Frequently Asked Questions

On $80,000 gross in 2025–26, you're looking at roughly $14,788 income tax plus about $1,600 Medicare (2%). That leaves around $63,612 take-home — about $5,301 a month. HECS, salary sacrifice or a second job will shift those numbers.

You don't pay income tax on the first $18,200 you earn each year. Below that, your tax bill is zero. The Low Income Tax Offset (LITO) can knock up to $700 off tax for lower earners. Make sure you've ticked the tax-free threshold with your main employer so PAYG isn't withheld too aggressively.

It's 2% of your taxable income and it funds Medicare. Most residents pay the full amount. Earn under $26,000 and you may pay nothing or a reduced rate. Skip private hospital cover while earning above $93,000? You might also cop the Medicare Levy Surcharge on top.

Usually no — employer super sits on top of your wage and doesn't come out of your take-home pay. The guarantee rate is 12% from 1 July 2025. If your contract says 'total package including super', then part of that headline figure is super, not cash in hand.

Once your repayment income tops about $54,435 (2025–26), the ATO starts taking a percentage through PAYG — from 1% at the low end up to 10% on higher incomes. There's no interest, but the balance gets indexed to CPI each year.

Take your gross annual salary, subtract tax, Medicare and HECS, then divide by 52 for weekly or 26 for fortnightly. Or skip the maths and use the calculator above — it shows every pay cycle at once.

We use the ATO's published 2025–26 brackets, including the Stage 3 rates (16% and 30% in the middle bands). They're solid estimates for a standard PAYG job. Offsets, multiple employers, investment income or residency quirks can change your real bill — a tax agent is worth a call if your situation isn't straightforward.

Super guarantee went up to 12% from 1 July 2025. Income tax brackets stayed put after the Stage 3 cuts — still 16% on earnings between $18,201 and $45,000, and 30% up to $135,000.