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Jeffrey Hutton is a Morningstar contributor.

Next July will see big changes to rules governing contributions to superannuation. It may also mark the beginning of uncertainty as the government hashes out new rules for those with low superannuation balances.

Contribution limits for those over 50 will drop to $25,000 from $50,000. The government has indicated it is considering allowing higher limits for those with balances less than $500,000. At stake are tax rates of as much as 93 per cent for contributions that break the concessional limit.

How should you prepare for the changes?

"This may be your last opportunity to make big contributions to super while taking advantage of the concessional rate," says Liz Westover, head of superannuation at the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Australia.

Advanced planning is key, experts say. Early planning of contributions minimises the risk of going over contribution caps.

"We know they can make the contributions until 1 July," says Brad Eppingstall, principal business solutions at accounting firm RSM Bird Cameron.

"Let's make sure they take full advantage."

Trouble is, no one is completely sure what the new rules will be. The federal government released a discussion paper indicating concessional caps may be maintained at the current level for those aged over 50 with balances of less than $500,000.

But big questions remain. How does that balance get calculated and by whom? And is that the balance of your superannuation fund for the last financial year or some earlier period in order to make allowances for tardy payments by employers?

What about retirees who have drawn down their superannuation below $500,000 but then gone back to work? Do they get to make the higher concessional contribution?

"This situation is very frustrating," says Peter Burgess, national technical director for the Self-Managed Super Fund Professionals' Association of Australia (SPAA).

"The government has gone to great lengths to simplify super and now they're building complexity back into the system. This is a cumbersome approach."

SPAA says the government should go back to a flat limit of $35,000 for everyone for the sake of simplicity and cost effectiveness. Besides, a superannuation balance of $500,000 probably won't take you very far, Burgess says.

"The government appears to be assuming $500,000 is enough. It isn't," Burgess says.

Burgess says the federal government will likely release more details of its plan in the new year. So, for those at or around the $500,000 level, what should you do?

"If you can make the $50,000 contribution you should consider doing it," says Westover.