Small business

Instant Asset Write-Off Calculator Australia

Work out your instant asset write-off (IAWO) deduction for the 2024-25 and 2025-26 financial years. Small businesses with aggregated turnover under $10 million can instantly deduct eligible assets costing less than $20,000 each.

Based on Subdivision 328-D and the 2025-26 federal budget extension of the $20,000 IAWO threshold.

01INPUTS

IAWO at $20,000 applies for both 2024-25 and 2025-26.

Your business's aggregated turnover. Must be under $10 million.

Closing pool balance from last year. Leave $0 if you don't have a pool.

Add 2% Medicare levy if a sole trader above the MLS threshold.

Enter GST-exclusive cost if you're GST-registered. Assets under $20,000 deductible cost are instantly written off.

02RESULTS
Eligible for IAWO
Total Deduction This Year$3,600.00
03BREAKDOWN
Estimated Tax Saving$1,080.00
IAWO (instant write-off)$3,600.00
Pool Deduction$0.00
Pool Summary
Opening balance$0.00
Additions (assets ≥ $20,000)$0.00
After additions$0.00
Deduction-$0.00
Closing balance$0.00
Per-Asset Breakdown
AssetCostOutcomeDeduction
Laptop$3,000.00IAWO$3,000.00
Office chair$600.00IAWO$600.00
Total current-year deduction$3,600.00
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Tax saving is indicative. Actual benefit depends on your total taxable income, Medicare levy, and whether your business is a company, trust, or sole trader.

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IAWO vs normal depreciation — side-by-side

Compare IAWO against Division 40 Diminishing Value, Prime Cost, and the SBE pool. NPV is calculated at your supplied discount rate so you can compare present-value tax savings.

01INPUTS

GST-exclusive if GST-registered; otherwise GST-inclusive.

Portion used for income-earning activity. 100% for purely business assets.

From ATO effective life tables (TR 2024/1) or your own assessment.

SBE concessions (IAWO + pool) require turnover < $10,000,000.

Sole trader: marginal + Medicare. Company: base-rate (25%) or full (30%).

Your cost of capital or opportunity cost. Higher rate → IAWO wins by a larger NPV margin.

02RESULTS
Deductible cost
$15,000.00
Best NPV: IAWO (instant write-off) — $4,571.43 in present-value tax saving
PathTotal deductionTax saving (total)NPV tax saving
IAWO (instant write-off)$15,000.00$4,800.00$4,571.43
SBE Pool (15% year 1, 30% DV)$15,000.00$4,800.00$4,386.39
Div 40 Diminishing Value$14,748.06$4,719.38$4,218.16
Div 40 Prime Cost$15,000.00$4,800.00$4,156.30
Year-by-year deductions
YearIAWO (instant write-off)SBE Pool (15% year 1, 30% DV)Div 40 Diminishing ValueDiv 40 Prime Cost
Year 1$15,000.00$2,250.00$6,000.00$3,000.00
Year 2$12,750.00$3,600.00$3,000.00
Year 3$2,160.00$3,000.00
Year 4$1,296.00$3,000.00
Year 5$777.60$3,000.00
Year 6$466.56
Year 7$279.94
Year 8$167.96

Shows the annual deduction under each path. Multiply by your marginal rate for tax saving.

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Estimates only. Entity type (sole trader, company, trust), actual marginal rate, and SBE election status affect real outcomes. Speak to a registered tax agent for personal advice.

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FAQ
What is the 2025-26 instant asset write-off threshold?
The instant asset write-off threshold is $20,000 per asset for the 2025-26 financial year. Small businesses (aggregated turnover under $10 million) can instantly deduct the full cost of eligible assets.
Who is eligible for the instant asset write-off?
A business is eligible if it carries on a business with aggregated turnover under $10 million and it has elected to use small business simplified depreciation (Subdivision 328-D).
What happens to assets over $20,000?
Assets costing $20,000 or more are added to the small business simplified depreciation pool. Year-1 additions depreciate at 15% DV; the carried-forward pool balance depreciates at 30% DV in later years.
Can I claim IAWO on a second-hand asset?
Yes. Under small business simplified depreciation, both new and second-hand assets are eligible for the instant asset write-off as long as they're first used in the relevant year and the cost is under $20,000.
Is IAWO always better than normal depreciation?
Almost always, yes — IAWO gives you 100% of the deduction in year 1. On a net-present-value basis IAWO beats both Division 40 DV and Prime Cost. Exceptions: your marginal rate is 0% this year, your business has a loss, or you're not a small business entity.

Tax Accuracy & Sources

Reviewed: March 2026 · Tax year: 2025-26

Calculates the $20,000 instant asset write-off and small business simplified depreciation pool outcomes for 2024-25 and 2025-26. The tax saving is a simple marginal-rate estimate.


Last updated 26 May 2026 Tax year 2025-26

Data sources: ATO (ato.gov.au), Services Australia

This tool is general information only, not financial advice.

Reviewed by AusTax Tools Editorial Desk

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