DOWNSIZING & SUPER
Downsizer super contribution: put up to $300,000 from your home sale into super
A one-off way to top up super later in life from the sale of your home — outside the normal contribution caps, and available even past age 75. Here’s exactly who qualifies and how it can affect your Age Pension.
OFFICIAL RULES CHECKED 22 AUGUST 2026
Who qualifies for a downsizer contribution.
A downsizer contribution lets you (and your spouse, if you have one) each contribute up to $300,000 from the proceeds of selling your home into superannuation — without it counting toward your concessional or non-concessional contributions caps, and without needing to meet a work test.
| Requirement | Rule |
|---|---|
| Minimum age | 55 or older at the time of the contribution (no upper age limit) |
| Ownership period | You and/or your spouse owned the home for 10+ years before the sale |
| Main residence exemption | The sale must qualify (in full or part) for the CGT main residence exemption |
| Contribution limit | Up to $300,000 per person — up to $600,000 for a couple, even if only one name is on the title |
| Timing | Must be made within 90 days of settlement, using the ATO downsizer contribution form |
| Total Super Balance | No TSB limit applies — you can contribute even if your super balance already exceeds the general transfer balance cap |
Source: ATO — downsizer super contributions.
The Age Pension trade-off people miss.
Your home is exempt from the Age Pension assets test. The moment sale proceeds move into super (or any other financial asset), they become assessable — and deemed for income test purposes. A downsizer contribution doesn’t avoid this; it just decides where the money lands once it’s assessable. For many people the pension impact of selling is the real decision, not the super contribution itself.
Worked example
Grace, 68, sells the family home for $850,000 after owning it for 22 years. She has no mortgage. She contributes $300,000 as a downsizer contribution into her super pension account. The remaining $550,000 sits in her bank account temporarily before she decides how to use it. Both the $300,000 in super and the $550,000 in savings are now assessable under the Age Pension assets and income (deeming) tests — where before, the full $850,000 was exempt as her home.
Frequently asked questions
Does it count toward my contribution caps?
No — downsizer contributions sit outside both the concessional and non-concessional caps entirely.
Do I have to buy a smaller home?
No. Despite the name, there’s no requirement to downsize, buy another property, or even buy again at all.
Can I do this more than once?
Generally only once, from the sale of one home — it isn’t a recurring contribution type.
Does my age pension eligibility change immediately?
Yes, potentially — Centrelink reassesses your assets and income the moment the sale settles, not when the super contribution is made.
Apply this to your own plan.
Pension Pilot’s calculator can model a downsizer contribution alongside your Age Pension assets and income tests in the same report, so you can see the pension impact before you sell — not after. These figures are educational and should be checked against official ATO and Services Australia sources before you act.