Updated for 2025–2026
Tax Return Calculator — Estimate Your Refund
Estimate your tax refund or amount owing across the full lodgement waterfall — income, deductions, LITO, Medicare levy, MLS and HECS in one breakdown. Switch financial years to compare outcomes against the ATO rates already configured.
Estimate your refund
Tax withheld (PAYG)
PAYG (Pay As You Go) is the income tax your employer withheld from each pay. We can estimate it from 2025-26 rates, or you can enter the total from your income statement.
Personal and Medicare
Residency, household, dependents, and Medicare settings.
Income sources
Add anything beyond your salary. Each subsection collapses when you're done.
Deductions
Group your claims by category. Each subsection collapses when you're done.
Tax-agent fees, tools and other miscellaneous deductions go under "Other deductions".
Other adjustments
Offsets and income-test inputs for users who need them.
The tax-free threshold in Australia is currently $18,200.
Tax Return Estimate
Estimated outcome
$0
About square — PAYG closely matched your tax for 2025-26.
- Tax due
- $17,988
- Tax paid
- $17,988
- Estimated refund based on the assumptions entered.
Tax paid vs tax due
Tax due $17,988. Tax paid $17,988. About square.
How we got here
Income earned
- Total income
- $85,000
- Less deductions
- -$0
- Taxable income
- $85,000
Tax calculated
- Income tax (after LITO)
- $16,288
- Less offsets and credits
- -$0
- Medicare levy
- $1,700
- Tax due
- $17,988
Reconciliation
- Tax paid (PAYG)
- $17,988
Estimated from 2025-26 rates.
Related tools
Estimate only. Results are based on your selected financial year and configured rates. This is not tax advice.
Calculations run in your browser — your income, deductions and PAYG (Pay As You Go, the tax your employer withholds from each pay) figures are never sent to a server.
Refund estimates by salary (2025–2026)
| Salary | Total tax (incl. Medicare levy) | Effective rate | Refund with $2,000 of deductions |
|---|---|---|---|
| $60,000 | $9,888 | 16.5% | $670 |
| $85,000 | $17,988 | 21.2% | $640 |
| $100,000 | $22,788 | 22.8% | $640 |
| $120,000 | $29,188 | 24.3% | $640 |
How your tax return estimate works
Why estimate before you lodge?
Most people lodge between July and October, but knowing the likely outcome earlier helps you plan cash flow, adjust PAYG withholding if you consistently owe, and time any deductible expense before 30 June. If you want a step-by-step prep list before you start, the tax return checklist covers what to gather. Lodging with ABN or sole-trader income as well? Estimate that side first with the ABN and sole trader tax calculator. If the result is moving because of private cover, follow up with the Medicare Levy Surcharge guide. A refund driven by a one-off payment usually traces back to bonus withholding — the bonus tax guide explains that reconciliation. If HECS/HELP is doing the work, the HECS/HELP repayment guide explains how the threshold and rates apply to your repayment income, and the HECS repayment calculator projects it across future years (ATO's compulsory repayments page is the source of truth for the year-by-year thresholds).
If one figure is moving your estimate more than the others, dig into it with the dedicated tools: the bonus tax calculator for end-of-year bonuses, the redundancy payout calculator for termination payments and their tax-free limit, the capital gains tax calculator for share or property sales, the land tax calculator for an investment property's deductible holding costs, and the salary sacrifice calculator to test pre-tax super contributions before 30 June — the super contributions guide covers concessional caps and the personal-deduction path. For what you can actually claim, check the ATO's work-related deductions guidance.
Dig deeper into what moves your result
- Tax refund guide — the reasoning behind your refund or bill
- Medicare Levy Surcharge guide — when private cover changes the result
- HECS/HELP repayment guide — how the threshold and rates apply
- HECS repayment calculator — project repayments across future years
- Bonus tax calculator — end-of-year bonuses and withholding
- Capital gains tax calculator — share or property sales in your return
- Salary sacrifice calculator — test pre-tax super before 30 June
- Super contributions guide — concessional caps and personal deductions
- ATO: work-related deductions — what you can actually claim
- ATO: compulsory HECS repayments — year-by-year thresholds, source of truth
Key concepts
PAYG withholding
Tax deducted from each pay by your employer. The difference between what was withheld and what you actually owe determines your refund or amount owing — the Australian income tax guide explains how brackets, LITO and Medicare combine into that liability.
Low Income Tax Offset (LITO)
An automatic tax reduction for lower-income earners — applied after income tax is calculated, with the offset tapering out as taxable income rises. You don't need to claim it.
Medicare Levy & MLS
The standard 2% Medicare Levy funds public health. Without private hospital cover above the MLS threshold ($101,000 single for 2025-26), the Medicare Levy Surcharge (1%–1.5%) may also apply. The threshold adjusts when you switch financial years.
Deductions & offsets
Work-related deductions reduce taxable income directly. Tax offsets and franking credits reduce the tax owed after calculation, subject to caps.
This is an estimate, not a tax return
Your ATO notice of assessment may differ based on additional income sources, specific deduction rules, prior year offsets, private health insurance rebate adjustments, and full ATO processing. Always consult a registered tax agent for advice specific to your situation.
