Most Australians leave hundreds on the table.
Don't be one of them. Estimate your work, property, and personal deductions in seconds, build your full return with verified 2025-26 ATO rates, and lodge with the ATO knowing exactly what to claim. No jargon, no signup just to look.
Trusted by Australians lodging their own return · Based on the ATO's published 2025-26 rates
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On $85,000 income — $518 of it from deductions you might be missing.
Illustrative figure. Your estimate updates with your own numbers below.
A guided path from rough guess to lodged return.
12 quick wins to estimate your position.
Slide to your situation and watch the numbers move. Add the ones that fit to build a running picture of your refund.
Work from homeWork from homeA deduction for the running costs of working from home — electricity, internet, phone and stationery.ATO rule: The fixed-rate method lets you claim $0.70 for every hour worked from home, as long as you keep a record of your hours (PCG 2023/1).See ATO reference
Claim a flat rate for every hour you work at home — energy, internet and phone bundled in.
Yearly deduction
$420
$0.70/hour · ≈ $134 back
Car trips for workCar trips for workA deduction for using your own car for work — between job sites, to meetings, or for work errands (not your normal commute).ATO rule: Under the cents-per-kilometre method you claim $0.88/km for up to 5,000 work kilometres a year, with a reasonable record of your trips.See ATO reference
Driving between jobs or sites? Claim 88 cents a kilometre, up to 5,000km a year.
Yearly deduction
$2,200
$0.88/km · ≈ $704 back
Phone & internetPhone & internetThe work-related share of your phone and internet bills.ATO rule: You can only claim the work-use portion. Keep a 4-week record to justify your percentage; we start from a conservative 30%.See ATO reference
The work share of your phone and internet bills is deductible. We start at 30%.
Yearly deduction
$360
30% work use · ≈ $115 back
Tools & equipmentTools & equipmentGear you buy to do your job — tools, a laptop, safety equipment.ATO rule: Items costing $300 or less are deductible in full this year. Over $300, you claim the decline in value (depreciation) over time.See ATO reference
Items under $300 are immediately deductible. Over $300 must be depreciated.
Yearly deduction
$0
≈ $0 back
Self-education
Courses directly related to your current job are deductible.
Yearly deduction
$0
≈ $0 back
Union & prof. fees
Union fees and professional association memberships are fully deductible.
Yearly deduction
$0
≈ $0 back
Rental property
See the tax impact of a negatively geared property.
Net loss deduction
$0
Assumes $30k rental income. ≈ $0 back
Franking credits
Franking credits on your dividends reduce your tax dollar for dollar.
Tax offset
$0
Directly reduces your tax bill.
Medicare Exemption
Not entitled to Medicare? With a valid exemption you skip the 2% levy.
Levy you'd save
$1,200
2% Medicare levy waived.
Working Holiday Maker
On a 417 or 462 visa? Your first $45,000 is taxed at a flat 15%.
Tax on WHM rates
$9,750
15% to $45k, then resident rates.
Medicare Levy Surcharge
Earn over $101k without private hospital cover? You're paying an extra tax.
Extra tax you're paying
$0
1% to 1.5% surcharge on top of standard levy.
My first tax return
New to lodging? See what you'd owe as a resident.
Estimated tax
$2,688
First $18,200 is tax-free.
Your return, built live.
The income side is free for everyone — adjust it and watch your refund move. The deductions side is where the real money hides: the Smart Advisor interviews you like an accountant would, and every claim shows the exact ATO rule behind it. Unlock it for $14.99.
This isn't just a calculator — it's a way to finally understand your own tax, even if you owe nothing this year:
- Why two people on the same salary walk away with very different refunds
- How super top-ups, negative gearing and franking credits really move your number
- When private hospital cover is cheaper than the Medicare surcharge it removes
- The legitimate deductions most people forget — with the ATO link that proves each one
Your income
Set your situation and figures. This side is always free and updates live.
Marginal rate 32% on your next dollar
For every $1 you claim as a deduction, you save about 32c in tax.
≈ $17,850 already sent to the ATO — the share of your gross withheld, from your payslips.
If you earn over $101k and answer No, you will be hit with the Medicare Levy Surcharge.
Without deductions
$138
estimated to pay · 21.2% effective rate
- Taxable income
- $85,000
- Income tax
- $16,288
- Medicare levy
- $1,700
- Tax withheld
- $17,850
Let's find what you're owed
A few plain questions, the way a good accountant would ask them. Say yes and I'll point you straight to the claim.
Do you ever work from home, even just checking emails?
Do you use your personal car for work errands or between jobs? (Commuting doesn't count)
Do you use your personal phone for work calls or two-factor authentication?
Do you wear a uniform with a company logo or protective clothing?
Did you buy any tools, tech, or equipment for work?
Are you studying anything related to your current job?
Are you a member of a union or professional association?
Full access
- Full refund builder across 15+ deduction categories
- Smart Advisor — accountant-style interview
- Side-by-side before and after refund comparison
- Pre-30-June tax strategies (super, private health, donations)
- Plain-English ATO reference behind every claim
- Full access through to the 31 October 2026 lodgment deadline
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one-time payment · FY2025-26 · no subscription
Understand your own tax, claim with confidence, and lodge it yourself — instant access.
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Side by side
What your refund looks like with nothing claimed, versus everything you’re entitled to.
Here's what changes when you claim everything you're entitled to. The $2,980 in deductions you've lined up lowers your taxable income from $85,000 — unlock the builder to see your exact new refund.
Without deductions
$138
estimated to pay · 21.2% effective rate
- Taxable income
- $85,000
- Income tax
- $16,288
- Medicare levy
- $1,700
- Tax withheld
- $17,850
How we calculate this
Resident tax rates. Income is taxed in steps for FY2025-26: nothing up to $18,200, then 16%, 30%, 37% and 45% on the slices above each threshold.
Medicare levy. A flat 2% of taxable income for most residents, shading in gently at lower incomes.
Low Income Tax Offset. Up to $700 comes off the tax of lower earners, phasing out by about $66,700.
Work-from-home. The fixed-rate method values every hour worked at home at $0.70 toward your deductions.
Deductions reduce your taxable income; we re-run the full assessment with and without them and show the difference. Estimates only — confirm with the ATO before lodging.
Questions, answered plainly
How Australian tax actually works
Four steps sit behind every refund. Once you can see them, every number on this page makes sense — and you can spot exactly where deductions do their work.
- 01
You earn income
Wages, rent, dividends, side income — everything you make through the year adds up to your assessable income.
- 02
Your employer withholds tax
Each payday your employer sends an estimate of your tax (PAYG) straight to the ATO on your behalf.
- 03
The ATO works out what you actually owe
At year end your income minus deductions sets your real tax bill, after offsets and the Medicare levy.
- 04
The difference is your refund or debt
Withheld more than you owe? That's your refund. Withheld less? You have a bill. Deductions shrink the bill.
The takeaway: a refund isn't a gift — it's your own money coming back because too much was withheld. Deductions lower the bill at step three, which grows the gap at step four.