Thunderbolt Wealth Tips - Sally is Kicking Goals and Her Caramel Latte Addiction

Sally is Kicking Goals with the First Home Super Saver Scheme

Are you a first home buyer earning $135k+ (top two tax brackets)? Then this one's for you.

With the recent tax changes, the First Home Super Saver Scheme  (a not that well known scheme), has just become the GOAT for some people to save for your first home deposit, instead of buying shares and managed funds outside super to save for their deposit.

Meet Sally

Sally earns $225k a year. Her 12% compulsory super is $27k a year. She's on the top marginal rate: 47%, which, frankly, blows. After tax, she takes home $148k.

She’s trying hard to cut back on caramel lattes and puts her blinkers on in the Ariat section at Horseland nearly everytime she pops in ‘just for a look’. With this extreme discipline she manages to save $15k a year toward her first home. She invests it in shares, which return, call it 10% p.a for simplicity. But from 1 July 2027, earnings on savings like this are taxed at her full 47% rate (no CGT discount, though inflation adjustments apply). After 3 years: roughly $47k saved.

A better idea

Instead, Sally salary sacrifices $5,500 into super (topping her up to the $32,500 cap for 2026/27) and makes a further $12,095 after-tax contribution.

Same $15k a year out of her pocket, but now $16,770 a year is invested inside super, taxed at just 10–15% instead of 47%.

Repeat for 3 years, and she can withdraw roughly $54,700 toward her deposit (the ATO lets first home buyers release these funds). That's $7,000 more than the shares outside super approach.

If her partner John also earns $135k+ and does the same, the benefit doubles. Two people, three years, one meaningful head start on a deposit.

(This example is simplified , there are many more nuances and rules such as a $50k cap plus earnings, a $15k/year contribution limit, only 85% of pre-tax contributions withdrawable, plus a withdrawal tax and offset. This is a simplified illustration, not advice - I will send you down the road to a planner for this advice.)

Worth a look if you're earning $135k+.

I used to be a financial planner, but this is a mortgage broker's illustration, not financial advice, talk to a financial planner before acting on it. Happy to refer you to one we trust, we work with some great ones.

Want to chat about this scheme, or how we can get you into your home sooner or anything else? Reply to this email, or book a time below.

Cant wait to help you and your family and friends. We’ll even shout you a caramel latte.