Tax withheld calculator 2026-27

Work out how much PAYG tax your employer withholds from each weekly, fortnightly or monthly pay in 2026-27. It uses the ATO withholding formulas that payroll software uses, including the tax-free threshold, the Medicare levy and HELP repayments.

Your pay

Gross pay for the period

Pay period

Residency for tax

Medicare levy exemption

I gave my employer my tax file numberI claim the tax-free threshold from this employerI have a HELP or other study loan

Tax withheld

$438

per fortnight

Take-home pay

$2,062

ATO scale used

Scale 2

If you are paid this every fortnight for all of 2026-27, about $11,388 is withheld against $11,295 of tax for the year, so you would be ahead by about $93 at tax time.

Tax withheld from a fortnightly pay, 2026-27

Fortnightly pay	Claiming tax-free threshold	No tax-free threshold	Threshold + HELP
$1,000	$42	$180	$42
$1,500	$148	$336	$148
$2,000	$276	$498	$276
$2,500	$438	$658	$438
$3,000	$598	$818	$648
$4,000	$918	$1,138	$1,118
$5,000	$1,238	$1,494	$1,588

How PAYG withholding is worked out

Your pay is converted to a weekly amount: whole dollars plus 99 cents.
The ATO scale that fits you is applied: scale 2 if you claim the tax-free threshold, scale 1 if you do not, scale 3 for foreign residents, and scales 5 and 6 for Medicare levy exemptions.
The weekly amount is rounded to the nearest dollar and converted back to your pay period.
If you have a HELP or other study loan, a separate study loan amount is added.

The amounts match the ATO's published 2026-27 sample data. Withholding is an estimate of your tax, not the final amount: compare it with what you actually owe using the tax return calculator, or see your yearly take-home pay with the pay calculator.

What this calculator leaves out

Tax offsets claimed on a withholding declaration, and Medicare levy adjustments for a spouse or dependants.
Working holiday makers, who use a separate withholding schedule.
Bonuses and back payments, which use a separate method, and years with 53 weekly or 27 fortnightly pays.

Sources: ATO Schedule 1: statement of formulas and ATO Schedule 8: study and training support loans. Maintained by James Crawford; last updated 21 October 2026. How our calculators work.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much tax is taken out of my pay?

It depends on your pay, how often you are paid, whether you claim the tax-free threshold from this employer, and whether you have a HELP debt. Employers use the ATO withholding formulas, which aim to withhold about the tax you will owe for the year.

Should I claim the tax-free threshold?

Claim it from one employer only, usually the one that pays you most. If you claim it from two employers at once, too little tax is withheld and you will probably owe tax when you lodge.

Why is my tax withheld different from my actual tax?

Withholding assumes you earn the same amount every pay for the whole year. Changes in pay, a second job, bonuses, deductions and offsets mean your real tax for the year is worked out only when you lodge your tax return.

How much is withheld if I do not give a tax file number?

Your employer must withhold 47% of your pay, or 45% if you are a foreign resident.