Rates, sources and assumptions
Checked 10 September 2026. These are current-settings illustrations, not forecasts or government entitlement decisions. All amounts are Australian dollars.
Family income: FY2026–27
| Setting | Used in this calculator | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Resident income tax | 0%, 15%, 30%, 37%, 45%; thresholds $18,200 / $45,000 / $135,000 / $190,000. LITO up to $700. | ATO |
| FTB Part A | Annual standard $6,139.30 under 13; $7,989.85 age 13–19 in qualifying study. Base $1,971. Free areas $69,131 and $123,078. Supplement up to $970.90 per child; nil above $80,000 ATI. | DSS annual rates |
| FTB Part B | Annual standard $5,223.15 youngest under 5; $3,646.35 older eligible child. Primary limit $124,327; secondary free area $7,154. Maximum supplement $478.15, subject to the income test. | DSS income test |
| Child Care Subsidy | Standard: 90% to $88,520, tapering to nil at $538,520. Higher rate: 95% to $146,437; taper to 80% at $191,437; 80% to $270,727; taper to 50% at $360,727; 50% to $370,727, then standard. Centre-based below-school-age cap $15.19/hour from 6 July 2026. | DSS thresholds · hourly caps |
| HELP repayments | Nil to $69,528; 15% above that to $129,717; then $9,028.35 plus 17% of the excess, capped at 10% of repayment income. Assumes debt exceeds the repayment. | 2026–27 statutory thresholds · Study Assist |
| Medicare levy surcharge | Single tiers $105,000 / $123,000 / $164,000. Family tiers $210,000 / $246,000 / $328,000; plus $1,500 per dependent child after the first. Rates 1%, 1.25%, 1.5% apply to taxable income, not just the excess. Full-year cover assumption; individual low-income exemption applies. | Australian Government PrivateHealth.gov.au |
| Rent Assistance with FTB | 20 March 2026 settings: annual maximum $6,723.30 with 1–2 children or $7,599.30 with 3+. Minimum annual rent $7,836.55 couple / $5,299.80 single. Tapers with FTB A, with proportional apportionment. | DSS Rent Assistance · apportionment |
FTB and Rent Assistance use the published annual amounts, avoiding the understatement from multiplying rounded fortnightly FTB by 26. Weekly results divide annual results by 52. Childcare assumes 52 weeks of fees, 10-hour sessions, all entered children aged 5 or under attending care and the same fee and days per child. The higher rate is allocated to younger eligible children. The model assumes 100 subsidised hours per fortnight when the lower earner works, otherwise the 72-hour guarantee. It does not infer actual CCS activity eligibility or include the usual 5% withholding, which affects cash flow rather than final entitlement.
Income means taxable wages plus other taxable income; other income is split equally for couples. The model assumes taxable income equals adjusted taxable income. It excludes deductions, salary sacrifice, fringe benefits, net investment losses, child support, shared care, part-year entitlements, paid parental leave and income-support exemptions. Children aged 16–19 are assumed to meet secondary-study requirements. Income-split comparisons do not establish that income can legally be reassigned.
Retirement: current pension settings
| Setting | Used in this calculator | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Maximum pension, 20 March 2026 | $1,200.90 single / $1,810.40 couple combined per fortnight, including supplements. | Services Australia |
| Income test, 1 July 2026 | Free area $226 single / $396 couple combined per fortnight. Taper 50c per $1 for a single, or 25c each member of a couple. Work Bonus $300 per fortnight per eligible worker; accumulated bank not included in ongoing results. | Income test · Work Bonus |
| Assets test, 1 July 2026 | Homeowner free area: $333,000 single / $499,000 couple. Non-homeowner: $600,000 / $766,000. Combined taper $3 per $1,000 per fortnight. | Assets test |
| Deeming | 1.25% on the first $66,800 single / $110,600 couple with a pensioner, then 3.25%. | Deeming |
The first person is assumed aged 67 or over and to meet residence requirements. A partner may be under 67; partner wages and actual investment income are not entered in this version. Enter assessable financial assets, including assessable account-based pensions, but excluding a younger partner's exempt accumulation super. The home is excluded. User-entered withdrawals from a taxed super fund are treated as tax free for the modelled over-67 recipient. Withdrawals may spend capital: the result does not show a sustainable income or how long savings last, and does not check minimum pension drawdowns. Annual pension amounts are the fortnightly rate multiplied by 26.
Retirement tax uses the 2026–27 resident scale and retained SAPTO settings (maximum $2,230 single / $1,602 partnered; reduction starts at rebate income $34,919 / $30,994). The estimate omits unused spouse SAPTO transfers, family Medicare reductions, Medicare levy surcharge, Rent Assistance, DVA, overseas, transitional and pre-2015 grandfathered pension rules. These limitations can materially change the result. ATO SAPTO information.
Dates that matter
Next pension and Rent Assistance review: 20 September 2026. This release uses rates effective on 10 September, not future rates. Commonwealth Seniors Health Card limits are $101,105 single / $161,768 couple, effective 20 September 2025; card information is illustrative, not an eligibility determination.
Both tools use current-law Medicare low-income thresholds: $28,011 ordinary single, $44,268 eligible senior single, and $47,238 family plus $4,338 per dependent child in the family calculator. These may be increased retrospectively for FY2026–27. Recheck before relying on a tax-return estimate.
Free tools, supported by an accounting practice
J & S Hain Tax Advisory provides these calculators as free educational resources. Tax and accounting enquiries are welcome. No financial products, investments, funds, asset allocations or contribution strategies are recommended. For financial-product advice, speak to an appropriately licensed adviser. For payment eligibility, contact Services Australia.