Property Compass

by Sextant Digital

Property Compass

Capital Gains Tax Estimator

Estimate how much capital gains tax you'd owe when selling, based on your income and the ATO's current tax brackets.

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Purchase Details

What you paid and the costs involved.

$
$

$17,325

Buying costs

$
$
$
$
%

$3,100

Sale

Estimated sale price and costs of selling.

$

Selling costs

$
$
$
$

$18,500

Tax Details

Used to estimate your CGT liability.

yrs
$/yr

Results

Updates live as you type.

Taxable gain

$105,538

CGT payable

$41,678

Effective rate 39.5% · pushed into 45%

Incl. Medicare Levy (2%)

Net profit after CGT

$169,397

50% CGT discount

✓ Eligible

Held 12+ months

Estimate only. Does not account for capital works deductions, depreciation recapture, prior year capital losses, or trust and SMSF structures. Consult a registered tax agent or accountant before making any decisions.

Capital Gains Tax on Australian property

The 50% CGT discount

If you've owned an investment property for more than 12 months, you're generally entitled to the ATO's 50% CGT discount for individuals. This means only half your capital gain is added to your taxable income. For example, a $300,000 capital gain becomes a $150,000 taxable gain. The discount applies to individuals and most trusts, but not to companies.

How CGT is calculated

Your capital gain is the sale price minus your cost base — which includes the purchase price, stamp duty, legal fees, and any capital improvements you've made. The taxable gain is then added to your ordinary income for that financial year and taxed at your marginal rate. Because a large gain can push you into a higher tax bracket, the salary field helps estimate the real impact.

Main residence and exemptions

CGT generally doesn't apply to your primary place of residence under the main residence exemption. But if you've rented the property at any point or used it for business purposes, partial CGT may apply. Prior capital losses, depreciation recapture, and SMSF or trust structures all have different rules. Always check with a registered tax agent before making decisions based on a CGT estimate.