Capital Gains Tax Calculator Australia (CGT)
Compare selling decisions — not just calculate capital gains tax.
Use this Australian CGT calculator to estimate how much capital gains tax you may pay when selling shares, ETFs, or investment property. Enter your buy and sell details to see the gain, discount, and extra tax in minutes.
Australian residents who hold an asset for at least 12 months can apply the 50% CGT discount, meaning only half of the capital gain is added to their taxable income. This calculator shows both the gross and net (after discount) capital gain.
Reviewed against Australian tax rules for the 2025–26 financial year. CGT rules remain unchanged.
Want to compare options? Browse CGT scenarios to see how timing and property use affect your tax.
Also useful: compare two CGT scenarios, Franking Credits Calculator for dividend tax, and Income Tax Calculator for your wider tax position.
2025-26 Capital Gains Tax rates
Enter your asset details and other income to calculate CGT
Not sure when to sell?
Compare two selling strategies side-by-side and see which option results in less capital gains tax.
Compare two scenarios →How CGT works
Capital Gains Tax is not a separate tax in Australia. Instead, when you sell an asset for more than you paid, the profit (capital gain) is added to your assessable income for that financial year. The gain is then taxed at your marginal tax rate.
If you searched for "capital gains tax calculator Australia", "CGT on shares", or "CGT on investment property", this page is built to answer those exact use cases. It lets you estimate the gross gain, apply the discount where available, and see the extra tax created by the sale.
The 50% CGT Discount
Australian residents who hold an asset for at least 12 months qualify for the 50% CGT discount. This halves the capital gain before it's added to your taxable income—a significant tax saving.
- Gross capital gain: $20,000
- After 50% discount: $10,000
- This $10,000 is added to your taxable income
- If your marginal rate is 30%, you pay $3,000 in CGT
- Without the discount, you'd pay $6,000
This calculator compares your tax position before and after the capital gain, showing exactly how much additional tax you'll pay as a result of the asset sale.
Capital gains tax on property
When calculating CGT on an investment property, the cost base includes more than just the purchase price. You can include stamp duty, legal fees, building and pest inspections, and the cost of capital improvements made during ownership (such as a new kitchen or structural renovation). Agent commissions and legal fees on sale also form part of the cost base, reducing your capital gain.
- Stamp duty on purchase: $15,925
- Legal fees (buy + sell): $3,000
- Capital improvements: $25,000
- Agent commission on sale: $14,000
- Cost base: $500,000 + $15,925 + $3,000 + $25,000 + $14,000 = $557,925
- Gross capital gain: $700,000 − $557,925 = $142,075
- After 50% discount: $71,038
If the property was your principal place of residence (PPOR) for part of the ownership period, only the non-PPOR portion is taxable. Use the PPOR toggle in the calculator above to model partial exemptions.
How income tax rates affect your CGT
Because capital gains are added to your assessable income, the tax rate you pay depends on your marginal tax bracket. Higher-income earners pay more CGT on the same gain.
| Taxable income | Tax rate | Effective CGT rate (after 50% discount) |
|---|---|---|
| $0 – $18,200 | 0% | 0% |
| $18,201 – $45,000 | 16% | 8% |
| $45,001 – $135,000 | 30% | 15% |
| $135,001 – $190,000 | 37% | 18.5% |
| $190,001+ | 45% | 22.5% |
The effective CGT rate column shows what you pay on a discounted (12+ month) capital gain at each bracket. For example, a gain taxed at the 30% bracket effectively costs 15% after the 50% discount. Note that a large gain can push you into a higher bracket, so the actual rate may be a blend.
How capital gains tax works in Australia
Capital gains tax (CGT) is not a separate tax in Australia. When you sell an asset for more than you paid, the profit is added to your assessable income for the financial year and taxed at your marginal rate. This means your existing income directly affects how much CGT you pay. Australian residents who hold an asset for at least 12 months before selling qualify for the 50% CGT discount, halving the taxable gain. Your main residence (principal place of residence) is generally exempt from CGT entirely under the PPOR exemption.
For side-by-side comparisons of different selling strategies, use the CGT comparison calculator.
Common CGT scenarios
CGT applies to a wide range of asset sales. The most common scenarios Australian taxpayers encounter include:
- Shares and ETFs -- selling listed shares or exchange-traded funds triggers a CGT event. Brokerage on both the buy and sell sides is included in the cost base.
- Investment property -- the cost base includes stamp duty, legal fees, and capital improvements. Depreciation previously claimed may need to be added back.
- Cryptocurrency -- disposing of crypto (including trading one coin for another) is a CGT event. Use our crypto tax calculator for exchange-specific imports.
Explore detailed examples in our CGT scenario library.
Worked example: selling shares
- Cost base: $10,000 + $20 (buy) + $20 (sell) = $10,040
- Gross capital gain: $25,000 - $10,040 = $14,960
- 50% discount (held 12+ months): $14,960 / 2 = $7,480
- This $7,480 is added to your taxable income
- If your marginal rate is 30%, additional tax = $2,244
- If your marginal rate is 37%, additional tax = $2,768
Without the 50% discount, the tax at 30% would be $4,488 -- nearly double.
What does this calculator include?
- Capital gain calculation (sale price minus purchase price and costs)
- 50% CGT discount for assets held 12 months or longer
- Incidental costs (brokerage, stamp duty, legal fees)
- Capital improvements (for investment property)
- Main residence (PPOR) exemption for properties
- Partial exemption with time-based calculation
- 6-year absence rule for rental periods
- Tax comparison showing income tax and Medicare levy before and after the sale
- Additional tax payable from the capital gain
What does this calculator not include?
- Multiple PPOR properties simultaneously
- Building period rules (4-year construction)
- Trust or company CGT rules - different rates and rules apply
- Capital loss carry-forward - losses from previous years are not applied
- Foreign resident CGT rules - withholding tax and different rates apply
- Inflation indexation method (pre-1999 assets)
- Small business CGT concessions
This is a simplified estimate. Your actual CGT outcome may differ based on your individual circumstances and any other capital gains or losses in the same financial year.
Frequently asked questions
What is Capital Gains Tax (CGT)?
What is the 50% CGT discount?
How do I calculate my capital gain?
What happens if I make a capital loss?
Do I pay CGT on my main residence (PPOR)?
What if I lived in the property for only part of the time?
What is the 6-year absence rule?
Are these calculations updated for 2025–26?
How much capital gains tax will I pay in Australia?
Learn more about Capital Gains Tax
Understand the rules before you make decisions. Read our plain-English explanations.
- Selling a Rental Property? Learn How CGT Is Calculated Cost base, depreciation trap, and strategies to reduce tax
- Inherited a Property? What Beneficiaries Need to Know Pre-1985 rules, cost base, and main residence exemptions
- How the 12-Month CGT Discount Really Works Eligibility rules, common mistakes, and strategies
- Should You Sell Before or After 30 June? Timing your sale around EOFY for tax efficiency
- Using Capital Losses to Offset Capital Gains Loss harvesting strategies and rules
Tax Accuracy & Sources
Uses standard CGT rules including the 50% discount and simplified PPOR scenarios. It is not a substitute for asset-specific legal advice or full return-level CGT reconciliation.