How to calculate how much tax refund you will get

Tax Refund Calculator – Calculate your tax rebate today.

How to calculate your tax back…

• Select a tax year – you can only go back four tax years.
• Enter your total gross pay.
• Enter your total tax paid.

The tax refund calculator will give you an estimation of the refund you might be due if you have overpaid tax through your salary under PAYE.

If the calculator shows that you have not overpaid tax you may be due a refund for other reasons. In most cases you need to follow a specific process to claim back what you are owed otherwise your entitlement will not be refunded.

Please read on to find out more about tax refunds, the refund process and what you can do to make sure you don’t overpay income tax.

How does the Tax Refund Calculator work?

The main figures used to calculate a tax refund are:

1. The tax free personal allowance for the tax year. This means you only pay tax on earnings over the tax free allowance.

2. Any other income under PAYE for example from a pension.

3. Depending on how much you earn you can pay tax at different rates. The rates are currently 20%, 40%, and 45%.

4. Your tax code which can vary depending on different factors. If it’s wrong you can overpay or underpay tax. You can find out more about tax codes in our tax code guide.

The calculator does not take into consideration other reasons why you may have paid too much income tax. It will only let you know an estimate in circumstances where you have overpaid because of a reason like having an incorrect tax code or because you were made redundant.

Find out more about tax refunds

Finding out more about why you could be owed a tax refund can really pay off. Because there are a number of different reasons that can result in a tax refund being due it’s always best to discover which could apply to you for as far back as the last four tax years. You can then make an informed decision about what applies to you and avoid missing out on any entitlements you are eligible to.

If none of the options available apply to you currently they may in the future which means at least you know what can be done and when to make a claim.

• Income tax estimator

  This calculator will help you work out your tax refund or debt estimate. It can be used for the 2015–16 to 2021–22 income years.

  On this page

  • Before you use the calculator
  • What's new for 2021–22
  • Information you need for this calculator
  • When you can't use this calculator
  • Access the calculator

  Before you use the calculator

  For the 2019–20 to 2021–22 income years the calculator will estimate your tax payable and calculate your:

  • Medicare levy surcharge
  • Income Contingent Loan (ICL) repayments – study and training loan repayments, including Higher Education Loan Program (HELP), Student Start-up Loan (SSL), Student Financial Supplement Scheme (SFSS) and Trade Support Loan (TSL)
  • any tax offsets that may apply.

  For income years before 2019–20 the calculator will estimate your tax payable and calculate your:

  • Medicare levy surcharge
  • HELP, SSL or TSL repayment
  • SFSS repayment
  • any tax offsets that may apply.

  It will take these, along with other tax credits, into account when estimating your tax refund or debt.

  The calculated results are based on the information you provide at the time of the calculation. You should use these results as an estimate and for guidance purposes only.

  The exact amount of your tax payable or refund can only be calculated upon lodgment of your income tax return.

  What's new for 2021–22

  Low and middle income tax offset

  The low and middle income tax offset is available for the 2018–19, 2019–20,2020–21 and 2021–22 income years and is in addition to the low income tax offset if:

  • you are an Australian resident for tax purposes, and
  • your taxable income is in the appropriate income range.

  As announced in the 2022–23 federal Budget, the low and middle income tax offset has been increased by $420 for the 2021–22 income year. The base amount for the 2021–22 income year has increased to $675 and the full amount is $1500. If your taxable income is less than $126,000, you will get some or all of the low and middle income tax offset.

  The offset does not reduce your Medicare levy, but it reduces the income tax you pay, even down to zero.

  You do not need to claim this offset; we will work it out for you.

  For more information, see Low and middle income earners.

  Working holiday makers and non-discrimination article (NDA) country

  Eligible working holiday makers (WHMs) may be taxed on the same basis as a resident Australian national if you satisfy all the following – you are:

  > the holder of a visa subclass 417 Working Holiday or 462 Work and Holiday

  > a resident of Australia for tax purposes for the whole or part of the income year

  > from one of the following non-discrimination article (NDA) countries

  • Chile
  • Finland
  • Germany (for 2017–18 and later income years)
  • Israel (for 2020–21 and later income years)
  • Japan
  • Norway
  • Turkey
  • United Kingdom.

  You are a WHM if you have a visa subclass of:

  • 417 Working Holiday
  • 462 Work and Holiday (backpackers)
  • 408 (Pandemic eventExternal Link), where it was granted on or from 1 July 2019 to allow you to remain in Australia following the expiry of a 417 or 462 or certain bridging visas.

  The income tax estimator will ask you specific questions relating to your residency status including if you are a WHM and if you are from non-discrimination article (NDA) country.

  Information you need for this calculator

  • Total gross income payments you received.
  • Total amount of tax that was withheld.
  • Total amount of deductions to claim.
  • Your residency status for taxation purposes.
  • Details of your tax credits and any tax offsets you are entitled to claim.

  You may need additional information, depending on your circumstances and what you choose to calculate.

  When you can't use this calculator

  You will not be able to use this calculator if you:

  • had a spouse for only part of the year
  • had an employment termination payment
  • had a lump sum payment in arrears
  • had a lump sum payment because you retired or finished working in a job
  • were under 18 years and had unearned income such as interest, dividends or other investment income
  • received credit for any tax paid by a trustee
  • had exempt foreign employment income
  • had an amount released under the First home super saver scheme
  • had income that was subject to averaging
  • had superannuation concessional contributions more than your concessional contributions cap.

  Access the calculator

  Our calculator will take between 15 and 25 minutes to use.

  Simple tax calculator

  Use the Simple tax calculator to work out just the tax you owe on your taxable income for the full income year.

  This calculator will help you work out your tax refund or debt estimate. It can be used for the 2015–16 to 2021–22 income years.Last modified: 01 Jul 2022QC 16693