Tax Return Calculator Australia
Estimate whether your 2026–27 tax return will produce a refund or a bill. Enter your income, work-related deductions and the tax already withheld, and the calculator applies resident tax rates, LITO, the Medicare levy and optional HELP.
- ATO-based tax rates
- Instant results
- No sign-up
- Private by design
Your tax year
Use your totals for the full financial year.
All calculations run locally in your browser.
Estimated refund
2026–27 residentBecause your withholding is higher than your estimated tax
- Taxable income
- $93,000
- Total tax
- $20,280
- Average tax rate
- 21.8%
- Marginal rate
- 32.0%
Refund calculation
- Total income
- $95,000
- Deductions
- −$2,000
- Taxable income
- $93,000
- Income tax after LITO
- −$18,420
- Medicare levy
- −$1,860
- Total tax
- $20,280
- Tax withheld
- $22,000
- Refund
- $1,720
Take-home
$74,720
Tax per week
$390
Refund per week
$33
Estimate only. Actual refunds depend on offsets, private health cover, family income, study loans and the ATO’s assessment of your deductions.
How your tax refund or bill is worked out
Your tax return reconciles two numbers: the tax you actually owe on your yearly taxable income, and the tax that was withheld from your pay during the year. The difference is your refund or your bill.
Refund or amount owing = tax withheld during the year − (income tax + Medicare levy + HELP repayment).
Taxable income starts with your assessable income and subtracts allowable deductions. The resident rates are then applied progressively: 0% to $18,200, 15% to $45,000, 30% to $135,000, 37% to $190,000 and 45% above that for 2026–27. The low income tax offset reduces tax at lower incomes, and the Medicare levy adds 2% for most residents. A HELP debt adds a repayment based on your total repayment income.
Withholding is only an estimate produced by payroll using the ATO schedules. It cannot know your deductions, your other income, your family situation or your HELP balance. That is why a refund or a bill appears even when your employer withheld “the right amount” from every pay.
How deductions affect your refund
A deduction reduces your taxable income. It does not usually produce a refund equal to the amount you spent. The benefit is the tax you save at your marginal rate. If your marginal rate is 32% including Medicare, a $1,000 deduction reduces your tax by about $320. If you already received a refund, it increases by that amount; if you owed tax, it reduces the bill.
Common work-related deductions include tools and equipment, union and professional fees, work travel between workplaces, self-education connected to your current job, protective clothing and home-office running costs calculated using a recognised method. You need records, and the expense must be connected to earning your income. Private expenses, ordinary commuting and expenses your employer reimburses are not deductible.
Deductions are only part of the picture. Offsets such as the private health insurance rebate, the seniors and pensioners tax offset, and family tax benefit reconciliations can also change the final result. This calculator does not model those adjustments.
Why you might get a refund — or a bill
A refund usually means too much tax was withheld during the year. That can happen if you worked part of the year, had a period without pay, claimed deductions, earned less than the tax-free threshold, or had a HELP debt that your employer withheld conservatively. A refund is not a bonus from the ATO; it is your own money coming back after being over-withheld.
A bill usually means too little was withheld. The most common causes are a second job, claiming the tax-free threshold on more than one job, a large bonus or overtime payment, investment income, a HELP debt, or reportable fringe benefits. If you have a second job, thesecond job tax calculator shows how the shortfall builds up.
You can adjust withholding during the year by changing your Tax File Number declaration, asking your employer to withhold extra, or applying to the ATO for a PAYG withholding variation. This does not change your total tax; it changes the timing and avoids a large bill or a large refund.
What you need before lodging
- Your income statement or payment summary, showing gross pay and tax withheld.
- Records of deductions, including receipts, invoices and a diary for home-office hours if you use the fixed-rate method.
- Interest, dividend and trust distribution statements, if any.
- Private health insurance statement, if you have cover.
- Your HELP or study loan balance, and any other government assistance you received.
The ATO pre-fills much of this information, but you are responsible for checking it. Lodging early does not make a refund larger; it just brings the assessment forward. If you are unsure about a deduction or an income item, a registered tax agent can confirm the treatment.
Tax and take-home examples for 2026–27
Resident taxpayer, tax-free threshold claimed, no HELP, no deductions and no other income. “Total tax” includes income tax after LITO and the Medicare levy.
| Taxable income | Income tax | Medicare | Total tax | Take-home |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $60,000 | $8,420 | $1,200 | $9,620 | $50,380 |
| $80,000 | $14,520 | $1,600 | $16,120 | $63,880 |
| $100,000 | $20,520 | $2,000 | $22,520 | $77,480 |
| $130,000 | $29,520 | $2,600 | $32,120 | $97,880 |
Use the calculator above to add your own deductions, withholding and HELP position. The result is an estimate, not a tax assessment.
Checking the result against your notice of assessment
When the ATO assesses your return, it compares the tax on your taxable income with the credits in your account, including PAYG withholding and any offsets. The notice of assessment shows the calculation line by line. If the result differs from this calculator, the usual reasons are an offset or levy adjustment that is not modelled here, a different HELP repayment income, or income and deductions that were reported differently.
For a full take-home breakdown by pay period, use the salary calculator. To check the tax withheld from a weekly or fortnightly pay, use the tax withheld calculator. If a bonus is part of your income, thebonus tax calculator explains how withholding methods affect the timing of your refund.
Questions
Tax Return Calculator Australia FAQs
Quick answers about how this calculator works and what it includes.
How do I calculate my tax refund or amount owing?
Work out your taxable income (assessable income minus deductions), apply the resident tax rates, add the Medicare levy and any HELP repayment, then subtract the tax that was withheld during the year. If the withheld amount is higher than your liability, you get a refund. If it is lower, you owe the difference.
What is the difference between a refund and a tax return?
A tax return is the form you lodge with the ATO each year reporting your income, deductions and tax withheld. A refund is the money returned to you when the tax withheld during the year was more than your actual liability. If too little was withheld, you receive a bill instead of a refund.
Do deductions increase my refund dollar for dollar?
A deduction reduces your taxable income, so it saves tax at your marginal rate rather than the full amount. If you are in the 30% bracket plus the 2% Medicare levy, a $1,000 work-related deduction reduces your tax by about $320. It does not create a $1,000 refund on its own.
Why is my refund smaller than I expected?
Common causes include a second job, a bonus or overtime that increased your marginal rate, claiming the tax-free threshold on more than one job, a HELP debt, reportable fringe benefits, or income from investments. Your employer’s withholding is only an estimate; the return reconciles it with your actual yearly income.
Does this calculator include the Medicare levy and HELP?
Yes. It applies the 2% Medicare levy with the low-income reduction and can include the 2026–27 marginal HELP repayment. It assumes a single resident with no dependants, no private health insurance adjustment, no family assistance and no other special offsets.
Can I use this for a prior financial year?
This version is set to 2026–27 rates, thresholds and HELP bands. The method is the same for earlier years, but the dollar figures differ. For a past return, check the ATO’s rates for that year or ask a registered tax agent.
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