💵 Australia Income Tax Calculator

Australia operates a progressive tax system where higher income earners pay higher tax rates. The tax-free threshold of $18,200 means the first $18,200 of income is completely tax-free for Australian residents. Tax brackets for 2024-25 are: 19% on income from $18,201 to $45,000, 32.5% on income from $45,001 to $120,000, 37% on income from $120,001 to $180,000, and 45% on income exceeding $180,000. For example, someone earning $85,000 annually pays $19,717 in income tax (zero on first $18,200, $5,092 on the next $26,800 at 19%, and $13,000 on the remaining $40,000 at 32.5%). Combined with the 2% Medicare Levy ($1,700), their total tax is $21,417, leaving $63,583 net income (effective tax rate of 25.2%). The progressive system ensures those with greater capacity to pay contribute more while protecting low-income earners. Understanding your tax bracket helps optimize salary packaging, deductions, and retirement contributions.

The Medicare Levy of 2% applies to most Australian taxpayers, funding the public healthcare system. On $80,000 income, the levy is $1,600. Low-income earners receive Medicare Levy reduction or exemption: singles earning under $24,276 (2024-25) and families under $40,939 plus $3,760 per child are exempt or pay reduced rates. The Medicare Levy Surcharge (MLS) applies to higher earners without adequate private hospital insurance: singles earning over $93,000 or families over $186,000 pay additional 1-1.5% tax. For someone earning $100,000 without private insurance, MLS adds $1,000-1,500. Taking out hospital cover costing $2,000 annually avoids the surcharge but costs more, so compare total costs. The MLS encourages private health insurance uptake, reducing pressure on public hospitals. Singles earning $95,000 should consider basic hospital cover ($1,500-2,000 annually) versus paying 1% MLS ($950), though MLS is likely cheaper. Families earning $200,000 pay 1.25% MLS ($2,500), making $3,000-4,000 family hospital cover worthwhile. Calculate whether private insurance premiums plus out-of-pocket medical costs exceed MLS payments before deciding.

Tax offsets directly reduce tax payable, unlike deductions which reduce taxable income. The Low and Middle Income Tax Offset (LMITO) provided up to $1,500 annually for individuals earning under $126,000 (discontinued from 2022-23). The Low Income Tax Offset (LITO) provides up to $700 for individuals earning under $66,667, progressively reducing to zero at $66,667. Someone earning $40,000 receives the full $700 LITO, reducing tax from $4,142 to $3,442. The Seniors and Pensioners Tax Offset (SAPTO) provides up to $2,230 for singles and $1,602 for each partner in eligible couples, significantly reducing tax for older Australians. Private health insurance premium rebates range from 8.202% to 32.812% depending on age and income, directly reducing insurance costs. Couples with children may claim Family Tax Benefit through Centrelink, providing payments up to $5,000-10,000 annually depending on family income and number of children. Offset planning is crucial: a retiree earning $30,000 with SAPTO pays zero tax despite being above the tax-free threshold. Understanding available offsets ensures you don't overpay tax throughout the year.

Work-related expenses are deductible if directly related to earning assessable income and not reimbursed by employers. This includes uniforms and protective clothing (including laundry costs at $1 per load), tools and equipment costing under $300 (immediate deduction) or over $300 (depreciated over useful life), mobile phone and internet expenses (work-related percentage only), home office expenses if working from home (fixed rate method: 67 cents per hour or actual cost method), vehicle expenses if required to travel for work (cents per kilometer up to 5,000km at 85 cents/km for 2024-25, or logbook method for higher claims), self-education expenses if directly related to current employment, union fees, professional association memberships, and tools of trade. Someone using their car for client meetings 3,000km annually claims $2,550 in vehicle expenses. A teacher buying classroom materials worth $800 claims the full amount. Work-from-home employees working 200 days at 8 hours daily claim $1,072 using the fixed rate method. The $300 substantiation threshold means claims under $300 don't require receipts, though records are still recommended. Higher claims absolutely require receipts and evidence. Common mistakes include claiming non-work-related expenses, travel between home and regular workplace (not deductible), and clothing not specific to work. Maximize legitimate deductions but never claim ineligible expenses as ATO data matching increasingly identifies anomalies.

Making voluntary superannuation contributions reduces taxable income while building retirement savings. Concessional (before-tax) contributions including employer SG and salary sacrifice are taxed at 15% in super versus marginal tax rates up to 47%. Someone in the 37% tax bracket salary sacrificing $10,000 saves $2,200 in tax ($3,700 tax on salary versus $1,500 tax in super). The concessional cap is $30,000 annually (2024-25) including employer contributions. If your employer contributes $9,775 (11.5% of $85,000), you can salary sacrifice $20,225 without exceeding caps. Exceeding caps incurs excess contributions tax effectively returning you to marginal rates. Carry-forward provisions allow utilizing unused concessional cap from previous five years if super balance under $500,000, enabling catch-up contributions. Non-concessional (after-tax) contributions don't provide immediate tax deductions but grow tax-effectively in super and become tax-free in retirement. The non-concessional cap is $120,000 annually with bring-forward provisions allowing $360,000 over three years. For high-income earners, salary sacrificing to super is one of the most tax-effective strategies: contributing an extra $10,000 annually from age 30-67 (37 years) at 7% returns creates an additional $2.1 million in retirement savings while saving $81,400 in lifetime tax. Balance super contributions with maintaining sufficient cash flow for current expenses and emergency funds.

While federal income tax applies uniformly across Australia, state and territory taxes create significant variations in overall tax burden. Payroll tax (paid by employers, not employees directly) varies by state: NSW 5.45% on wages above $1.2m, Victoria 4.85% on wages above $700,000, Queensland 4.75% on wages above $1.3m, affecting employment opportunities and wage growth. Stamp duty on property purchases varies dramatically: NSW charges approximately $40,000 on $1,000,000 property, Victoria $55,000, Queensland $38,000, while ACT offers stamp duty abolition in favor of annual land tax. Land tax applies to investment properties and second homes in most states: Victoria charges from $975 to thousands annually depending on total landholdings, NSW from $100 to substantial amounts, while Tasmania has no land tax for individuals. Motor vehicle registration costs differ: Victoria $850-900 for standard vehicles, NSW $350-450, Queensland $700-800. These state variations significantly impact cost of living and investment returns. An investor with $2,000,000 in Victorian properties might pay $15,000 annual land tax, while equivalent NSW properties pay $10,000. When relocating interstate or investing in property, factor in state-specific taxes beyond federal income tax to understand true financial position. Some states offer payroll tax rebates for regional employment or certain industries, and first home buyers receive stamp duty concessions in most jurisdictions.