Inheritance · FY2026–27

Wills and super

Why this matters. Super does not follow the will unless the fund form says so. A binding nomination and a non-binding nomination are different, and the tax-office page is the source. This page is a checklist. It does not work out the tax.

There is no inheritance tax in Australia. Super, the house, and aged care are the usual homework. Tick what’s done. Blue links open the ATO or a government site in a new tab — that’s the source, not us.

0 of 8 ticked. Not saved.

- GovServices Australia — when someone dies ↗
- ATOATO — deceased estates ↗

Super, in plain wordsFY2026–27

Tax depends on who is paid, not on how big the estate is.
A spouse, a young child, or someone who was financially dependent is usually in a better tax spot for a lump sum from a taxed fund.
An independent adult child is often taxed on the taxable component of a lump sum. The tax-free component is not taxed. The ATO page has the rate.
Recontribution is a concept only: a withdrawal and a later non-concessional contribution can change the tax-free component. Who discusses that is a tax agent or an adviser. This is not an instruction, and not a 30 June task.
Public-sector untaxed schemes (including some SA ones) are a different table — don’t use a HESTA example.
The fund’s own form has to be current. SMSF follows the deed.
A valid nomination usually beats the will for that super.

ATO — tax on super when someone dies ↗

Next: Hospital fund, HESTA, or an SMSF — Who gets your super follows the fund, not the will.

What doctors often miss

Super death benefits are taxed under rules on the ATO’s own page. A will does not, by itself, decide the super payment.

ATO super death benefits ↗

Included / Not included

Included

Links to the ATO, Services Australia, and state pages named on each card · current public pages

Not included

A calculation of tax on a death benefit for your family
Legal advice on a will or a binding nomination
Aged-care means test as a personal result
Funeral costs, insurance and stamp duty on a transfer

Assumptions you can edit are the inputs on this page. This is a model, not a prediction, a tax assessment, or a recommendation.

A rough figure — not advice. Terms

ATO and government pages

They open in a new tab. We don’t rewrite them.

No inheritance tax

There isn’t a federal estate tax. Super tax, CGT if something is sold later, and aged-care means tests are the usual follow-ups. The ATO page is the source.

ATOATO — deceased estates ↗

Super is separate

Industry funds use a nomination form. SMSFs use the deed. Tax on the payment is on the ATO site, not on this page.

Selling the house later

Passing the house on is often not a CGT event. Selling it later might be. Main residence and the two-year window are ATO rules.

A question for the siblings

If a parent needed a bond next year, who stops work, who lives in the house, who pays the gap, and is the super form still in date? Write it down. Then look at the ATO links.

Also

Public hospital · 2026–27

Salary packaging

Triple S is taxed differently from ordinary super.

Advertisement — labelled, never inside the number.

Wills and super

Also

Sources used