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Pay and tax, in plain English.

Guides to Australian tax, super, HECS and pay — written to be read, checked against the source, and paired with the calculators that do the maths.

Trade tools hanging on a workshop wallDeductions

Tax deductions for tradies: tools, utes, gear and tickets

The tradie deduction map — tools and depreciation, protective gear, the bulky-tools commute rule, licence renewals, and what employee tradies can't claim.

20 July 2026Teacher writing on a whiteboardDeductions

Tax deductions for teachers: what the ATO lets you claim

Classroom supplies, registration, excursions, marking from home — a teacher's deduction map, with the traps that catch out staffrooms every year.

20 July 2026Calculator and laptop set up on a desk for tax preparationTax time

Lodging your 2025–26 tax return: the complete checklist

Tax season is open. What to gather, when to lodge (not too early), the deductions to check before you press submit, and the deadlines that matter.

20 July 2026Person checking their banking app on a smartphoneTax time

When will your tax refund arrive (and why is it late)?

Most refunds land within two weeks of lodging. Here's the real timeline, what the myGov statuses mean, and the six things that hold refunds up.

20 July 2026Australian gold and silver coinsTax basics

The 2026–27 tax cut: what the new 15% rate is worth to you

From 1 July 2026 the 16% bracket dropped to 15%, with 14% to follow next year. The real dollar impact by salary, and who misses out.

20 July 2026Desk with a computer set up for late-night workTax basics

Side hustle tax: what you owe on income outside your day job

Delivery apps, freelancing, market stalls, content — how second income is really taxed, the set-aside rule, ABNs, GST and the data-matching reality.

20 July 2026Hospital corridor with staff in scrubsTax basics

Private health insurance and your tax: the three systems that decide

The Medicare levy surcharge, the income-tested rebate, and Lifetime Health Cover loading — how the three policies interact, and the incomes where cover pays for itself.

20 July 2026Nurse with a stethoscope around her neckDeductions

Tax deductions for nurses and midwives: the full list

AHPRA fees, uniforms and laundry, CPD, agency costs and equipment — what nurses can claim, the records required, and what it's worth.

20 July 2026Students working at computers in a university roomHECS

HECS indexation 2026: the 2.8% rate and what it did to your balance

On 1 June 2026 HELP debts grew 2.8% — the lowest rate since 2021. How the lower-of-CPI-and-WPI rule works, and what the timing means for repayments.

20 July 2026Young worker in an apron using a tabletPay basics

Your first job in Australia: tax, super and payslips explained

TFN, the tax-free threshold checkbox, your stapled super fund, reading your first payslip — everything they don't teach before your first shift.

20 July 2026Laptop on a tidy home office deskDeductions

Working-from-home deductions: what you can actually claim

The fixed rate is now 70 cents an hour — here's how the two WFH claim methods work, what records the ATO expects, and which method leaves you ahead.

19 July 2026Barista pouring coffee at a cafeTax basics

The tax-free threshold: what it is and when to claim it

The first $18,200 you earn each year is tax-free — but claim it from the wrong number of employers and your refund (or bill) will show it.

19 July 2026Glass jar of coins with a seedling growing from itSuper

The super guarantee: what your employer must pay in 2025–26

12% on top of your salary, paid every payday from July 2026 — how the super guarantee works, how to check it, and the caps that matter.

19 July 2026Hand holding a glass jar filled with moneySuper

Salary sacrifice: how pre-tax super contributions actually pay off

Moving pay from your marginal rate to 15% is the most accessible tax lever most employees have — here's how it works, and the traps.

19 July 2026Colleagues in discussion around a meeting tableCareers

Negotiating a pay rise: numbers first, nerves second

How to build a case your manager can actually say yes to — market data, timing, and knowing what a raise is worth after tax.

19 July 2026Stethoscope resting on a plain backgroundTax basics

The Medicare levy and surcharge, explained

Most people pay 2% — but low earners pay less, high earners without hospital cover pay more, and the difference is worth understanding.

19 July 2026Assorted Australian dollar banknotes laid out on a tableTax basics

Australian income tax explained: brackets, rates and what you actually pay

How marginal tax brackets really work, the 2025–26 rates, and why nobody pays their 'tax bracket' on their whole income.

19 July 2026Paperwork and a pen on a wooden deskPay basics

How to read your payslip (and catch the errors that cost you)

Gross, net, YTD, super accrued — what every line means, what must legally appear, and the three checks worth doing every few months.

19 July 2026University graduate holding an academic capHECS

HECS repayment thresholds: how the new marginal system works

From 2025–26 you repay 15c per dollar over $67,000 — not a slab of your whole income. Here's the new system, indexation, and the 20% cut.

19 July 2026Hand tools hanging on a workshop wallWork decisions

Contractor vs employee: what the day rate has to cover

Why a $700 day rate isn't a $180,000 salary — entitlements, super, gaps, PSI tax rules, and finding your true break-even rate.

19 July 2026

Everything here is general information only — not tax or financial advice. For your personal situation, talk to a registered tax agent.