Div 293 (Division 293 Tax) Explained

Division 293 tax is an additional tax imposed on high-income earners in Australia to reduce the tax concession they receive on superannuation contributions. It applies to individuals whose adjusted income exceeds a specific threshold.

Who Does Div 293 Apply To?

  • Individuals whose adjusted taxable income + concessional super contributions exceeds $250,000 per year.

  • If the adjusted income is above the threshold, an additional 15% tax is applied to concessional super contributions (on top of the standard 15% contributions tax).

How Is It Calculated?

  1. Determine Adjusted Taxable Income:

    • Includes taxable income, reportable fringe benefits, net investment losses, and concessional super contributions.

  2. Check if It Exceeds $250,000:

    • If the adjusted income is below $250,000 → No Div 293 tax.

    • If it is above $250,000 → Div 293 tax applies to concessional super contributions.

  3. Apply the 15% Additional Tax:

    • The lesser of the amount exceeding $250,000 or concessional contributions is taxed at 15%.

Example Calculation:

  • A person earns $240,000 and has $20,000 in concessional super contributions.

  • Their adjusted income is $260,000 (above the $250,000 threshold).

  • The excess over the threshold is $10,000, so 15% tax applies to this portion.

  • Div 293 tax = $1,500 (15% of $10,000).

How Is It Paid?

  • The ATO issues a Div 293 tax assessment.

  • The individual can pay it directly or elect to release funds from their super.

Further information can be obtained from ATO website