Changes are coming to the frequency of employer superannuation payments.
As of 1 July 2026, all superannuation guarantee payments will be required to be paid at the same time as an employee’s wages. Previously, the superannuation guarantee was required to be paid into an employee’s superannuation fund within 28 days of the end of the quarter.
Under these new reforms, superannuation payments must be received into each employee’s super fund within 7 business days of each payday.
How does this impact Self Managed Superannuation Funds?
All superannuation funds must be able to receive NPP payments from 1 July 2026. NPP payments relate to the New Payments Platform, which is a real-time payments platform used across Australia and improves how quickly a contribution can be received into a superannuation fund.
All SMSF trustees must check with their bank that their account that is registered to receive employer contributions is NPP-enabled, unless the only employer contributions received are from a related party employer, – meaning that the bank account is capable of instant transfers. NPP-enabled accounts can receive payments in real time, including on weekends and public holidays, which helps employers meet the new 7 business day timeframe.
SMSF trustees should also ensure that a valid ESA is maintained. All SMSFs need to have an active Electronic Service Address to receive contribution data and be compliant with SuperStream. (The SMSF Accountant’s software provider offers a free ESA service to all Funds – contact us to confirm the ESA details for your fund)
Continue to ensure on-time lodgment of your SMSF annual tax returns. If your SMSF tax return is overdue by more than two weeks, the ATO may remove your Fund’s regulation details from SuperFundLookup. This can cause your super contributions to be rejected, and your employers will need to pay your superannuation guarantee into an APRA related default fund.
Verify your member details with the ATO – including names, dates of birth, Tax File Numbers and member account numbers. These details need to be 100% accurate, as any discrepancy will cause the MVR (Member Verification Request) to reject payments if the data does not match the ATO records.
Finally, SMSF Trustees should review their Investment Strategy. The change from quarterly contributions to now being more frequent means that cash will accumulate faster. Trustees may need to review their strategy to ensure these funds are invested in a more timely manner.
Overall, this is a good change for members as Payday Super will get your money into your SMSF faster. Don’t wait until 1 July 2026 – check all of your details or speak with us today.
Diana Morris 19 June 2026