Featured·Super·5 min
One Default Super Fund Just Failed the 2026 Test: How to Check Yours
APRA failed 12 super products in 2026, including one MySuper default with 66,500 members. Here's what the test measures and how to check your fund.
86 guides · Australian money, explained
Tax and money,
without the jargon.
Plain-English answers to Australia's most-asked tax, property and money questions—with calculators when numbers tell the story better.
Super · 27 Aug 2026 · 5 min
Super on Paid Parental Leave: The First Lump Sums Are Landing Now
The ATO started paying 12% super on government Parental Leave Pay from July 2026. Here's what it's worth, when it shows up, and the cap trap to watch.
Tax · 24 Aug 2026 · 5 min
The Medicare Levy Surcharge Bar Moved to $105,000 — But Not on the Return You're Lodging Now
The Medicare levy surcharge threshold rose to $105,000 for singles on 1 July 2026. Your 2025-26 return still uses $101,000. Here's which number applies to you.
Tax · 20 Aug 2026 · 5 min
The 31 October Tax Deadline Is Almost Here: What Being Late Really Costs
Lodging your own 2025-26 tax return? The deadline is 31 October 2026, the late fine just went up, and there's a tax-agent trap that catches thousands. Here's the plain-English rundown.
Tax · 17 Aug 2026 · 5 min
The New $250 Working Australians Tax Offset: Who Gets It and When
A new $250 tax offset for working Australians is now law. Here's who qualifies, how the $250 works, and the two catches — including why it won't be on your next return.
Super · 14 Aug 2026 · 5 min
Your Super Is Now 12%: What the First Full Year Is Really Worth
The super guarantee hit its final rate of 12% on 1 July 2025, and 2025-26 was the first full year at it. Here's what it's worth to you — and the traps.
Tax · 12 Aug 2026 · 5 min
New for 2026: Your Contractor Income Now Pre-Fills — but It's Only Half the Story
For the first time in 2026, gig, courier, cleaning and trade income pre-fills your tax return. Here's when it lands, what it misses, and what to check first.
Super · 10 Aug 2026 · 5 min
The $3 Million Super Tax Is Now Law: Does It Actually Affect You?
Division 296 — the '$3 million super tax' — starts 1 July 2026. Here's who it really hits (about 0.5% of us), what changed from the scary version, and why.
Money · 10 Aug 2026 · 5 min
Don't Forget Your Bank Interest — The ATO Already Has It (2025-26)
With savings rates high all year, the interest on your bank account is taxable — and the ATO gets it straight from your bank. Here's how it's taxed and the traps.
Tax · 3 Aug 2026 · 5 min
The Fake ATO Refund Email Doing the Rounds: How to Spot It in 30 Seconds
A convincing 'DocuSign' email is impersonating the ATO this tax time. Here's the exact trick, the red flags, and the three things the ATO simply never does.
Tax · 29 July 2026 · 5 min
The 70c Work-From-Home Method: How to Claim It Right on Your 2026 Return
Claiming working from home on your 2025-26 return? The ATO's 70c fixed rate is the easy option — here's what it covers, what it doesn't, and the trap that gets people caught.
Tax · 27 July 2026 · 5 min
Don't Lodge Yet: Why Waiting Until Late July Gets Your Tax Return Right
The ATO says people who lodge in early July are twice as likely to make a mistake. Here's why waiting for pre-fill saves you a headache — and no refund delay.
Tax · 24 July 2026 · 5 min
Earning Under $28,011? You May Pay No Medicare Levy in 2025-26
The Medicare levy low-income thresholds were lifted 2.9% for 2025-26, backdated to 1 July 2025. Here's the new $28,011 single figure and how the reduction works.
Tax · 22 July 2026 · 5 min
The 3 Things the ATO Is Watching on Your 2026 Tax Return
Tax time is open and the ATO has named three focus areas: work expenses, rental properties and undeclared income. Here's how to claim right and stay off the radar.
