Estimate your tax refund or amount owing. Enter your income, the tax your employer withheld, and your deductions to see whether you'll get money back. Updated for 2026-27 tax brackets.
Your employer withheld $20,000 but you only owe $16,920 in tax. The difference of $3,080 is your estimated refund.
| Component | Amount |
|---|---|
| Gross income | $85,000 |
| Less: deductions | −$2,500 |
| Taxable income | $82,500 |
| Income tax | $15,270 |
| Medicare levy | $1,650 |
| Total tax owed | $16,920 |
| Tax withheld | $20,000 |
| Estimated refund | $3,080 |
Add work-related expenses, home office costs, or donations to see how they increase your refund. Each dollar of deductions reduces your taxable income — and the tax saving depends on your marginal rate.
Toggle HELP on to see how compulsory repayments affect your refund. Many people are surprised by the size of the HELP repayment, especially after a pay rise pushes them into a higher repayment band.
If your employer withheld too much or too little, this is the main driver of whether you get a refund or owe money. Compare the withheld amount on your payment summary against what the calculator shows as total tax owed.
If you're expecting a refund, consider how to make it work for you — whether that's a deposit on a car, paying down debt, or getting ahead on loan repayments.
Your estimated refund of $3,080 could be a deposit on a car loan or a lump payment on existing debt. See what a new loan would cost with that as a head start.
Enter your email and we'll send you a link to this calculation so you can revisit it later.
Your tax refund (or amount owing) is the difference between the tax your employer withheld during the year (shown on your PAYG payment summary or income statement) and the tax you actually owe based on your taxable income. If your employer withheld more than you owe, you get a refund. If they withheld less, you owe the ATO the difference.
Your employer reports your income and tax withheld to the ATO. You can find this on your PAYG payment summary (if issued) or your income statement in myGov / ATO online services. Most employers pre-fill this information in your tax return from early August each year.
Common deductions include work-related expenses (uniforms, tools, vehicle/travel for work), home office costs, self-education expenses, donations to registered charities, and income protection insurance premiums. You must have spent the money yourself, it must be directly related to earning your income, and you need records (receipts, diary entries, logbooks) to substantiate the claim.
A tax return is the form you lodge with the ATO each year declaring your income and deductions. A tax refund is money the ATO pays back to you if your employer withheld more tax than you actually owe. You lodge a tax return; you receive a tax refund (or owe a tax debt).
You can lodge your tax return from 1 July each year for the financial year just ended. If you lodge yourself, the deadline is 31 October. If you use a registered tax agent, they can usually lodge later (often up to May the following year). The ATO recommends waiting until late July or August to ensure your employer and other income data has been pre-filled.
Yes. If your repayment income exceeds the minimum threshold ($54,435 in 2024-25), a compulsory repayment is calculated and reduces your refund or increases your amount owing. The repayment rate ranges from 1% to 10% depending on your income. This calculator includes HELP repayments when toggled on.
Common reasons include: your employer already adjusted withholding to account for the tax-free threshold and LITO; you earned additional income (interest, dividends, side jobs) that wasn't taxed at source; you had fewer deductions than expected; or you have a HELP debt that triggered a compulsory repayment.
The results are estimates based on ATO tax rates, Medicare levy, and LITO. Your actual refund or amount owing may differ due to private health insurance adjustments, Medicare levy surcharge, multiple income sources, capital gains, government offsets, or other factors. Use this calculator for planning — your actual tax return will be calculated by the ATO based on all your declared information.
Results are estimates only and should not be relied upon for financial decisions. Actual tax repayments will depend on the lender, your credit profile, and the specific terms offered. Interest rates used are for illustration purposes only and may not reflect current market rates.
Subject to lender approval, terms and conditions apply.
This calculator is general information only and is not financial advice.