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The questions a calculator doesn't answer

Every figure in these guides is computed by the same engines behind our calculators, so they cannot drift out of step with the tools they explain.

Medicare levy vs surcharge2026-27 examples with sources and calculator links.Take-home pay by state2026-27 examples with sources and calculator links. Why your PAYG withheld never matches your tax bill Your employer withholds tax under a formula that annualises each pay separately. Your assessment looks at the whole year. Here is exactly where the two diverge. What changed on 1 July 2026 The second tax bracket fell, HECS thresholds moved and Payday Super began. Super stayed at 12%. See what the 2026-27 changes mean for your pay. When do HECS-HELP repayments start? Repayments begin above $69,528 in 2026-27, and only apply to income above that threshold. What counts as repayment income, and why your payslip deduction differs. Marginal rate vs effective rate Being "in the 37% bracket" does not mean you pay 37% of your income. The difference between the two rates, with the actual numbers. Does your salary include super? A $100,000 package including super is not a $100,000 salary. The difference is $10,714 a year, and the maths is not what most people guess. The year you get 27 pays instead of 26 Every 11 years or so a fortnightly pay cycle produces 27 pays in one financial year. You are not paid more, but you may be under-taxed. The 2027 capital gains tax changes, worked through From 1 July 2027 the 50% CGT discount is replaced by CPI indexation and a 30% minimum tax for individuals, trusts and partnerships. How the split at 1 July 2027 works, who wins and who pays more. Negative gearing from 1 July 2027: who is affected Rental losses on established homes bought after 7:30pm AEST on 12 May 2026 can no longer reduce your salary from 1 July 2027. Who is grandfathered, what counts as a new build, and what a quarantined loss is still worth.

Work out any salary

Take-home pay

$67,600

a year - $2,600 a fortnight

2026-27 full-year resident employment, standard work deduction, no additional deductions. Assumptions and sources.

Gross salary$85,000.00
Income tax$15,720.00
Medicare levy$1,680.00
Super paid on top$10,200.00
What does a pay rise add after tax?Compare gross and take-home pay before and after a raise, using the same 2026–27 assumptions.What salary do you need for your take-home target?Work backwards from the amount you want in your bank account to the gross salary required.Australian income tax rates and brackets 2026–27Current resident tax brackets, the $1,000 standard work deduction and an auditable $85,000 example.

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Australian take-home reference — inspect and download 90 reproducible salary scenarios with the assumptions behind each number.