Super · 20 July 2026 · 5 min
Your Super Caps Just Went Up: The Before-Tax Limit Is Now $32,500
On 1 July 2026 the concessional super cap rose to $32,500 and the after-tax cap to $130,000. Here's what that means and how salary sacrifice cuts your tax.
Money · 17 July 2026 · 5 min
Your HECS Debt in 2026: The 20% Cut Landed and the Threshold Just Rose
Two big HECS changes hit in 2026: a one-off 20% cut wiped $16bn off student debt, and the repayment threshold rose to $69,528 for 2026-27. Here's what to check.
Tax · 15 July 2026 · 5 min
The New $1,000 Instant Tax Deduction: What It's Really Worth
From 2026-27 you can knock up to $1,000 off your taxable income with no receipts. Here's who gets it, what it's actually worth, and the trap to avoid.
Tax · 13 July 2026 · 5 min
Your Car Deduction Just Got Bigger: The Cents-Per-Km Rate Is Now 91c
The ATO's cents-per-kilometre rate jumped to 91c for 2026-27, up from 88c. Here's what it's worth, who can claim it, and the tax-time trap to avoid.
Super · 10 July 2026 · 5 min
Payday Super Has Landed: What Changed for Your Retirement Savings
From 1 July 2026 your employer must pay your super within days of each payday, not once a quarter. Here's what changed, why it adds up, and how to check it's working.
Tax · 9 July 2026 · 5 min
The 1 July 2026 Tax Cut: What It Means for Your Pay
A tax cut started on 1 July 2026 — the 16% bracket dropped to 15%. Here's how much you keep, when you see it, and which tax return it actually affects.
First Home · 30 June 2026 · 5 min
QLD First Home Buyer Stamp Duty Concessions
Queensland first home buyers pay no stamp duty on established homes under $710,000 and none at all on new builds — the thresholds, taper, and live-in rules.
Super · 20 June 2026 · 5 min
Salary Sacrifice vs Personal Super Contributions
Salary sacrifice and personal deductible contributions both tax your super top-up at 15% and share the $30,000 cap — the real differences are cash flow, flexibility, and one critical form.
Tax · 19 June 2026 · 5 min
The 50% CGT Discount Explained
Hold an asset more than 12 months and only half the gain is taxed. How the 50% CGT discount works, with a worked example — crypto included.
First Home · 18 June 2026 · 5 min
Queensland First Home Owner Grant Explained
Queensland's First Home Owner Grant is $30,000 for new homes under $750,000 — the eligibility rules, how it's paid, and what it stacks with.
Property · 16 June 2026 · 4 min
Conveyancing Fees in Australia Explained
Conveyancing fees in Australia — what conveyancers actually do, professional fees vs disbursements, and when to use a conveyancer versus a solicitor.
First Home · 15 June 2026 · 5 min
How Couples Can Use the FHSS Together
FHSS caps are per person, not per home — how couples double the scheme to $100,000 plus earnings, and what to do if only one of you qualifies.
Investing · 14 June 2026 · 5 min
How ETFs Are Taxed in Australia
How ETF distributions, the AMMA statement, and the capital gains inside your fund hit your tax return every year — even when you never sell.
Property · 13 June 2026 · 4 min
Stamp Duty Compared: QLD vs NSW vs VIC
Stamp duty on a $950,000 home in Queensland, NSW and Victoria — why QLD charges $28,600, NSW $37,162 and Victoria $52,070 for the same house.
Tax · 10 June 2026 · 5 min
How HECS-HELP Repayments Work
How HECS-HELP repayments work in FY2025-26: the new $67,000 threshold, marginal 15c/17c repayment rates, and the June 1 indexation date that grows your balance.
Investing · 10 June 2026 · 5 min
Crypto Tax in Australia Explained
How crypto CGT works: every sale, swap, spend or gift is a taxable event, the ATO data-matches exchange records, and records are everything.
