Capital gains tax calculator — Australia
Tax on a share or property sale, with the 50% discount for assets held over twelve months and losses applied in the right order.
Covers 2026–27 income year · rates as at 2026-07-01
Capital gains tax
Estimate$5,280.00
the 50% discount saved 5,840 — held 30 months
- Gross gain
- $33,000
- Taxable gain
- $16,500
- Effective rate on the gain
- 16%
| Proceeds | $85,000 |
|---|---|
| Cost base | -$52,000 |
| Gross gain | $33,000 |
| Carried-forward losses | $0.00 |
| 50% discount | -$16,500 |
| Taxable gain | $16,500 |
A $33,000 gain held 30 months is discounted to $16,500 of taxable gain, roughly halving the tax against selling at month 11.
How this is calculated
How this is calculated
Losses first, then the discount
Carried-forward losses reduce the gross gain before the 50% discount is applied. Doing it the other way round — discounting first — understates the tax and is the most common ordering error.
taxable = (gain − losses) × (1 − 50% if held > 12 months)The discount is a cliff at twelve months
More than twelve months of ownership halves the taxable gain; twelve months exactly does not qualify. On a $33,000 gain at a 39% marginal rate that timing is worth about $6,400.
The gain is taxed at your marginal rate
There is no separate CGT rate in Australia. The discounted gain is added to your income, so the same sale costs 32% for someone on $88,000 and 47% for someone on $200,000.
Worked example: A $33,000 gain on shares held 30 months
| Sale price | $85,000 |
|---|---|
| Cost base | $52,000 |
| Held | 30 months |
| Other income | $110,000 |
| Gross gain | $33,000 |
|---|---|
| After 50% discount | $16,500 |
| Tax | at your marginal rate |
Selling the same parcel at month 11 instead removes the discount and roughly doubles the bill — the single most expensive timing decision most investors make.
What this assumes
- The asset is not your main residence.
- You are an individual, not a company or trust.
- Cost base includes brokerage and improvements.
- Full-year Australian tax resident.
Where this commonly goes wrong
- Twelve months exactly does not qualify — the discount needs more than twelve months, counted from contract date to contract date, not settlement.
- Main-residence and small-business concessions can reduce or remove the gain entirely, and neither is modelled here.
- A capital loss can only offset a capital gain, never salary income, and unused losses carry forward indefinitely rather than expiring.
Questions
How is capital gains tax calculated in Australia?
There is no separate CGT rate. The gain, after losses and any 50% discount, is added to your taxable income and taxed at your marginal rate — so the same sale costs a $200,000 earner far more than a $60,000 earner.
What is the 50% CGT discount?
Individuals who have held an asset for more than twelve months are taxed on only half the gain. On a $33,000 gain that halves the taxable amount to $16,500, which at a 39% marginal rate saves about $6,400.
Does the twelve months run from settlement?
No — from contract date to contract date. That distinction routinely moves a sale across the line, because settlement can be weeks after the contract on both the purchase and the sale.
What goes into the cost base?
The purchase price plus brokerage on both ends, stamp duty, legal fees and capital improvements. Every dollar added reduces the gain, so leaving out $2,000 of brokerage costs about $390 in tax at 39%.
Can I use losses from previous years?
Yes, and they apply before the discount. Losses carry forward indefinitely but can only offset capital gains, never salary income, which is why a loss-making year is worth reporting even with nothing to offset.
When do I pay it?
It is assessed with your income tax return for the year the contract was signed, not the year settlement occurred. A June contract settling in August belongs to the earlier income year.
Related tools
Sources
General estimate based on published ATO rates for the 2026–27 income year. Not tax advice, and it does not consider your objectives, financial situation or needs. Confirm your position with the ATO or a registered tax agent.
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