Australian Capital
Gains Tax Calculator

What Is Capital Gains Tax (CGT) in Australia?

Capital Gains Tax (CGT) is the tax you pay on the profit made from selling or disposing of an asset that has increased in value. In Australia, CGT is not a separate tax — it is part of your income tax system. When you sell a CGT asset such as shares, property, or cryptocurrency for more than you paid for it, the difference is a “capital gain,” and this gain is added to your assessable income for the financial year.

Our Capital Gains Tax Calculator Australia helps you estimate exactly how much CGT you might owe by factoring in the sale price, purchase price, allowable costs, capital losses, the CGT discount, and your marginal tax rate.

How Our CGT Calculator Australia Works

The CGT calculator Australia tool on this page follows the official ATO calculation method. Here is the step-by-step process:

1. Enter capital proceeds — the sale price of your asset.
2. Enter the cost base — what you paid for the asset plus allowable costs (stamp duty, legal fees, brokerage, improvements, etc.).
3. Calculate the gross capital gain — sale price minus total cost base.
4. Apply capital losses — current-year and carried-forward losses are deducted before the discount.
5. Apply the CGT discount — 50% for individuals and trusts held 12+ months, 33.33% for super funds, 0% for companies.
6. Calculate tax payable — the net capital gain is added to your income and taxed at your 2025-26 marginal rate.

2025-26 ATO Income Tax Rates and Brackets

Because CGT is taxed at your marginal income tax rate, knowing the current ATO brackets is essential. The 2025-26 financial year rates for Australian residents are:

A 2% Medicare Levy applies on top for most taxpayers. Our calculator includes an option to include the Medicare levy in your estimate.

The 50% CGT Discount Rule (12-Month Rule)

One of the most valuable CGT concessions is the 50% discount. If you are an individual or trust and you have held an asset for more than 12 months, you may reduce your capital gain by 50% before applying your marginal tax rate. This effectively halves the taxable portion of your gain.

• Individuals and trusts: 50% discount (held 12+ months)
• Complying super funds: 33.33% discount (held 12+ months)
• Companies: No CGT discount
• Foreign residents: Limited access to the CGT discount for gains accruing after 8 May 2012

The clock starts the day after you acquire the asset. Our calculator includes a holding period tracker that tells you whether your sale qualifies for the discount.

The 5 ATO Cost Base Elements

Your cost base is what you paid to acquire, own, and dispose of the asset. A higher cost base means a lower capital gain and less CGT. The ATO recognises five cost base elements:

Capital Losses and the ATO Ordering Rule

If you make a capital loss, you cannot deduct it from your salary or wages. However, you can use capital losses to reduce capital gains. The ATO has a strict ordering rule: capital losses must be applied before the 50% CGT discount. Current-year losses are applied first, then carried-forward losses from previous years. Unused capital losses carry forward indefinitely — there is no expiry date.

Many investors make the mistake of applying the discount before losses, which results in paying more tax than necessary. Our calculator applies losses in the correct ATO order.

CGT by State: NSW, QLD, SA, WA and Other Jurisdictions

Capital Gains Tax is a federal tax administered by the ATO, so the core rules, rates, and discounts are the same across all Australian states and territories. Whether you are using a capital gains tax calculator NSW, capital gains tax calculator QLD, capital gains tax calculator SA, or capital gains tax calculator WA, the federal CGT rules apply identically.

However, state-specific considerations can affect your overall tax position:

• New South Wales (NSW): Land tax and stamp duty rules vary. NSW stamp duty on property purchases forms part of your cost base (Element 2).
• Queensland (QLD): QLD stamp duty and land tax considerations apply to property investments. Foreign acquirer duty may apply to foreign investors.
• South Australia (SA): SA stamp duty on property purchases is included in your cost base. Foreign beneficiary surcharges may apply.
• Western Australia (WA): WA stamp duty and land tax considerations apply. Foreign transfer duty may apply to foreign persons buying residential property.

Regardless of which state you are in, our calculator applies the same ATO federal CGT rules. State-specific stamp duty and transaction costs should be entered in the appropriate cost base fields.

Main Residence Exemption and the 6-Year Absence Rule

Your home is generally exempt from CGT if it has always been your main residence. If you move out and rent it out, the “6-year absence rule” allows you to continue treating it as your main residence for up to 6 years while it is rented, provided you do not nominate another property as your main residence during that time.

If the property was only partly your main residence (for example, you used part of it for business or rented out a room), only a proportion of the gain is exempt, calculated based on the days it was not your main residence.

Cryptocurrency and CGT

The ATO treats cryptocurrency as property, not currency. Every disposal of crypto is a potential CGT event, including:

• Selling crypto for AUD
• Swapping one cryptocurrency for another
• Spending crypto on goods or services
• Converting crypto to stablecoins

The ATO receives transaction data directly from Australian exchanges through its data-matching program. There is a personal use exemption for crypto under $10,000 used directly to buy goods or services (not held as an investment), but this does not apply to crypto held for investment purposes.

CGT Record Keeping Requirements

The ATO requires you to keep CGT records for at least 5 years after lodging your tax return for the relevant income year. If you still hold the asset, you must keep records for the entire ownership period plus 5 years after disposal.

Essential records include:

• Purchase date and price (contract notes for shares)
• All cost base items (stamp duty, legal fees, improvements, agent fees)
• Sale date and price
• Dividend reinvestment plan (DRP) statements
• Records of corporate actions (share splits, consolidations, mergers)

Upcoming CGT Changes from 1 July 2027

The Australian Government announced CGT reforms in the 2026-27 Federal Budget that will take effect from 1 July 2027:

• The 50% CGT discount will be replaced with cost base indexation for gains arising after 1 July 2027
• A minimum 30% tax rate will apply to capital gains
• The changes will affect shares, property, crypto, and other CGT assets held outside superannuation
• Gains accrued before 1 July 2027 remain under the current discount rules

Our calculator uses the current 2025-26 ATO rules. If you are planning to sell after 1 July 2027, please consult a registered tax agent about how the new rules will affect you.

How to Use This Capital Gains Tax Calculator

1. Select your taxpayer type — Individual, Trust, Super Fund, Company, or Foreign Resident.
2. Choose your asset type — Shares/ETFs, Property, Crypto, or Other.
3. Enter purchase and sale dates — to determine if you qualify for the 12-month discount.
4. Enter sale price and purchase price — the core figures for your capital gain calculation.
5. Add cost base elements — use the Advanced tab to include stamp duty, legal fees, brokerage, improvements, and other costs.
6. Enter capital losses — current-year and carried-forward losses.
7. Enter your annual income — to estimate your marginal tax rate and tax payable on the gain.
8. Click Calculate — see your estimated CGT liability, effective rate, and bracket visualisation.

Conclusion

Capital Gains Tax can be complex, but understanding the fundamentals helps you make informed investment decisions. Whether you are selling shares, investment property, cryptocurrency, or other assets in NSW, QLD, SA, WA, or anywhere else in Australia, our free Capital Gains Tax Calculator gives you an instant estimate based on the latest ATO 2025-26 rules.

Remember, CGT rules change — particularly with the upcoming 2027 reforms. Always keep accurate records and consult a registered tax agent for personalised advice before making financial decisions.