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Capital gains tax calculator

See how much extra tax a capital gain adds to your return, with the 50% discount for assets held at least 12 months and any capital losses applied first.

Tax year 2026–27 Rules checked: November 2026 How we calculate

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$

Purchase price plus buying and selling costs (brokerage, stamp duty, legal fees, capital improvements).

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More options
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Extra tax from the gain$8,000incl. Medicare levy
Net capital gain (taxable)
$25,000
Effective rate on the whole gain
16.0%
Kept after tax
$42,000
Capital proceeds
$150,000.00
Less cost base
−$100,000.00
Capital gain
$50,000.00
Less 50% CGT discount
−$25,000.00
Net capital gain added to taxable income
$25,000.00
Taxable income with the gain
$110,000
Extra tax and Medicare levy
$8,000.00
  • Your main residence is usually exempt. Assets bought before 20 September 1985 are generally CGT-free.

This is an estimate based on published rates, not tax or financial advice. Your payslip or assessment may differ. We are an independent site, not affiliated with any government agency.

How capital gains tax is worked out

  1. Capital gain = capital proceeds − cost base. The cost base includes what you paid plus incidental costs: brokerage, stamp duty, legal fees, and the cost of improvements.
  2. Subtract capital losses from this year or carried forward.
  3. Apply the 50% CGT discount if you are an Australian resident individual and held the asset for 12 months or more. Superannuation funds get one-third; companies get none.
  4. Add the net capital gain to your taxable income. The extra tax is the difference between your tax with and without the gain, including the Medicare levy.

Because the gain sits on top of your other income, a large gain can push part of it into a higher bracket.

Worked example: $50,000 gain on shares held two years

Shares sold for $150,000, cost base $100,000, salary $85,000, held 2 years

The gain is $50,000. After the 50% discount, $25,000 is added to taxable income, taking it from $85,000 to $110,000 — all within the 30% bracket. With the 2% Medicare levy the extra tax is $8,000, an effective 16% of the whole gain.

Extra tax from the gain$8,000incl. Medicare levy
Net capital gain (taxable)
$25,000
Effective rate on the whole gain
16.0%
Kept after tax
$42,000
Capital proceeds
$150,000.00
Less cost base
−$100,000.00
Capital gain
$50,000.00
Less 50% CGT discount
−$25,000.00
Net capital gain added to taxable income
$25,000.00
Taxable income with the gain
$110,000
Extra tax and Medicare levy
$8,000.00

Sell the same shares after 11 months instead and the full $50,000 is taxable: $16,000. That lifts taxable income to exactly $135,000, the top of the 30% bracket — any larger gain would start paying 37%.

What changed for 2026–27

The CGT rules themselves did not change. The 15% rate on income between $18,201 and $45,000 means people with low other income pay a little less on a gain. Proposals to change the discount have been debated, but none applies to 2026–27.

Tips

  • Keep records of the cost base from the day you buy, including reinvested dividends for shares.
  • Hold for 12 months where you can — the discount halves the taxable gain.
  • Realise losses in the same year as gains, but beware of “wash sales” that the ATO can disallow.
  • Spread gains across years if your income will be lower next year, for example after retiring.
  • Crypto counts. Swapping one coin for another is a CGT event, not only selling for dollars.

Questions people ask

Is there a separate capital gains tax rate in Australia?

No. Your net capital gain is added to your taxable income and taxed at your marginal rate, plus the Medicare levy.

How does the 50% discount work?

Australian resident individuals who held an asset for at least 12 months before the CGT event can reduce the gain by half, after applying capital losses.

When does the CGT event happen?

For most sales, when you enter into the contract — not settlement. A property contract signed on 25 June 2026 belongs to the 2025–26 income year even if it settles in July.

Can a capital loss reduce my salary income?

No. Capital losses can only offset capital gains. Unused losses are carried forward indefinitely.

Does selling my home trigger CGT?

Usually not. Your main residence is generally exempt, although renting it out or using it to earn income can make part of the gain taxable.

Official sources

Rules checked: November 2026.

This is an estimate based on published rates, not tax or financial advice. Your payslip or assessment may differ. We are an independent site, not affiliated with any government agency. Read the full disclaimer.