There has been much talk about the generosity of superannuation tax concessions for high earners and people with large super balances. But just how generous are they?

It may come as a surprise, but the amount of super tax you pay may be much higher than the headline rate of 15 per cent that is often used to illustrate the disparity between super and marginal tax rates – and recently to justify the introduction of a new tax on balances above $3 million.