FAE · ASIC Financial Adviser Exam

Superannuation and retirement strategies (2026-27)

Contribution caps, bring-forward, downsizer, transfer balance cap, conditions of release, TTR and pension drawdowns, with 2026-27 figures.

Financial advice construction1 min read3 sections

Checked against: ATO Contributions caps (updated 11 Sep 2026); ATO Non-concessional contributions cap (7 May 2026); ATO Transfer balance cap (27 Apr 2026); ATO Division 293 tax (7 Aug 2026); ATO Super guarantee (17 Apr 2026); ATO Payments from super (16 Sep 2026); ATO Super withdrawal options (10 Jul 2026).. Independent prep, not endorsed by ASIC.

Must-know for the exam

Concessional cap $32,500 and non-concessional cap $130,000 for 2026-27.
Bring-forward (under 75): TSB under $1.84m gives $390,000 over 3 years; $1.84m to under $1.97m gives $260,000 over 2 years; $1.97m to under $2.1m gives $130,000 only; $2.1m or more gives nil.
General transfer balance cap $2.1m for 2026-27.
Super guarantee 12% from 1 July 2025; Payday Super from 1 July 2026.
Division 293 threshold $250,000; excess concessional contributions are taxed at marginal rates with a 15% offset (no ECC charge since 1 July 2021).
Downsizer: age 55+, up to $300,000 each, home owned 10+ years, outside the caps.
Preservation age is 60 for anyone born from 1 July 1964; turning 65 is a condition of release even if still working.
Minimum pension drawdowns: under 65 4%, 65-74 5%, 75-79 6%, 80-84 7%, 85-89 9%, 90-94 11%, 95+ 14%.

On this page · 3 sections

Traps that cost marks

The cap rose to $32,500 from 1 July 2026; using last year's $30,000 gives $15,000.
The benefit is the gap between net amounts, not the whole sacrificed amount.
Bring-forward is for non-concessional contributions; carry-forward is for concessional ones.
$120,000 was the cap until 30 June 2026.
Division 293 applies to the LESSER of the excess and the contributions.
Splitting and spouse contributions both help a lower-balance spouse, but only the latter carries the offset.
The match is 50%, so $1,000 gets $500, not dollar for dollar.
The limit is per person, not per couple, and large balances do not block it.

Caps

Item	2025-26	2026-27
Concessional cap	$30,000	$32,500
Non-concessional cap	$120,000	$130,000
General transfer balance cap	$2.0m	$2.1m
Super guarantee	12%	12%

Common traps

Trap: Use the 2026-27 figures for the November 2026 sitting.

Trap: Downsizer contributions do not count towards the non-concessional cap, but they do count towards the total super balance.

Trap: TTR earnings are taxed in the fund; retirement-phase earnings are not.

Trap: Indexation does not top up a bring-forward already triggered.

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