Investment Property · Calculator

Investment Property Calculator

Model an Australian investment property using 2025-26 or 2026-27 tax settings: purchase costs, loan repayments, expenses, depreciation, after-tax cash flow and a long-term before-sale-CGT position.

Actual expense inputNegative gearingProjection + ETF
Property Snapshot
Location
NSW
Total upfront
$233,287.00
Weekly after-tax cost (Yr 1)
$396.00/wk
10-year equity
$682,081.00
01INPUTS

1. Purchase costs

Stamp duty, FHOG, legal, inspection, loan, LMI.

Property
Stamp duty (NSW)$30,187.00
Legal fees$2,000.00
Building inspection$500.00
Loan application fee$600.00
Deposit$200,000.00
Total upfront cost$233,287.00

2. Loan & serviceability

Loan amount$600,000.00
LVR75.0%
Monthly payment$3,597.00
Year-1 interest$35,800.00
Total interest over term$695,029.00

3. Year-1 cashflow

The selected resident rates, LITO and individual Medicare thresholds are held constant across the projection.

Your taxable income excluding this property's rental result.

Benchmark total: $16,000.00 a year. Switch to actuals before relying on the result.

Gross rent$27,500.00
Cash expenses (benchmark)-$16,000.00
Total deductions (incl. interest + depreciation)-$62,050.00
Net rental loss-$34,550.00
Estimated tax saving+$11,056.00
Weekly after-tax cost−$396.00/wk

4. Depreciation (Div 43 + Div 40)

Simplified: DV 10-year life. Use dedicated calc for per-asset schedule.

Year-1 Div 43 (building)$6,250.00
Year-1 Div 40 (plant)$4,000.00
Year-1 total depreciation$10,250.00

5. 10-year projection & sale scenario

Breakeven year
Not reached
Property position (before sale CGT)
$492,670.00
ETF comparison wealth
$723,072.00
Sale CGT excluded
A sale after 1 July 2027 can require CPI cost-base indexation, transitional gain allocation and the 30% minimum capital-gains tax. The projected property and ETF positions therefore exclude sale CGT instead of applying the superseded 50% discount to the whole gain.
YrRentInterestDeprec.Rental resultTax changeAfter-tax /wkProperty valueEquity
1$27,500.00$35,800.00$10,250.00$34,550.00−$11,056.00 tax$396.00$832,000.00$239,368.00
2$28,325.00$35,345.00$9,450.00$32,470.00−$10,390.00 tax$393.00$865,280.00$280,471.00
3$29,175.00$34,863.00$8,810.00$30,498.00−$9,759.00 tax$389.00$899,891.00$323,387.00
4$30,050.00$34,350.00$8,298.00$28,598.00−$9,151.00 tax$384.00$935,887.00$368,200.00
5$30,951.00$33,807.00$7,888.00$26,743.00−$8,562.00 tax$378.00$973,322.00$414,996.00
6$31,880.00$33,229.00$7,561.00$24,910.00−$8,259.00 tax$366.00$1,012,255.00$463,867.00
7$32,836.00$32,616.00$7,299.00$23,078.00−$7,965.00 tax$353.00$1,052,745.00$514,909.00
8$33,822.00$31,965.00$7,089.00$21,233.00−$7,675.00 tax$340.00$1,094,855.00$568,221.00
9$34,836.00$31,275.00$6,921.00$19,359.00−$7,386.00 tax$326.00$1,138,649.00$623,908.00
10$35,881.00$30,541.00$6,787.00$17,447.00−$6,804.00 tax$317.00$1,184,195.00$682,081.00
Sale CGT is not estimated because a sale on or after 1 July 2027 can involve cost-base indexation, the 30% minimum capital-gains tax and transitional gain allocation. Ending positions are shown before sale CGT.
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Want the long-term picture? Our Negative Gearing Calculator projects your position over 10–30 years, including breakeven year and ETF comparison.
How negative gearing works

Negative gearing occurs when deductible rental-property amounts exceed assessable rent. Through 2026-27, an eligible loss may reduce other taxable income. From 2027-28, this purchase model treats new homes as an exception and quarantines excess deductions for an established residential home bought after the statutory cutoff.

Estimated tax effect = Tax without property − tax after rental result

Shortcut example: A $10,000 loss wholly within a 32% income-tax-plus-Medicare band is approximately $3,200. Thresholds and offsets can change this.

The following is a marginal-rate shortcut only; the calculator uses the full before-and-after tax difference:

Taxable incomeRate incl. MedicareApprox. effect per $10k loss
$45,001 – $135,00032%$3,200
$135,001 – $190,00039%$3,900
$190,001+47%$4,700

2026-27 resident marginal rate + 2% Medicare levy. LITO and family Medicare thresholds can lower the effective rate near the bottom of each bracket.

What expenses can you claim?

Immediately deductible

Loan interest: Interest on your investment loan (not principal repayments)
Council & water rates: Annual rates and service charges
Insurance: Building, landlord, and contents insurance
Property management: The actual agent fees attributable to the rental
Repairs & maintenance: Fixing existing items to their original condition
Body corporate: Strata fees for units and townhouses
Land tax: State-based tax on investment property land value
Advertising & cleaning: Costs to find tenants; cleaning between tenancies

Depreciation (non-cash deductions)

Capital works (Division 43): Building structure depreciation at 2.5% per year
Plant & equipment (Division 40): Fixtures, appliances, carpets etc.
Tip: Use a quantity surveyor's depreciation schedule where appropriate rather than treating the purchase price as construction cost. The ATO distinguishes capital works from eligible depreciating assets, and second-hand residential assets can be restricted.
Worked example — $100k income, $550/week rent

Sarah earns $100,000 and owns an investment property rented at $550/week. Here's her annual position:

ItemAmount
Rental income (50 weeks × $550)$27,500
Loan interest−$24,000
Council rates−$2,400
Water rates−$1,100
Insurance−$1,800
Property management (7.5%)−$2,063
Repairs−$1,500
Depreciation−$6,000
Total expenses−$38,863
Net rental loss−$11,363
Tax benefit ($11,363 × 32%)$3,636

Sarah's cash expenses (excluding depreciation) are $32,863. With rent of $27,500, her cash shortfall is $5,363. After the $3,636 tax benefit, her after-tax cost is just $1,727/year ($33/week).

