Super due this week under Payday Super — and cash is short

For years, many employers treated super as a quarterly bill: accrue it, pay it by the 28th after the quarter ended, move on. That rhythm changed on 1 July 2026. Under Payday Super, super now travels with each pay run, and the clock is measured in business days.

If this week’s super is due and the cash isn’t there, here’s how to understand the deadline and close the gap quickly.

What does Payday Super actually require?

The ATO’s guidance is clear on the key points:

• Payday Super applies to employee earnings paid from 1 July 2026.
• The contribution must be received by the super fund within 7 business days after you pay your employee.
• For a new employee, the first contribution must be received within 20 business days after the relevant payday.
• A business day is any day other than a Saturday or Sunday, or a public holiday that applies to the whole of the relevant state or territory.

The Fair Work Ombudsman summarises it the same way: contributions must reach employees’ nominated accounts within 7 business days. The super guarantee rate is 12%.

The practical effect is that super is no longer a lump you can plan around once a quarter. It’s a steady, weekly or fortnightly outflow that follows payroll closely.

How do I count the 7 business days?

Count from the day after payday, skipping weekends and statewide public holidays. Here’s an illustrative example for a business in Victoria:

Payday	Business days counted	Super must be received by
Thursday 29 October 2026	Fri 30, Mon 2, Wed 4, Thu 5, Fri 6, Mon 9, Tue 10 (Tue 3 Nov is Melbourne Cup)	Tuesday 10 November 2026

The same payday in NSW would count Tuesday 3 November as a business day, making the deadline Monday 9 November. That’s why state matters. Our business day counter does this for any date and state, and the public holiday cash calendar lists the holidays to watch.

Remember that “received by the fund” is the test. If your payroll software sends contributions through a clearing house or your fund’s system, check how long that takes and work backwards.

Why might cash be short for super now?

Businesses that used to hold quarterly super in the operating account are finding that the float has disappeared. Common reasons for a short week:

• A customer paid late, and payroll plus super landed in the same week.
• The first months of Payday Super coincided with the 1 July wage increase.
• A quarterly habit of “catching up” on super no longer works.
• A large pay run, such as a leave payout, came with a large super amount.

If this is a one-off, a short-term facility can bridge it. If it keeps happening, a standby limit may suit your pay cycle better. See standby line of credit.

What should I do tonight?

1. Work out the exact contribution amount for the pay run from your payroll software.
2. Count the business days to the deadline, including the time the clearing house or fund takes.
3. Check what you can pay from existing funds. Every dollar reduces the request.
4. Download business bank statements as PDFs.
5. Enquire tonight. It takes about a minute, and a specialist can call in the morning.

For trading businesses with regular deposits, smaller unsecured amounts can be possible same day. For larger amounts, property-secured funding of $20k to $250k can be possible same day.

Should I fix payroll or super first?

Both matter, and under Payday Super they’re linked. If you’re short for a pay run, include the super in your calculation from the start so you don’t solve one deadline and create another a week later. Our payroll due tomorrow page covers the wages side.

An illustrative example

Illustrative: A physiotherapy practice in Canberra pays 14 staff fortnightly. After a slow school holiday period and a large equipment repair, the practice can cover wages on payday but not the $9,800 super contribution due to be received within 7 business days. The practice manager counts the business days, notes that the clearing house needs two business days, and sets an internal deadline of day five. She enquires that evening. With steady statements and a small, specific request, funds are possible within the next business day, and super is sent with time to spare.

How does Payday Super change the way I plan cash?

Under the old quarterly rules, super could sit in the operating account for weeks. Now it leaves within days of every pay run. A few practical adjustments help:

• Treat super as part of payroll, not a separate bill.
• Hold super in a separate account as each pay run is processed.
• Check your clearing house or fund timing, so “received within 7 business days” is met comfortably.
• Watch public holidays, which can shorten the calendar days available. The 2026–27 public holiday cash calendar flags the ones that matter.

If your pay runs are regularly tight, look at payroll due tomorrow for the wages side and the money-tomorrow checker to see how quickly a shortfall could be funded.

Get super sorted before the clock runs out

Super deadlines are now tighter, and business owners are adjusting. It takes about a minute to enquire and doesn’t involve a credit check. Your details aren’t shared around a panel of lenders — one team looks at your pay cycle and a real person calls you. Please enter the exact amount and your state, and mention your payday, so we can work to the right deadline.

Fund this week’s super →