Superannuation Guarantee at 12%: The Full Cost Picture for 2026-27
The SG rate hit its legislated ceiling on 1 July 2025. The rate is done rising — but Payday Super changed the timing, which matters more for cash than the rate does.
The SG rate hit its legislated ceiling on 1 July 2025. The rate is done rising — but Payday Super changed the timing, which matters more for cash than the rate does.
Award rates rose 4.75% and the minimum wage 5.97% to $26.44/hr from 1 July 2026. The headline percentage understates the real cost by roughly a third.
A practical checklist for the Payday Super change: payroll setup, clearing house migration, the seven-business-day rule and the cash buffer you actually need.
Payday Super started 1 July 2026. Research puts the average Australian SME’s additional working capital requirement at over $124,000 — and 68% of businesses had made no preparation at all.
Every date in FY27 that changes what your business pays. Written for owners rather than accountants, and updated as legislation moves.