Worked example — same property, higher tax bracket

Take the identical property from the example above — same $27,500 rent and $38,863 total expenses, so the same $11,363 net rental loss — but the owner is David, who earns $160,000 and sits in the $135,001 – $190,000 bracket at a combined 39% (37% + 2% Medicare).

ItemAmount
Net rental loss (same property as above)−$11,363
Marginal rate incl. Medicare39%
Tax benefit ($11,363 × 39%)$4,432
Cash shortfall (unchanged)−$5,363
After-tax cost ($5,363 − $4,432)$931/year ($18/week)

Same property, same $11,363 loss — but David's higher marginal rate turns it into a larger tax benefit and roughly half Sarah's after-tax weekly cost. This is why negative gearing's dollar benefit scales with your tax bracket, not with the property.

Worked example — positively geared property

Priya earns $100,000 and owns an older, largely paid-down investment property rented at $650/week. Her rental income exceeds her deductible expenses, so the property is positively geared:

ItemAmount
Rental income (50 weeks × $650)$32,500
Loan interest (small remaining balance)−$5,000
Council rates−$2,500
Water rates−$1,100
Insurance−$1,500
Property management (7.5%)−$2,438
Repairs−$1,200
Depreciation (older build)−$3,000
Total expenses−$16,738
Net rental income$15,762
Extra tax ($15,762 × 32%)−$5,044

Priya's cash expenses (excluding depreciation) are $13,738, so her cash surplus before tax is $18,762. After paying $5,044 in extra tax on the net rental income, her after-tax cash surplus is $13,718/year. Unlike a negatively geared property, this position adds to her taxable income rather than reducing it — there is no tax benefit to offset, only extra tax on genuine profit.

Cash position vs tax loss

Depreciation is a "paper loss" — it reduces your taxable income without costing you actual cash. This makes your tax loss larger than your cash loss, increasing your tax benefit.

TypeWhat it includesImpact
Cash flowRent received minus cash expenses paidMoney in/out of your bank
Tax lossCash expenses plus depreciationDeductions on your tax return
FAQ
What is negative gearing?
Negative gearing occurs when deductible rental property expenses exceed rental income. Through 2026-27, an eligible rental loss may reduce other taxable income. From 2027-28, affected established residential property acquired after the 12 May 2026 cutoff has excess deductions quarantined and carried forward. The calculator derives the treatment from whether the modelled purchase is a new or established home.
What expenses can I claim on a rental property?
Deductible expenses include: loan interest (not principal), council and water rates, insurance, property management fees, repairs and maintenance, body corporate fees, land tax, advertising for tenants, cleaning, gardening, pest control, and depreciation of the building and fixtures.
How much tax will I save with negative gearing?
It depends on where the rental loss moves your taxable income. This calculator uses the before-and-after difference in resident income tax, LITO and the individual Medicare levy. Family Medicare thresholds, HELP repayment income and other offsets can change the final assessment.
What is depreciation and how do I claim it?
Depreciation is a non-cash deduction for the wear and tear of your property's building (capital works at 2.5% per year) and fixtures like appliances and carpets. You need a quantity surveyor's depreciation schedule to claim these deductions.
Should I negatively gear a property?
Negative gearing provides tax benefits but you're still losing money overall. The strategy relies on capital growth to make up for ongoing losses. Consider your cash flow, risk tolerance, and whether the property will grow in value.
Can I claim loan principal repayments?
No, only the interest portion of your loan repayments is tax-deductible. Principal repayments are not deductible as they're building your equity in the property.
What changes for established properties from 2027-28?
From 2027-28, excess deductions on an eligible established residential property acquired after the 12 May 2026 cutoff are quarantined — they carry forward to offset future rental profit or a capital gain on that property, rather than reducing your other taxable income in the year they arise. New homes acquired after the cutoff are carved out of the quarantine. The calculator applies this based on whether the modelled purchase is new or established and its acquisition date relative to the cutoff.
Is a positively geared property still worth buying?
Yes, for many investors — a positively geared property adds cash flow and taxable profit rather than relying on a tax deduction to offset a loss. The trade-off is that you pay extra tax on the net rental income at your marginal rate, so the after-tax return depends on your bracket, the same as the tax benefit does on a negatively geared property. Compare the after-tax cash position against your goals: capital growth, income now, or a mix of both.

Tax Accuracy & Sources

Reviewed: 17 July 2026 · Tax year: 2026-27

Models purchase costs, loan cash flow, entered or benchmark annual expenses, simplified Div 43 and Div 40 depreciation, resident income tax after LITO and individual Medicare levy, and the legislated 2027-28 residential loss quarantine for a modelled current purchase. For projected sales after 1 July 2027, positions exclude sale CGT because indexation, transitional gain allocation and the 30% minimum tax need a separate calculation. It does not model ownership shares, private-use apportionment, family Medicare thresholds, HELP repayment income, residential capital gains available to absorb quarantined losses or personalised deduction eligibility.

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