Downsizer Super Contribution
Calculator
Selling a long-held home? See how much of the proceeds you could add to super under the downsizer scheme, check your eligibility, and β crucially β see how it affects your Age Pension.
Quick answer: Eligible β you can contribute up to $600,000 (the cap). Adding $600,000 to your current $350,000 takes your super to $950,000, projecting to about $1,271,314 in 5 years at 6%. The downsizer cap is $300,000 per person ($600,000 per couple), limited to the sale proceeds, for those 55+ who have owned the home 10+ years, contributed within 90 days of settlement. Important: money moved from your exempt family home into super becomes an assessable asset for the Age Pension. Current ATO rules β verify before acting. Educational estimate, not advice.
Last reviewed 7 July 2026 by the Richify AI editorial team.
β Eligibility
Meets the 55+ age rule
Cap: $600,000 (couple), limited to sale proceeds.
π The numbers
Your downsizer result
EligibleDownsizer contribution
$600,000
Outside your normal caps
Super after contribution
$950,000
Current + downsizer
Projected in 5 yrs
$1,271,314
At 6% p.a.
Age Pension catch: your family home is exempt from the assets test, but this $600,000 becomes an assessable asset once it is in super β it can reduce or end your Age Pension. Model it against the assets test before you act.
This is the textbook answer. Want to see this calculated against your actual accounts?
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The downsizer contribution is a one-off chance to move up to $300,000 per person ($600,000 for a couple) from the sale of your home into super, outside the normal contribution caps. This calculator checks the eligibility rules, shows how much you could contribute, and projects your resulting balance β then flags the Age Pension trade-off that decides whether it actually leaves you better off.
Eligibility is strict and set by the ATO: you must be 55 or older at the time of the contribution, the home must have been owned by you or your spouse for at least 10 years and qualify at least partly for the CGT main-residence exemption, and the contribution must be made within 90 days of settlement using the ATO downsizer form. It does not count toward your concessional or non-concessional caps.
The Age Pension catch
Here is the trap. Your family home is exempt from the Age Pension assets test, but once the money is inside super it becomes an assessable asset (and is deemed to earn income). So a downsizer contribution can reduce β or wipe out β an Age Pension entitlement, even while it saves on super caps. Model it against the assets test before you act. Check your projected position in the retirement planning tool, weigh it against staying put or a retirement village, and see how much extra super compounds in the super calculator.
Limits of any projection
Contribution rules, caps, and the pension thresholds are set by the ATO and Services Australia and change over time β always confirm the current figures before acting. This is an educational estimate, not financial advice; the downsizer decision interacts with tax, the pension, and estate planning, so consider a licensed adviser.
How to use this calculator
- Enter your age. You must be 55 or older at the time of the contribution β the minimum age dropped to 55 on 1 January 2023.
- Confirm the home has been owned by you or your spouse for at least 10 years and qualifies (at least partly) for the CGT main-residence exemption. Toggle this on if it does.
- Enter the sale price of the home. Your downsizer contribution is capped at $300,000 per person ($600,000 for a couple) and can never exceed the total sale proceeds.
- Choose single or couple. A couple can contribute up to $600,000 combined even if only one of you owned the home, provided the other eligibility rules are met.
- Add your current super and the years until you plan to draw on it to project the balance. Then read the Age Pension note carefully β money moved from your home into super becomes an assessable asset.
β Frequently Asked Questions
What is the downsizer super contribution?
The downsizer contribution lets eligible Australians put up to $300,000 each ($600,000 for a couple) from the sale of their home into superannuation, without it counting toward the usual concessional or non-concessional contribution caps. It was introduced to help people move out of a home that no longer suits them and redirect some of the proceeds into retirement savings. The contribution must be made within 90 days of settlement, using the ATO downsizer form.
Who is eligible for the downsizer contribution?
You must be 55 or older at the time of the contribution (the minimum age dropped to 55 from 1 January 2023). The home must be in Australia, have been owned by you or your spouse for at least 10 years, and qualify at least partly for the capital-gains-tax main-residence exemption. You have 90 days from settlement to contribute, and you must notify your super fund using the ATO downsizer form on or before making it. There is no work test and no upper age limit, and it can be made even if your total super balance is above the usual contribution thresholds.
How much can I contribute under the downsizer scheme?
Up to $300,000 per person, or $600,000 for an eligible couple β but never more than the total sale proceeds of the home. If your home sells for $500,000, a couple can contribute up to $500,000 total (not $600,000), split between them. You can only use the downsizer contribution once, on the sale of a single qualifying home. It sits outside the concessional and non-concessional caps, so it does not reduce your ability to make ordinary contributions.
Does the downsizer contribution affect my Age Pension?
Yes β and this is the part people most often miss. Your family home is exempt from the Age Pension assets test, but once you move money out of the home and into super, it becomes an assessable asset (and is counted in the income test through deeming). So a downsizer contribution can reduce or even end your Age Pension entitlement, even though it saves on super caps. Whether the downsizer move leaves you better off overall depends on your full assets, your income needs, and the pension trade-off β model it against the assets test before deciding, and consider independent financial advice.
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