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Stage 3 Tax Cuts Australia: How They Changed Your Take-Home Pay

Australian Tax & FinancePublished Last updated 6 min readHow we calculate

The Stage 3 tax cuts are the most significant restructuring of Australia's income tax brackets in decades. They took effect from 1 July 2024 and continue to apply in the 2025-26 financial year. Here is what changed and exactly how much you save.

Use our Australian pay calculator to see your exact take-home pay under the current 2025-26 rates.

Old vs New Tax Brackets: The Full Comparison

2023-24 (before Stage 3)
Taxable incomeRate
$0 – 18,2000%
18,201 – 45,00019%
45,001 – 120,00032.5%
120,001 – 180,00037%
Over 180,00045%
2025-26 (Stage 3 rates)
Taxable incomeRate
$0 – 18,2000%
18,201 – 45,00016%
45,001 – 135,00030%
135,001 – 190,00037%
Over 190,00045%

Three things changed. The 19% rate fell to 16%. The 32.5% rate fell to 30%, and that bracket now runs to $135,000 instead of $120,000. The 37% bracket now runs from $135,001 to $190,000, so the 45% rate starts at $190,001 instead of $180,001. The tax-free threshold stayed at $18,200.

How Much More Do You Take Home?

Annual income tax at common salaries under 2023-24 rates and 2025-26 rates, both after the low income tax offset:

SalaryTax (2023-24)Tax (2025-26)Annual saving
50,0006,4675,538+929
60,0009,8678,688+1,179
70,00013,21711,788+1,429
80,00016,46714,788+1,679
100,00022,96720,788+2,179
120,00029,46726,788+2,679
150,00040,56736,838+3,729
200,00060,66756,138+4,529

Medicare levy is not included because it was 2% in both years.

Who Benefits Most from Stage 3?

  • $18,201–$45,000: 3 cents less on every dollar in this range, worth 804 a year at $45,000.
  • $45,001–$135,000: 2.5 cents less on every dollar up to $120,000, and 7 cents less from $120,001 to $135,000 (37% became 30%).
  • $135,001 and above: the saving keeps growing until $190,000 (8 cents less from $180,001 to $190,000) and is 4,529 a year for every income above that.

Impact on Take-Home Pay

Want to see your full take-home pay under the current 2025-26 Stage 3 rates? Use our salary breakdown guides for common income levels:

Calculate Your Take-Home Pay Under Stage 3

Enter your salary and see exactly how much you take home under the 2025-26 Stage 3 tax brackets.

Use the Free Pay Calculator →

Source: ATO: Tax rates - Australian residents (2023-24 and 2025-26 tables).