Capital Gains Tax Calculator

What is Capital Gains Tax?

Capital Gains Tax (CGT) is the tax you pay on the profit when you sell an asset like shares, property, or cryptocurrency. Australia offers a 50% CGT discount for individuals who hold assets for more than 12 months.

How this calculator works

Select the asset type (shares/property/crypto/other) and enter purchase price, sale price, buy/sell costs and capital improvements. The calculator computes the gross capital gain, applies the main residence exemption with optional 6-year rule for property, applies any carried-forward capital losses, then the 50% CGT discount for assets held over 12 months. Tax is computed at your marginal rate. The order matters: losses applied before discount, per ATO method.

The 50% CGT Discount

If you hold an asset for at least 12 months (not 'in the year of' — strictly 12 months plus one day from acquisition to CGT event), individuals and trusts get a 50% discount on the gain. Companies don't get the discount. Self-managed super funds (SMSFs) get a 1/3 discount in accumulation phase and 0 in pension phase (it's already tax-free). Massive incentive to hold rather than trade — saves up to 22.5% of the gain in tax.

Main Residence Exemption

Your principal home is generally CGT-FREE on sale (s 118-110 ITAA 1997). Tests: you must have lived in it as your main residence, with no significant business use of the property, and you cannot have nominated a different property as your main residence for the same period. Special rules for: home offices used for business (partial CGT), demolition and rebuilds, deceased estates (special 2-year rule).

The 6-Year Absence Rule

Under s 118-145 ITAA 1997, you can continue treating your former home as your main residence for UP TO 6 YEARS while it's rented out — keeping full CGT exemption. Conditions: you must not claim another property as your main residence in the same period, you must have lived in the property first as your main residence. Can be reset (another 6 yrs) if you move back in and then move out again. Hugely valuable for expats and people who move for work.

What Counts in Cost Base

Cost base = purchase price + acquisition costs (stamp duty, legal fees, agent fees, building inspections) + capital improvements (renovations, extensions — NOT repairs) + ownership costs for assets acquired after 21 Aug 1991 (rates, insurance, interest on borrowed funds — only if not otherwise deductible). All keep your gain low. Selling costs (agent commission, legal, advertising) are also deducted. Keep ALL receipts for the life of the asset — sometimes 20-40 years for property.

Capital Losses and Carry-Forward

Capital losses can ONLY offset capital gains (never ordinary income). Unused losses carry forward INDEFINITELY to future years. CRITICAL: losses are applied BEFORE the 50% discount — so a $20k loss reduces a $50k gain to $30k, then 50% discount makes it $15k taxable. If you applied loss after discount, $50k × 0.5 = $25k - $20k = $5k taxable — much better, but NOT how ATO does it. Plan capital event timing accordingly.

Specific Asset Types

PROPERTY: CGT on entire gain unless main residence exemption applies; complex partial exemption if rented out part of the time. SHARES/ETFs: simple capital gain calc; dividends are ordinary income (not CGT). CRYPTOCURRENCY: ATO treats as CGT asset for investors (TR 2024/D2). Swapping coin A for coin B = a CGT event. Personal use exception only applies under $10,000 and only for crypto used for personal consumption. COLLECTABLES (art, jewellery, antiques): CGT applies above $500 cost, separate rules apply.

All calculations are performed in your browser — your data never leaves your device. Results are for general guidance only and should not be considered professional financial advice.

Built and maintained by Konstantin Iakovlev. Data sourced from the ATO and official Australian government sources.