Forget the flowers: This Mother’s Day gift could net you $730k

This Mother’s Day, why not skip flowers that’ll only last a week anyway and ask for something far more meaningful? Ask your partner to split their super with you.

Yes, I know, it’s not exactly what Hallmark had in mind, but let me explain why I believe this one decision could be worth more to your financial future than any bunch of service station carnations ever will be.

When I was a financial adviser, when a couple came to me who were about to have a family, we would often discuss who was staying home with the baby and why.

Ninety per cent of the time, when it was a heterosexual couple, they would say that the mum was the one staying home, at least for the first six to twelve months. But what was said next, in almost every conversation, was that childcare wasn’t worth it because it took up too much of a percentage of “her” wage.

Every single time, I’d stop them right there and ask: “What percentage is childcare of both your wages? Because you’re both having this child.”

That question alone was usually enough to change the entire trajectory of the conversation because most couples had never done that math. They hadn’t done the sums to see what percentage it was of both incomes, instead usually just equating it to a percentage of the female partner’s.

Super splitting won’t solve the superannuation gap entirely, but it’s one of the simplest, most underused tools available.

I would then go on to ask, “Have you also factored in both the lost superannuation and the compounded effect of that superannuation over the next 30 to 40 years?”

In my 25+ years of being a financial adviser and accountant, there was not a single couple who had. Not one. That knowledge gap and the resulting superannuation gap is what super splitting is designed to fix. And it’s long overdue for a moment in the spotlight.

So, what is super splitting?

It’s not finding more cash in what is often an already cash-strapped season for a family. Instead, it’s where one partner can “split” 85 per cent of their previous year’s super contributions with their spouse or de facto partner.

Now, you might not think that’s worth doing, but let me show you why it is.

As of early 2026, the average annual salary for a full-time employee in Australia was approximately $106,657 and the superannuation payable on that would be $12,798.85.

Now imagine your partner earns that, you take five years out of the workforce, and they split half their after-tax super contributions with you for that entire period. That’s around $27,200 extra into your superannuation account across those five years.

But here’s where it gets interesting because we’re not yet factoring in the compounding effect of that money.

Using the average 30-year Vanguard index return of 9.3 per cent, that $27,200 becomes more like $32,750. But if left alone to grow over the next 35 years? It grows to a whopping $736,111. All from a five-minute form that your partner fills in on their super fund’s website.

That number matters even more when you consider that women retire with 25.7 per cent less super on average than men and with one in two marriages ends in divorce. Super splitting won’t solve the superannuation gap entirely, but it’s one of the simplest, most underused tools available to address women’s low super balances.

A common pushback I hear is that super splitting isn’t necessary because if you separate, you’ll receive half of your spouse’s superannuation anyway. In my experience, I can tell you that is rarely how it plays out in real life.

That’s why I’m a fan of choosing to split your contributions while times are good. Besides, if the money really belongs to both of you anyway, ask your partner to prove it!

Personally, I don’t understand why super splitting isn’t government-mandated when one partner steps back from work to raise children. Given the super gap women face from lower wages and maternity leave breaks, it would be one of the most meaningful structural fixes available.

Meanwhile, send this article to your partner. Tell them to save their money buying flowers this year and to split their superannuation contribution with you instead.

Melissa Browne, a former financial adviser, is now a financial educator licensed to give general advice. She is also a best-selling author, including of her just-released book, Dare to be Wealthy. You can find more information at melissabrowne.com.au or @melbrowne.money

• Advice given in this article is general in nature and is not intended to influence readers’ decisions about investing or financial products. They should always seek their own professional advice that takes into account their own personal circumstances before making any financial decisions.

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