How to use the Capital Gains Tax Calculator
- 1 Enter the sale price minus selling costs such as agent fees.
- 2 Enter the cost base: purchase price plus costs such as stamp duty and legal fees.
- 3 Enter any capital losses and your other taxable income.
- 4 Choose whether you held the asset for 12 months or more, then read the tax on the gain.
Worked example
Shares bought for $500,000 and sold for $650,000 after two years, with $90,000 of other income. The gain is $150,000. The 50% discount leaves $75,000 to add to income. Tax rises from $19,320 to $45,420, so the tax on the gain is about $26,100, around 17.4% of the gain.
Features
50% discount
Halves the gain for individuals who held the asset at least 12 months.
Your marginal rate
Adds the gain to your income and taxes it at 2026-27 rates with Medicare.
Before and after
Shows your tax with and without the gain.
When to use it
Selling shares
Estimate tax before you sell a parcel of shares.
Investment property
Work out tax on selling a rental.
Timing a sale
See the saving from waiting past 12 months.
Low-income years
See the benefit of selling in a year with less income.
Frequently asked questions
How is capital gains tax worked out in Australia?
There is no separate CGT rate. Your net capital gain is added to your taxable income and taxed at your marginal rate, plus the Medicare levy.
What is the CGT discount?
Individuals and trusts that hold an asset for at least 12 months can reduce the gain by 50%. Companies do not get the discount.
Is my home exempt?
Your main residence is usually exempt. A home that was rented out or used for business may be partly taxable.
What goes in the cost base?
The purchase price plus costs such as stamp duty, legal fees, and capital improvements. For rentals, some depreciation reduces the cost base.
When is the gain taxed?
In the financial year you sign the contract to sell, not when settlement happens.
Can losses reduce my gain?
Capital losses reduce capital gains before the discount. Unused losses carry forward to future years but cannot reduce salary income.
Can I reduce CGT with super?
Making a deductible personal super contribution in the year of a large gain can lower your taxable income, within the concessional contribution cap. Get advice before relying on it.
Does CGT apply to crypto?
Yes. The ATO treats cryptocurrency as a CGT asset, so selling, swapping or spending it can create a capital gain or loss.
What about foreign residents?
Foreign residents cannot use the 50% discount for periods after 8 May 2012 and pay CGT mainly on Australian real property.
Do I need records?
Yes. Keep records of purchase dates, prices, costs and sale details for five years after the sale, because the ATO can ask for them.
Results are estimates based on the official rates linked above. Confirm important figures with the issuing authority or a qualified adviser before you act on them.
Reviewed by ToolsUnlocked Team · Last updated