Australian tax year guides 2025-26 to 2027-28
Salary benchmarks, take-home breakdowns, bracket comparisons and planning tools across three Australian financial years.
2025-26
Current filing year — rates confirmed by ATO
- Resident tax rates continue from post-Stage 3 settings.
- SG rate is 12% from 1 July 2025.
- HELP repayment uses the new marginal method.
2026-27
Forward planning year — legislated rates
- The 16% resident bracket is legislated to reduce to 15% from 1 July 2026.
- Payday super is legislated to commence from 1 July 2026.
- Use estimates for planning until ATO schedules are finalized.
2027-28
Forward planning year — legislated rates
- The 15% bracket is legislated to reduce to 14% from 1 July 2027.
- LISTO threshold and cap proposals are currently in policy workflow.
- Model cashflow scenarios early and update when final instruments publish.
Popular salary checkpoints
Take-home pay, tax breakdown, Medicare levy and effective rate for 2025-26.
All 44 salary checkpoints
Check by pay frequency
Find your take-home by the way you actually get paid.
Weekly pay
All 24 weekly levels →Fortnightly pay
All 20 fortnightly levels →Compare across tax years
See the exact bracket difference from 2025-26 through 2027-28.
Salary vs salary comparisons
Comparing two job offers, or modelling a raise? See the after-tax difference.
HELP/HECS repayment impact
See the take-home pay difference — with and without a HELP debt.
Related calculators
Use these tools alongside the tax year benchmarks to model your full tax position.
Key policy changes by year
Legislated changes that help you plan ahead.
2025-26 Current
- Resident tax rates continue from post-Stage 3 settings.
- SG rate is 12% from 1 July 2025.
- HELP repayment uses the new marginal method.
2026-27
- The 16% resident bracket is legislated to reduce to 15% from 1 July 2026.
- Payday super is legislated to commence from 1 July 2026.
- Use estimates for planning until ATO schedules are finalized.
2027-28
- The 15% bracket is legislated to reduce to 14% from 1 July 2027.
- LISTO threshold and cap proposals are currently in policy workflow.
- Model cashflow scenarios early and update when final instruments publish.
Tax planning resources
Deeper reading to help you make informed decisions alongside the numbers.
Frequently asked questions
When does the Australian financial year start and end?
The Australian financial year runs from 1 July to 30 June the following year. For example, the 2025-26 financial year starts on 1 July 2025 and ends on 30 June 2026. Tax returns for each financial year are generally due by 31 October.
What are the current income tax brackets for 2025-26?
For 2025-26 the tax-free threshold is $18,200, then 16% applies up to $45,000, 30% up to $135,000, 37% up to $190,000, and 45% above $190,000. Most residents also pay a 2% Medicare levy on taxable income above the levy threshold.
How do tax brackets change from 2025-26 to 2027-28?
From 2026-27 the 16% rate drops to 15% and the 30% bracket threshold rises to $144,000. In 2027-28 the rate drops again to 14% with the 30% bracket extending to $153,000. These legislated changes mean slightly more take-home pay each year for the same gross salary.
Does my HELP/HECS debt change my take-home pay?
Yes. If you have a HELP, HECS-HELP, or VSL debt, compulsory repayments are withheld from your pay once your repayment income exceeds the threshold (currently $54,435 for 2025-26). The repayment rate is tiered from 1% up to 10%, so the impact grows as your income rises.
What is the Medicare levy and who pays it?
The Medicare levy is a 2% charge on your taxable income that funds Australia's public health system. Most taxpayers pay it, but low-income earners below the threshold receive a reduction or full exemption. A separate Medicare levy surcharge of 1% to 1.5% may apply if you earn above $93,000 and do not hold private hospital cover.