What LISTO means for you
If you earn $37,000 or less in a financial year, you may be eligible for the Low Income Super Tax Offset (LISTO). LISTO is a simple way the government helps you keep more of your super contributions. Designed to make super more fair and help you keep more of what’s yours, the offset refunds the tax paid on eligible before-tax (concessional) contributions, so you’re not disadvantaged by the standard 15% contributions tax.
If eligible, you may receive a refund of up to $500 a year into your super account. That extra money could earn investment returns which can compound over time, meaning more money for your retirement.
Reforms to the LISTO legislation have recently passed through Parliament. From 1 July 2027, these changes increase the maximum LISTO refund from $500 to $810 and lift the income threshold from $37,000 to $45,000. Over a working lifetime, this could mean up to $15,000 more in retirement savings.
Benefits of LISTO
Pay less tax on your contributions
It can reduce the tax on your super contributions by up to $500 a year.
Boost your super savings
No application needed
LISTO Eligibility
You may qualify for LISTO if:
- your adjusted taxable income is $37,000 or less for the financial year
- you’re an Australian resident for tax purposes and have not held a temporary resident visa (except for New Zealand citizens) at any time during the financial year.
- you’ve had concessional contributions paid into your super account. These include:
- Employer Superannuation Guarantee contributions
- Salary sacrifice contributions
- Personal contributions you’ve claimed as a tax deduction
- there’s no upper age limit, but you should consider eligibility criteria when making salary sacrifice and personal contributions, including those for which you claim a tax deduction
- you lodge a tax return and 10% or more of your total income comes from business and/or employment, or you don't lodge a tax return and 10% or more of your total income comes from your employment.
How does LISTO work
The best part of LISTO is you don’t need to apply. The Australian Taxation Office (ATO) calculates and pays LISTO automatically based on:
- your lodged tax return, and
- contribution details reported by your super fund.
The payment goes straight into your super account, normally after your tax return is processed and your fund has reported contributions.
Other things to consider
There are several things you can do today, that may make a difference in the future.
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Check your details
Make sure your name, address and date of birth match between your super fund and the ATO.
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Consider providing your Tax File Number (TFN)
It’s optional to provide your TFN to your super fund, but without it, your Fund may not be able to accept LISTO and other types of contributions for you. Without a TFN, your before-tax contributions will also be taxed at a 47% tax rate (including your Medicare levy).
You can check if you’ve supplied your TFN and add it by logging into your account online, or using the AustralianSuper app.
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Tax return impacts
You can still receive LISTO even if you don’t need to lodge a return. The ATO can assess your eligibility using information from your employer and your super fund.
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Review contributions
You can use myGov to confirm your concessional contributions are reported correctly.
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Other ways to boost your super
If you’re eligible for LISTO, you might also qualify for the Government co-contribution if you’ve made after-tax contributions. This works separately from LISTO, but can help your super grow for a better outcome in retirement.
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How your LISTO amount is worked out
LISTO is based on the tax you’ve already paid on your before tax (concessional) contributions. The ATO works it out as: 15% of your eligible contributions, up to a maximum of $500 each year.
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When you’ll receive the payment
Most people receive LISTO after their tax return has been processed and after their super fund has reported contributions for the year. Timing can vary, but you’ll see the payment appear in your super transaction history once it’s been added.
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Why you might not receive LISTO
You may not receive a payment if:
- your employer didn’t make eligible before tax contributions,
- contributions were paid or reported late,
- your super fund doesn’t have your Tax File Number (TFN), or
- contributions went to a different fund you still hold.
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If you have more than one super account
LISTO is paid into the fund that received your before-tax contributions for that year.
This might not be your main or most active super account.
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Do you need to declare LISTO
No. LISTO isn’t taxable, and you don’t need to include it in your tax return.
It also doesn’t count towards your contribution caps.
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If something doesn’t look right
If your LISTO amount seems too low or missing, you can:
- check your income and contributions through myGov,
- confirm your personal details and TFN with your super fund, and
- contact the ATO if you believe your assessment needs reviewing.
AustralianSuper has advocated for, and supports government proposals to make LISTO available to more Australians by:
- increasing the income threshold so people earning up to $45,000 are eligible for the LISTO, and
- increasing the LISTO cap from $500 to $810 to fully offset the Superannuation Guarantee contributions.
Learn more about our advocacy work.