My 15-year-old just got his first job. How can he boost his super?

March 25, 2026 — 2:01am

You have reached your maximum number of saved items.

Remove items from your saved list to add more.

Save this article for later

Add articles to your saved list and come back to them anytime.

My 15-year-old son has just started his first casual job. I’ve heard that if he makes voluntary contributions to super, there may be a government co-contribution. I’ve also heard about a scheme where voluntary super contributions can later be used for a first home deposit. Could you explain the main options available to a young casual worker starting to contribute to super, and whether these schemes can both apply?

It’s excellent that your son is thinking about super so early because time is the biggest advantage an investor can have. Even modest contributions made in the teenage years can grow substantially over decades through the power of compounding.

The first incentive is the government co-contribution scheme. If a low-income earner makes an after-tax contribution to super, the government may contribute 50¢ for every dollar, up to a maximum of $500.

In practice, contributing $1000 could produce the full $500 co-contribution provided his income is below the relevant threshold, and he lodges a tax return. For young people earning modest casual income, this can be a very effective way to boost early super savings.

The second initiative is the First Home Super Saver Scheme. This allows people to make voluntary contributions to super and later withdraw those contributions, plus associated earnings, to help buy their first home. Currently up to $15,000 of contributions per year can count toward the scheme, with a lifetime withdrawal limit of........

© WA Today