Find out how much of an Australian bonus you may keep after tax. Compare your salary with and without the bonus to see the incremental income tax, Medicare Levy, optional HECS/HELP impact, and estimated cash amount.
Estimated bonus in your account
$10,200
From a $15,000 bonus, estimated incremental deductions are $4,800 (32.0%).
| Cash bonus | $15,000 |
| Income tax on the bonus | -$4,500 |
| Medicare Levy on the bonus | -$300 |
| Estimated net bonus | $10,200 |
This annualised estimate compares tax on your salary with and without the bonus using 2026-27 resident rates. Payroll withholding on an actual bonus can differ by pay cycle and your tax-file declaration. It excludes the Medicare Levy Surcharge, salary sacrifice, deductions, equity, and super treatment. A bonus may be ordinary time earnings for Super Guarantee purposes depending on its terms.
A bonus is part of your taxable income, not a special category with one fixed tax rate. The useful calculation is the difference between estimated annual tax on your salary alone and estimated annual tax once the bonus is included. That is why the same bonus can leave different net amounts for two people on different salaries.
Payroll withholding is not always identical to your final tax outcome. Treat the calculator as a decision estimate, then check the payment timing, your payslip, and any super or bonus-plan terms before budgeting the cash.
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Tax rates and allowances change every year
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There is no separate bonus tax rate. A bonus increases your annual taxable income, so the relevant amount is the incremental income tax and Medicare Levy caused by adding the bonus to your salary. This calculator shows that difference rather than applying a flat percentage.
Payroll withholding depends on your pay cycle, tax-file declaration, and the employer's current ATO withholding method. A one-off payment can look heavily withheld because it lands in one pay cycle. Your final tax is calculated on total annual taxable income when you lodge your return.
It can. A bonus can increase repayment income and push part of your income into a higher marginal HELP repayment band. The optional switch shows an annualised estimate of the extra compulsory repayment, but actual repayment income can include other items.
Generally, your bonus increases taxable income used for the standard Medicare Levy, so the incremental levy is included. The calculator does not include the Medicare Levy Surcharge because that depends on private hospital cover and family circumstances.
It depends on whether the payment is ordinary time earnings under the Super Guarantee rules and on the contract terms. This calculator does not add employer super to the bonus. Confirm the written plan or payroll treatment with your employer.
The estimate assumes an Australian resident taxpayer and standard annual income-tax rules. Salary sacrifice, deductions, private health cover, family circumstances, equity, investment income, and payroll timing can all change the result. Use your payslip and current ATO guidance for a final figure.
What to check next
Put the result alongside the pay available in the wider market.