The Employer's Guide to Payday Super
Payday Super is a significant change to how employers pay superannuation in Australia. It means super must be paid every time you pay wages, rather than once a quarter as has traditionally been the case.
In practice, that means your super obligations now follow the same rhythm as your payroll. If you pay wages weekly, fortnightly or monthly, super must now follow the same cycle, so it's worth thinking carefully about the cash flow impact, especially during quieter or seasonal periods.
A few key points to understand up front:
The change officially applies from 1 July 2026, so any preparation items should be reviewed before that date. Here's where to focus:
1. Get your payroll and super setup right. Make sure super is calculated every pay run, you know which super clearing house is used, and you understand how long it usually takes for super to reach employee funds.
2. Check your clearing house and software can keep up. Confirm your clearing house can handle more frequent super payments, that you know how failed or rejected payments are flagged, and speak to your software provider or bookkeeper about payday super.
3. Review who is entitled to super. Some contractors may still require super contributions, so check your arrangements for casual, seasonal and family staff as well.
4. Plan for new and seasonal employees. New employees should receive a super choice form early. Remember the first super payment has up to 20 business days, so seasonal workers aren't missed.
5. Clean up before 1 July 2026. Make sure April to June 2026 super is paid on time, check past super payments for errors, confirm super fund details are up to date, and resolve any issues before payday super starts.
6. Know what to do if something goes wrong. Understand that early action can reduce penalties, and know who to contact for help if super is paid late.
7. Get support early. Discuss payday super with your accountant or advisor, don't leave preparation until June, and make sure you know your next steps.
Missed our live session, or want to revisit it? You can watch the full Payday Super webinar recording on YouTube.
You can also hear Julie Schofield speaking on the Humans of Agriculture podcast about the changes.
We've pulled together everything you need to start preparing:
Already know which payroll system you use? These guides walk you through the specific settings to check in your software:
Payday Super is one of the biggest payroll changes in years, and getting your systems and processes ready now will save stress later. If you'd like to talk through what payday super means for your business, get in touch with the Boyce team. We're here to help you prepare with confidence.
