EOFY 2025-26 Countdown

The Australian financial year ends at midnight on 30 June 2026. Below are the five highest-leverage actions you can take before then, ranked by tax impact. Each links to a calculator that does the maths.

days until 30 June 2026

Good runway. Plan contributions now; execute in May-June.

Top 5 EOFY actions

Action 1

Boost your super (concessional + carry-forward)

Save 15-47% on contributions that would otherwise be taxed at marginal rate

Concessional cap is $30,000 for 2025-26. If your total super balance is under $500k, any unused caps from the past 5 years carry forward — often unlocking $50k+ of catch-up room in a single year. Tax on super = 15%, vs up to 45% marginal — a 32-percentage-point wedge.

Deadline: Must be RECEIVED by super fund by 30 June (allow 5+ business days)

Super carry-forward calculator → Contribution optimiser → Gov co-contribution ($500 match) → Spouse contribution ($540 offset) →

Action 2

Harvest capital losses to offset realised gains

Each $1 of capital loss against a non-discount gain saves up to 47c; against a discount gain, up to 23.5c

If you've realised capital gains during the year, any unrealised losses in your portfolio can be crystallised before 30 June to reduce net capital gains. Watch Part IVA and TA 2008/7 — a wash-sale that only exists to generate a loss is vulnerable. Buying back the same or a similar security soon after is a red flag.

Deadline: Contract date must be on or before 30 June (not settlement)

CGT harvest calculator → CGT calculator →

Action 3

Prepay deductible expenses

Pulls next year's deduction into this year — pure timing benefit if your MTR will drop or stay flat

Small businesses (turnover < $10m) and individual non-business taxpayers can deduct prepayments of up to 12 months of services (loan interest, subscriptions, insurance, rent) in the year paid. Useful if you know next year's income will be lower, or if you simply want to front-load deductions before a policy change.

Deadline: Payment must leave your account by 30 June — allow 2 business days for BPAY

Prepaid deductions calculator →

Action 4

Tally work-related deductions while records are fresh

Typical office worker: $1,500-$3,000 of deductions → $300-$1,400 refund boost

WFH hours, car business km, self-education, union fees, uniforms, tools — stacking these correctly is where most refunds are won or lost. Decide now whether you'll use the 70c/hour WFH fixed rate or the actual-cost method (can't do both). For cars, decide cents-per-km vs logbook.

Deadline: No EOFY deadline — but starting a 12-week logbook before 30 June protects next year

Action 5

Make deductible donations

Save 16-47c on every $1 donated, depending on your marginal rate

Donations to DGRs (deductible gift recipients) over $2 are fully deductible. Donations received after 30 June count for the next year — useful if you'd hit the $250 individual Medicare levy floor or want to smooth deductions.

Deadline: Donation must be received by DGR by 30 June

Marginal rate calculator →

EOFY 2025-26 timeline

Now Review portfolio for CGT loss harvesting candidates (allows time to rebalance)
Early June Lodge super contribution top-up with employer payroll (if salary-sacrificing)
Mid-June Personal super contributions via BPAY / direct debit — funds need time to clear
25 June Super fund processing cutoff (most funds) — final day for same-year allocation
30 June All CGT trades must have contract date on or before today. All prepayments must be paid.
1 July New financial year begins. ATO lodgement window opens.
14 July Employer income statements finalised by most payroll providers.
Mid-August ETF / managed-fund AMMA tax statements arrive. Lodgement sweet spot begins.
31 October Self-lodge deadline (later via registered tax agent).

Don't do these "deductions" just for the tax saving

Buying equipment you don't need: $1,000 of tools to save $320 is still $680 out of pocket.
Wash-selling: selling and re-buying the same security within days to crystallise a loss — Part IVA and TA 2008/7 expressly target this.
Backdating invoices or payments — ATO data-matching catches this via bank statements and supplier records.
Contribution-splitting to a spouse whose MTR is about to rise (e.g. returning to full-time work) — timing can wipe out the offset.
Making personal super contributions without lodging a Notice of Intent (s.290-170 form) — you lose the deduction entirely.

When exactly is EOFY in Australia?

The Australian financial year ends at midnight on 30 June. Any deductible action — salary-sacrifice super, prepaid interest, tool purchases, deductible donations, CGT-loss trades — must be incurred and (for super) received by the fund before then to count for the current year. The new year begins 1 July.

What is the super contribution processing deadline?

Super funds typically stop guaranteeing same-year processing around 25 June. SuperStream and BPAY can take 3-5 business days to clear and be allocated. Anything sent after mid-June may land in 2026-27 and not be deductible this year. If you're close to the $30,000 concessional cap, leave a 7-day buffer.

Can I still claim a deduction if I pay on 30 June?

For most expenses (interest, subscriptions, tools, donations, work-related) — yes, the ATO treats them as incurred when you pay. But for superannuation, the fund must receive the contribution by 30 June, not just when you transfer. For CGT, the contract (not settlement) date governs.

What's the biggest mistake people make near EOFY?

Panic-buying 'deductions' for their own sake. Spending $1,000 to save $300 in tax is still $700 out of pocket. EOFY moves should be things you'd do anyway (super, prepaying known bills, harvesting existing capital losses) — not net new spending just to get a deduction.

When should I lodge once the financial year closes?

Not before mid-August. Employer income statements finalise ~14 July; ETF and managed-fund AMMA statements often arrive in August–September. Early lodgers amend their return 2-3× more often than August–September lodgers.

Sources

Last updated April 2026. Day count is computed at build time and refreshed by a small client script on page load. Consult a registered tax agent for personal advice, especially for super contribution splitting, Division 293 exposure, and SMSF actions.