Does my taxable income include or exclude super?

Question

I'm about to fall into the next bracket and want to avoid the massive increase.

Answer 1

For which super payments?

The super paid by your employer doesn't get included as well as the super you salary sacrifice.

Answer 2

Excludes... superannuation contributions paid on your behalf by an employer do not come within the definition of assessable income. Substantially self-employed people can claim a deduction for superannuation to reduce their taxable income. But you might have left it a bit late (it's 30 June already) for 2008 tax planning. The tax payable is not a massive increase percentage-wise when your income goes from one bracket into another, anyway. It's a sliding scale.