Should I Separate GST from Income?
If you are GST registered, GST collected is not the same as spendable income. The buffer app treats GST as a separate bucket so the reserve rule reflects what is actually yours after tax obligations.
Build a GST-aware reserve rule Check BAS impact next
Why GST should not sit in the same pile as income
When GST is mixed into day-to-day spending, it is easier to overestimate what is safe to keep. Separating it forces a cleaner view of net revenue, tax reserves, and actual spendable cash.
How the buffer app handles it
The app estimates a GST bucket after eligible expense credits, then layers income tax and optional super on top. That keeps the reserve rule closer to how cash pressure actually feels across a year.
Next steps
Use the tax buffer calculator when you want the dollars-per-100 rule. Use the BAS Calculator when you want statement-style GST and PAYG detail.