You start by making voluntary super contributions into your superannuation account. If your employer agrees, you can make this through your pre-tax income to save on tax.
If your employer doesn’t agree to salary sacrifice or if you’re self-employed, you can contribute your post-tax income into the scheme and then make tax deduction claims on personal contributions afterwards. Money that’s deposited through post-tax income won’t be taxed when you withdraw it.
You can contribute up to $50,000 in total using the scheme, but not all at once.
It's also important to remember that there are limits on the amount of voluntary superannuation you can save in a year.
Step two: While you’re saving
While you’re saving this money in your super fund, it’ll be taxed at 15% rather than your regular tax rate. The earnings on any money you’ve deposited will also be taxed at this rate. Given that most Australians pay 30% or more in tax this is a big saving.
If you salary sacrificed $1,000 of pre-tax income into your super fund you'll end up with $850 after tax. If that money went into your bank account at your normal tax rate (assuming you're earning over $45,000 a year) you'd only pocket around $675.
Step three: When you’re ready to withdraw
When you’re ready to withdraw you have to apply with the Australian Taxation Office (ATO), who is responsible for the scheme. You can apply for a First Home Super Saver determination before signing a contract to purchase or construct a home.
Pre-tax contributions will be taxed at your marginal rate minus a 30% offset. Your marginal rate is basically the per-dollar amount you get taxed in your tax bracket.
Post-tax contributions will not be taxed when you withdraw them.
You can also withdraw the earnings that your money accrues while in your super account. Because you’ll be depositing these amounts into an account which already has non-First Home Super Saver Scheme funds in it, the amount of earnings you can withdraw will be decided using a percentage made up of the 90 day Bank Bill Swap Rate plus 3%.
Finder survey: Do Australians of different ages use government grants or schemes to take out their first home loan?
Response
75+ yrs
65-74 yrs
55-64 yrs
45-54 yrs
35-44 yrs
25-34 yrs
18-24 yrs
No
2.33%
3.11%
1.75%
5.8%
5.12%
11.17%
8.57%
Yes
0.62%
3.51%
5.31%
12.6%
12.62%
14.29%
Source: Finder survey by Pure Profile of 1112 Australians, December 2023
Who is eligible for the scheme?
To qualify for the first home super save scheme you must meet the following criteria:
You must be 18 or older to access your super contributions.
You must live in the property for at least six months, within the first 12 months of ownership.
You have never owned a property before, including an investment property.
You must not be using your contribution to purchase a houseboat, motor home or vacant land.
You can only make use of the scheme once.
The most common questions about the First Home Super Saver Scheme
Can my partner and I access the scheme together? Yes. Applicants using the scheme are assessed individually and can purchase a property together. So if you and your partner meet the eligibility criteria and have made voluntary contributions to your super funds you can make double use of the scheme, doubling your maximum amount from $50,000 for one person to $100,000.
What else should I be wary of? Because any money deposited under this scheme will be at the mercy of your super account performance, comparing super accounts and also updating your risk appetite will be crucial. You can compare super accounts in our guide.
Is there a minimum amount I need to deposit to be able to use this scheme? There has been no mention of a minimum amount so far.
What if I’m self-employed or my employer doesn’t offer salary sacrificing? If you’re self-employed or your employer doesn’t want to offer salary sacrificing, the scheme is still available. These first home buyers will be able to deposit their post-tax income and then reconcile these deposits during tax time, taking advantage of tax deductions for the contributions.
How do super account returns compare to regular savings accounts returns? According to research by Chant West, 10-year returns on growth super funds averaged around 8%:
Note that this doesn’t take into account fees, taxes and commissions. Also note that past performance doesn’t give an indication of how these accounts will perform in the future.
More support for first home buyers
The First Home Loan Deposit Scheme allows first home buyers to enter the market with a 5% deposit. They can also avoid LMI costs.
The Family Home Guarantee lets eligible single parents buy a home with a 2% deposit.
We update our data regularly, but information can change between updates. Confirm details with the provider you're interested in before making a decision.
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Richard Whitten is a money editor at Finder, and has been covering home loans, property and personal finance for 6+ years. He has written for Yahoo Finance, Money Magazine and Homely; and has appeared on various radio shows nationwide. He holds a Certificate IV in mortgage broking and finance (RG 206), a Tier 1 Generic Knowledge certification and a Tier 2 General Advice Deposit Products (RG 146) certification.
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