For a plain-English walkthrough of why some people still owe tax despite PAYG withholding, start with our tax refund guide.
Tax Return Estimate FAQs
How is my tax return estimate calculated?
The calculator totals your salary, wages and other taxable income, subtracts your deductions to reach taxable income, then applies the selected year's ATO rates: income tax (with LITO applied automatically), Medicare levy, Medicare Levy Surcharge where it applies, and HECS/HELP repayments if turned on. Tax offsets and franking credits reduce the income-tax line but cannot push it below zero. The total is compared to your PAYG tax withheld to show a refund or amount owing.
How long does a tax return take to process?
Most returns lodged through myGov are processed within about two weeks, with the refund landing in your bank account shortly after the notice of assessment issues. Paper returns and lodgements that need manual review take longer — typically 4 to 6 weeks. The estimate this calculator shows is what you would expect to see on your notice of assessment, before any offset against existing ATO debts.
When is the tax return due?
The deadline to lodge your own return is 31 October, covering the financial year that ended on 30 June. If you use a registered tax agent you generally have until 15 May of the following year, provided you were on the agent's client list by 31 October. Lodging early in July is possible but waiting until your income statement is marked 'tax ready' (usually mid-late July) avoids amendments.
What's the difference between a tax return and a tax refund?
Your tax return is the form (and the underlying calculation) you lodge with the ATO each year to declare income, deductions and offsets. The tax refund is the outcome of that return when total tax withheld through the year exceeded your actual liability — the ATO pays the excess back. A return can also produce no refund, or a balance owing, if too little was withheld. This calculator estimates the outcome of your return — refund, square, or owing — before you lodge.
Why do I owe tax instead of getting a refund?
Owing tax usually means PAYG withholding through the year was less than your full liability. Common causes: a second job or side income, the tax-free threshold claimed at more than one employer, large untaxed amounts (interest, dividends, capital gains), a HECS/HELP debt without HECS withholding ticked, or losing the private hospital cover that prevents Medicare Levy Surcharge. Adjust the relevant toggles in the calculator to see which one is moving your result.
What can I claim as a tax deduction?
Work-related expenses you paid yourself and weren't reimbursed for: car and travel for work, working-from-home costs, tools and equipment, self-education tied to your current role, union or professional fees, deductible donations to registered charities, income-protection insurance, personal super contributions you've claimed, and tax agent fees. Total work-related claims up to $300 can be made without written evidence; above $300 you need records, and every expense must relate to earning your income. The calculator's deduction fields apply these directly to taxable income.
Do I need to lodge a tax return in Australia?
Most residents need to lodge if they earned more than the tax-free threshold during the financial year, had tax withheld, ran a business, received Centrelink payments above set limits, or had a HECS/HELP debt with reportable income. If you earned less and had no withholding, you may only need to submit a non-lodgement advice through ATO online services.
What is PAYG tax withheld and where do I find it?
PAYG (Pay As You Go) withholding is the tax your employer deducted from each pay during the year. The total appears on your income statement in myGov (ATO online services) or on a payment summary from your employer once Single Touch Payroll is finalised — usually by mid-July. If you don't have the figure yet, tick the 'estimate' option and the calculator derives it from the selected year's ATO rates for your income level.
How does HECS/HELP affect my tax return?
If your repayment income (taxable income plus reportable fringe benefits, reportable employer super and net investment losses) is above the HECS/HELP threshold, the ATO applies a compulsory repayment as a percentage of that income on top of your normal tax. If your employer wasn't withholding extra for HECS, that repayment lands as a balance owing at lodgement. Toggle HECS/HELP on in the calculator to see how much it adds to your liability.
How does Medicare Levy Surcharge affect my estimate?
If your income exceeds the MLS threshold ($101,000 single for 2025-26 — the threshold varies by year) and you don't hold an appropriate level of private hospital cover, you may owe MLS of 1%–1.5% on top of the 2% Medicare levy. Toggle 'Private cover' on to remove MLS from your estimate, or switch to the family threshold if your household situation applies.
Can I switch financial years to compare outcomes?
Yes. Use the financial year selector at the top of the input panel and your estimate updates instantly using the configured tax brackets, LITO thresholds, Medicare levy, MLS thresholds and HECS/HELP rates for that year. Useful for comparing this year's result against last year's, or modelling what a planned change would have looked like under previous rates.
How much tax will I get back if I earn $60,000?
On a $60,000 salary for 2025-26 with the tax-free threshold claimed and no HECS debt, total tax liability is around $9,888 (income tax after LITO plus the 2% Medicare levy). If your employer withheld the standard PAYG amount you land close to break-even — refunds come from deductions and offsets, not the salary itself. Claiming $2,000 of work-related deductions turns that into roughly $670 back. Work-related claims above $300 need written evidence.
How much tax will I get back if I earn $100,000?
On a $100,000 salary for 2025-26 with the tax-free threshold claimed and no HECS debt, total tax liability is around $22,788 including the 2% Medicare levy. With standard PAYG withholding the outcome is close to square; $2,000 of deductions returns roughly $640 at this marginal rate. Once income exceeds the MLS threshold ($101,000 single for 2025-26) without private hospital cover, the Medicare Levy Surcharge adds to the liability — toggle it in the calculator to see the difference.
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