Money · 10 June 2026 · 5 min
How Mortgage Repayments Are Calculated
Borrow $600k at 6% over 30 years and you repay around $1.3 million — how repayments split between interest and principal, and the fortnightly trick.
Property · 7 June 2026 · 4 min
Stamp Duty Explained
Stamp duty (transfer duty) explained — what it is, when you pay, why every state charges differently, and how first home buyer concessions shrink the bill.
Super · 6 June 2026 · 5 min
Transition to Retirement (TTR) Explained
From 60 you can open a TTR pension to drop to part-time on the same income, or keep working and boost super via salary sacrifice — here's how, plus the catch.
Property · 5 June 2026 · 5 min
Offset Account vs Redraw: What's the Difference?
Offset accounts and redraw facilities both cut loan interest — but if your home ever becomes a rental, the tax difference can cost you thousands, permanently.
Super · 2 June 2026 · 5 min
The First Home Super Saver Scheme Explained
How the FHSS scheme builds a first home deposit inside super — the $15,000 yearly and $50,000 total limits, the tax maths, and the traps.
Super · 1 June 2026 · 5 min
How Much Super Should You Have at Your Age?
ASFA's comfortable-retirement super checkpoints by age, why average balances mislead, and the small early fixes that compound for decades.
Tax · 28 May 2026 · 4 min
How to Claim a Laptop on Tax
How to claim a laptop on tax — instant claim under $300, depreciation over it, the work percentage rules, and how it fits with the 70c WFH rate.
Property · 25 May 2026 · 5 min
Hidden Costs of Buying Property in Queensland
The hidden costs of buying property in Queensland — transfer duty and the home concession, titles registration fees, body corporate searches and pool safety certificates.
Property · 21 May 2026 · 5 min
How Rental Income Is Taxed
How rental income is taxed in Australia — rent added to your taxable income, the expenses you can deduct, how depreciation works, and which records to keep.
Tax · 20 May 2026 · 5 min
Contractor vs Employee: The Tax Differences
How contractor and employee tax differ in Australia — same brackets, different obligations, the PSI rules, and how much higher a day rate needs to be.
Tax · 19 May 2026 · 4 min
Missed the Tax Return Deadline? What Happens Next
Missed the 31 October tax return deadline? How the ATO's late fines work, when they're waived, and how a tax agent buys you until May.
Tax · 18 May 2026 · 5 min
Salary Packaging Explained
How salary packaging works in Australia — novated leases, FBT-exempt work devices, and the living-expense caps for hospital and not-for-profit workers.
Investing · 14 May 2026 · 5 min
The Cost of Holding an Investment Property
What an investment property costs to hold each year — interest, rates, insurance, maintenance, management and land tax, with a worked budget on a $650k rental.
Property · 13 May 2026 · 5 min
First Home Buyer Stamp Duty by State
First home buyer stamp duty concessions in every state and territory for FY2025-26 — exemption cut-offs, phase-out cliffs and cap conditions.
Tax · 11 May 2026 · 5 min
Tax Deductions You Can Claim Without Receipts
The ATO's $300 no-receipt rule, the $150 laundry limit, award transport payments, and what records still count as proof.
Tax · 9 May 2026 · 5 min
Tax on a $100,000 Salary in Australia (2025-26)
On a $100,000 salary in 2025-26 you pay $22,788 in tax and Medicare levy and keep $77,212 — the full breakdown, plus what a raise to $110k nets.
Super · 7 May 2026 · 5 min
How Super Is Taxed
Super is taxed 15% going in, 15% while it grows, and 0% on withdrawals after 60 — here's the full FY2025-26 picture, including caps and Division 293.
Property · 1 May 2026 · 5 min
Stamp Duty on a $950,000 House in Every State
Stamp duty on a $950,000 established home in all 8 states and territories in FY2025-26 — from $28,600 in QLD to $52,070 in VIC.
Investing · 29 Apr 2026 · 4 min
Is Stamp Duty Tax Deductible?
