Payday Super — What Employers Need to Do Before 1 July 2026 (Short Summary)
From 1 July 2026, employers must pay superannuation guarantee (SG) contributions at the same time as wages—this is the new Payday Super system.
This replaces the old rule allowing SG payments 28 days after each quarter.
Under Payday Super, contributions must be paid and received by the employee’s super fund within seven business days. Because employers rely on payroll software and payment systems, they may be held responsible for delays outside their control—an issue many industry bodies have criticised.
Key Things Employers Should Prepare For
1. Update and test payroll systems early
DSPs (software providers) are still updating systems because legislation only passed in November 2025.
No transition period exists—everything must work from 1 July 2026.
Current processing times for many systems exceed 7 days, so employers should urgently test payroll and super processes now.
Expect delays, errors, and increased workload as contributions jump from 150 million to 500 million per year.
2. Plan for cash‑flow changes
SG must be paid far sooner, which may affect business cash flow.
Late payments, even by one day, trigger the Superannuation Guarantee Charge (SGC), along with penalties, interest and potential reputational damage.
Some employers may consider moving paydays to Friday to gain extra non‑business days, but many cannot make this change easily.
3. Final quarter of FY2026
Employers should pay April–June 2026 SG before 30 June 2026.
Paying after 30 June but before 28 July (the old deadline) may cause excess concessional contributions for employees in 2026–27.
The Government may introduce transitional measures, but nothing is confirmed.
4. Start paying super with wages now
Employers are encouraged to begin early to identify issues, update processes, and train staff well before the official start date.
If you are an employer, you must be prepared prior to 1st of July 2026.
Please contact your accountant should you need assistance.