Tax & government Australia
Bonus Tax Calculator Australia
A bonus feels smaller than expected because it lands on top of your salary and is taxed at your highest rate. This calculator adds the bonus to your salary, works out the extra tax and Medicare levy and HELP repayments, and shows what you actually keep.
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You keep
—Extra tax and deductions on the bonus
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Share of the bonus you keep
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Rate on the top of your salary
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Employer super on the bonus
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Take-home for the year with the bonus
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The working
Working with a different rate? Edit the rates this calculator uses
These are the figures we verified on 2026-10-26. Change them to work with a historic period, or with a new rate that has been announced but which we have not published yet.
Reduced from 16% on 1 July 2026
An estimate, not a payslip. General information and estimates only, not financial or tax advice. Rates, thresholds and rules change, so check the figures for your situation and speak to a registered adviser before you act.
How much tax do I pay on a bonus?
A bonus is taxed at your marginal rate, the rate on the top of your income, not at a flat rate. A $10,000 bonus on a $90,000 salary costs about $3,200 in extra tax, so you keep about $6,800, or 68% of it. Your payslip may withhold a different amount, which is settled at tax time.
Why a bonus can feel taxed heavily
Tax is charged by band. Your salary fills the lower bands, so a bonus sits in the top band you reach and is taxed at that rate. On a salary in the 30% band, a bonus is taxed at 30% plus the other charges that apply at that income. If the bonus pushes you over a band edge, the part above the edge is taxed at the next rate.
Spreading income across years, where you can, can lower the tax, but it is not usually in your control.
Ways to get more from a bonus
You may be able to ask to take part of a bonus as super contributions, which are taxed differently, or to defer it into the next tax year if your agreement allows it. Both have trade-offs, so check the rules and get advice before you change how you are paid.
To see the effect of a pay change, use the pay rise calculator.
How this is calculated
The rule, step by step, so you can check any figure by hand.
extra tax = tax on (salary + bonus) − tax on salary, using the resident tax bandsplus the Medicare levy and any HELP repayment on the extra incomeyou keep = bonus − extra tax and deductionsshare kept = you keep ÷ bonusrate on the top of your salary = extra tax on the next $1,000 ÷ $1,000
There is no special bonus tax. A bonus is ordinary income, added to your salary for the year and taxed through the same bands, so the part that falls in a higher band is taxed at the higher rate. That is why it can feel as though a bonus is taxed more heavily than your pay.
Your employer may withhold tax on the bonus using a different method, often a flat percentage or an annualised calculation, so the amount on your payslip can differ from the real extra tax. The difference is settled when your tax for the year is worked out: you may get some back or owe a little more.
A worked example
A salary of $90,000 with a $10,000 bonus.
- Extra tax and deductions$3,200
- You keep$6,800
- Share kept68%
- Employer super on the bonus$1,200
You keep about $6,800 of the $10,000 bonus.
A bonus paid in a year with lower income is taxed less.
Withholding versus final tax
Your employer withholds tax when the bonus is paid, based on its payroll rules. What counts is the tax on your total income for the year. If too much was withheld you receive a refund, and if too little you may have a small bill.
What it leaves out
Tax offsets, deductions and other income are not modelled, and the result assumes one main income. Employer contributions depend on your contract.
What this calculator does not do
- One main income
- Resident tax rates
- Withholding on the day may differ
- An estimate, not advice
Common questions
Is a bonus taxed at a higher rate?
It is taxed at your marginal rate, which can feel high because it sits on top of your salary.
Why is the tax on my payslip different?
Employers use their own withholding method, and the difference is settled at tax time.
Do I get super on a bonus?
Depending on your contract and the type of bonus, yes.
Can I reduce the tax on a bonus?
Possibly by contributing part of it to retirement savings; check the rules and get advice.
Will I get some of it back?
If too much was withheld, yes, when your tax for the year is worked out.
Where these numbers come from
- ATO — tax rates, Australian residents 2026-27 resident brackets and the 15% lowest rate
- MoneySmart — ASIC's money guidance Independent guidance on budgeting, renting and tax
Rates last verified 2026-10-26 Every figure Australian Taxation Office sets is re-checked against the source at least once a year, and again whenever a change is announced. Out of date? Tell us and we will fix it.
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