Stamp duty isn't a yearly deduction — it joins your property's cost base and cuts CGT when you sell, except in the ACT where a lease quirk makes it deductible.
Money · 28 Apr 2026 · 5 min
Fixed vs Variable Home Loans Compared
Fixed vs variable home loans compared: what each trades away, how break costs work, and when a split loan gives you the best of both.
Money · 24 Apr 2026 · 5 min
Extra Mortgage Repayments: How Much You Save
How an extra $200 a month on a $600,000 mortgage saves around $100,000 in interest and years of repayments — and when an offset beats extra repayments.
Tax · 23 Apr 2026 · 5 min
Work Expenses You Can Claim on Tax
The work expenses you can genuinely claim by job type, the three golden rules, and the famous claims the ATO rejects every year.
Tax · 23 Apr 2026 · 5 min
Logbook vs Cents per KM: Which Pays More?
How the ATO's two car claim methods work — 88 cents per km with a 5,000 km cap versus the 12-week logbook — and which pays more.
Property · 20 Apr 2026 · 4 min
Building and Pest Inspection Costs Explained
What building and pest inspections cost in Australia, what they catch, and why skipping one to save a few hundred dollars is the worst trade in property.
Money · 18 Apr 2026 · 4 min
Take-Home Pay: Where Your Salary Actually Goes
Where your salary goes between gross and net: income tax, the 2% Medicare levy, HECS repayments — and why super isn't taken from your pay.
Money · 15 Apr 2026 · 5 min
How Much House Deposit Do You Need?
A 20% house deposit is the ideal, not the minimum. What LMI costs below it, how guarantor loans work, and the 5% First Home Guarantee.
Investing · 3 Apr 2026 · 5 min
Investment Property Tax Deductions Checklist
Every major investment property tax deduction in one checklist — interest, rates, insurance, repairs vs improvements, depreciation, and what you can't claim.
Property · 1 Apr 2026 · 5 min
How Negative Gearing Works
How negative gearing works — why a rental loss shrinks your taxable income, with a worked example at FY2025-26 tax rates.
Property · 29 Mar 2026 · 5 min
Stamp Duty on Investment Property
Stamp duty for property investors — full general rates in every state, no concessions, Queensland's home-rate catch, foreign surcharges and the CGT cost base offset.
Investing · 29 Mar 2026 · 4 min
Rental Yield Explained
Gross vs net rental yield explained with a worked $650k example, plus the yield vs growth trade-off.
Super · 27 Mar 2026 · 5 min
Is Salary Sacrificing Into Super Worth It?
How salary sacrifice swaps your marginal tax rate for super's flat 15%, with a $95k worked example, the $1,700 yearly saving, the cap, and the catch.
Super · 24 Mar 2026 · 5 min
Concessional vs Non-Concessional Contributions
The two types of super contributions, the $30,000 and $120,000 caps for FY2025-26, carry-forward catch-ups, and the Division 293 tax at $250k.
Investing · 23 Mar 2026 · 5 min
Property Depreciation Schedules Explained
Property depreciation schedules — capital works vs plant and equipment, the post-2017 second-hand rule, and why a quantity surveyor report usually pays for itself.
Money · 21 Mar 2026 · 5 min
Borrowing Power Explained
What actually sets your borrowing capacity — income, debts, the HEM expenses benchmark, and the ~3% stress-test buffer banks add to every application.
Investing · 21 Mar 2026 · 5 min
Investment Property Cash Flow Explained
How investment property cash flow works — rent in vs costs out, pre-tax vs after-tax, and negative gearing's role.
Tax · 20 Mar 2026 · 5 min
WFH Deductions: Fixed Rate vs Actual Cost
The ATO's 70 cents per hour fixed rate vs the actual cost method for WFH deductions — the records each needs and which one pays more.
Tax · 19 Mar 2026 · 5 min
PAYG Withholding Explained
How PAYG withholding works: your employer estimates your tax each payday using ATO tables, and your tax return squares it up in July.
