Preparing your business for Payday Super¶

From 1 July 2026, you pay your employees' super at the same time as their wages — each payday. The good news is that getting ready is mostly about small, practical steps you can take before the change begins. This lesson walks you through them, one at a time.

None of these steps are hard on their own. Doing them early means the switch feels like a small change to your routine, not a scramble.

In one line

Getting ready for Payday Super means checking your cash flow, your employees' fund details, and your payment method, then paying super with every pay run.

Why this matters¶

Under Payday Super, super becomes part of every pay run instead of a job you do four times a year. If your fund details are out of date, or your payment method is slow, a contribution can be rejected or arrive late. Sorting these things out now means your first payday under the new rules goes smoothly.

What you will learn¶

The practical steps to get ready for Payday Super
Why fund details and payment timing need checking before the change
How to set a routine to pay super with each pay run

Understanding the concept¶

Getting ready comes down to a handful of steps. Work through them in order.

1. Review your cash flow. You will be paying super more often — with every payday, rather than every three months. The total amount over a year is the same, but the timing changes. Look at your cash flow so that the super for each pay run is set aside and ready to go out with wages.

2. Check your employees' fund details are complete and correct. Super is only counted as paid when the fund receives it, with enough information to put the money into the right member's account. Make sure you hold each employee's fund name, their member number, and the fund's details. Missing or wrong details are a common reason a contribution is rejected.

3. Choose a payment method that settles in time. A contribution is on time only if it is received by the employee's fund within 7 business days of payday. Your payment method — such as a clearing house or super payment service — needs to settle the money to the fund inside that window. Check how long your method takes so you are not caught out.

The ATO has also said that if you still use the Small Business Superannuation Clearing House, you should move to an alternative provider, as that service is being retired. Check the ATO's guidance for the current position.

4. Set a routine to pay super with each pay run. Make paying super a normal part of running each pay, alongside wages. The ATO suggests paying super on payday where possible, because that leaves the most time to fix a problem if a payment is rejected.

5. Check your records and error process. Set up a simple process to spot and fix any problem quickly, so a corrected contribution still reaches the fund within the 7-business-day window. Keeping your records tidy makes this far easier.

For accountants & bookkeepers

The ATO's employer checklist covers understanding the new concept of qualifying earnings and how it applies when calculating super guarantee, setting a start date of the first payday from 1 July 2026, and putting an error-correction process in place. For a new employee, the ATO notes the first contribution has an extended due date. Check the ATO guidance for the current detail before relying on any exception.

Example¶

Priya runs a small cafe and pays her staff weekly. To get ready for Payday Super, she works through the steps a few weeks early.

First she looks at her cash flow and plans to set aside each week's super with wages. Then she checks that she holds the correct fund name and member number for every staff member, and fixes one that had an old member number. She confirms her super payment method settles to the funds well inside 7 business days. Finally, she adds "pay super" to her weekly pay-run routine. When 1 July 2026 arrives, her first payday under the new rules is just part of her normal week.

Common mistakes¶

Leaving fund-detail checks until the first payday, when a rejected payment is harder to fix in time.
Assuming any payment method settles fast enough — check it clears within 7 business days.
Planning cash flow around quarterly super out of habit, when it is now due each pay.
Having no process to correct an error quickly if a contribution is rejected.

How this works in myaccountant¶

In the app — myaccountant holds each employee's super fund details, and works out each employee's super when you run a pay run. It shows the date the super needs to reach the fund, helps you pay the funds on time through a connected super payment, and flags issues so you can fix them before a payment is due.

Key points¶

Review your cash flow so super is ready to go out with each pay run.
Make sure every employee's fund details are complete and correct.
Choose a payment method that settles to the fund within 7 business days.
Set a routine to pay super with each pay run, ideally on payday.
Have a simple process to correct any error quickly.

Learn next¶

General information only — not tax, super or financial advice.

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