The First Home Super Saver Scheme lets you build your deposit inside superannuation, where your savings are taxed at 15 per cent instead of your marginal rate. For a buyer on an average wage it can add thousands of dollars to a deposit compared with saving the same money in a bank account.

The key settings

You can contribute up to $15,000 a year in voluntary contributions that count towards the scheme, and withdraw up to $50,000 of contributions in total, plus the earnings the ATO deems those contributions have made. When you withdraw, the released amount is taxed at your marginal rate with a 30 percentage point offset, which is why the scheme leaves most savers ahead. Both members of a couple can use it, which doubles the effect.

The timing rules

Once the ATO releases your money, you have 12 months to sign a contract to buy or build, and the ATO can extend that by another 12 months. Allow several weeks for the release itself; do not request it the week before an auction or a finance deadline.

The move-in rule

You must intend to live in the property for at least 6 of the first 12 months after it is practicable to move in. The words “practicable to move in” give this scheme a little more flexibility than the First Home Guarantee where a short tenancy remains, but the property cannot simply be an investment. Check your position with the ATO or your accountant, and see the scheme comparison on our First Home Buyers page.

Back to the First Home Buyers page, or contact us to hear about properties that fit before they hit the portals.

General information only, not financial or tax advice. Confirm the current rules with the ATO and your accountant before contributing or requesting a release. Settings as at August 2026.