Tax · 18 Mar 2026 · 5 min
How Side Hustle and ABN Income Is Taxed
How ABN and gig income is taxed in Australia — no tax is withheld, the tax-free threshold applies once, and GST kicks in at $75,000.
Tax · 17 Mar 2026 · 4 min
The Medicare Levy Explained
The Medicare levy is a flat 2% of your taxable income — who pays it, who gets a reduction, and how it differs from the Medicare levy surcharge.
Property · 17 Mar 2026 · 5 min
The True Cost of Buying a House in Australia
The real cost of buying a house in Australia — stamp duty, LMI, conveyancing, inspections and settlement adjustments, with a worked sticker-vs-door example.
Tax · 14 Mar 2026 · 4 min
Tax for Casual Workers in Australia
How casual work is taxed in Australia — the loading, the tax-free threshold form, and the second-job withholding trap.
Investing · 13 Mar 2026 · 5 min
Franking Credits Explained
How franking credits work: the company's 30% tax comes attached to your dividend as a credit, and the ATO refunds any excess.
Investing · 13 Mar 2026 · 4 min
Property Management Fees in Australia
Property management fees in Australia — typical percentages, letting fees, common extras, self-managing, and tax deductibility.
Super · 12 Mar 2026 · 5 min
Tax on Super Withdrawals
After 60, withdrawals from a taxed super fund are tax-free — lump sum or pension. Here's what applies before 60, and how the two super components work.
Tax · 10 Mar 2026 · 4 min
How Tax Refunds Work in Australia
A tax refund is your own overpaid tax coming back — how refunds are calculated, why big ones aren't wins, and when the money lands.
Property · 8 Mar 2026 · 5 min
CGT When Selling an Investment Property
CGT on selling an investment property — building your cost base, the 50% discount after 12 months, the main residence exemption and the 6-year rule.
Tax · 6 Mar 2026 · 5 min
How to Reduce Your Taxable Income Legally
Five legal ways Australians cut taxable income: super contributions, real deductions, 30 June timing, salary packaging, and income splitting done right.
Tax · 4 Mar 2026 · 4 min
Can You Claim Internet on Tax?
Whether you can claim internet on tax — the 70c WFH rate already includes it, when the actual cost method wins, and how to split shared bills.
Money · 3 Mar 2026 · 5 min
Interest-Only vs Principal and Interest Loans
Interest-only loans buy a smaller repayment now at the cost of owning nothing more later — why investors use IO, and the payment jump when it ends.
First Home · 1 Mar 2026 · 5 min
First Home Buyer Grants and Schemes in Australia
Grants, stamp duty concessions, the 5% deposit guarantee, FHSS, and shared equity — what each is worth and which schemes combine.
Tax · 23 Feb 2026 · 4 min
How to Claim Your Phone on Tax
How to claim the work share of your phone plan and handset on tax, plus the four-week diary that proves your percentage.
First Home · 19 Feb 2026 · 5 min
FHSS Timing: Request Your Release Before You Sign
The FHSS release steps in the right order, the 90-day grace period after signing, and the settlement deadline that cannot be fixed.
Tax · 18 Feb 2026 · 4 min
How to Avoid the Medicare Levy Surcharge
Earn over $101,000 without private hospital cover and the Medicare Levy Surcharge takes up to 1.5% of everything — the FY2025-26 thresholds and maths.
Tax · 17 Feb 2026 · 5 min
How Much Tax Do I Pay in Australia? (2025-26)
The 2025-26 Australian tax brackets explained simply, with a full $80,000 worked example including the Medicare levy and take-home pay.
Money · 10 Feb 2026 · 5 min
How Offset Accounts Save You Interest
Every dollar in an offset account cancels a dollar of loan you're charged interest on — why it beats a savings account, with a $50,000 worked example.
Tax · 7 Feb 2026 · 4 min
How Bonuses Are Taxed in Australia
There's no special bonus tax in Australia — why withholding on a bonus looks brutal on the payslip, and how it evens out at tax time.