CGT Calculator Australia โ Calculate Capital Gains Tax on Property and Shares
Free Australian CGT calculator for property; shares; and crypto. Calculate capital gains tax with the 50% discount for assets held 12+ months.
Calculate your Australian capital gains tax (CGT) on investment property; shares; ETFs; and cryptocurrency. When you sell an asset for more than you paid; the profit is a capital gain and must be declared in your tax return. Australian residents get a powerful benefit: the 50% CGT discount on assets held for more than 12 months means only half the gain is added to your taxable income. Your main residence is completely CGT-free under the main residence exemption. For investment properties; you can reduce your capital gain by claiming purchase costs (stamp duty; legal fees); improvement costs; and selling costs (agent commission). For shares and ETFs; your cost base includes brokerage fees and any reinvested distributions. Capital losses can be carried forward indefinitely to offset future capital gains. Use this calculator to estimate your CGT liability for the current financial year.
How much CGT do I pay on an investment property in Australia?
CGT on investment property = Sale price minus cost base (purchase price + stamp duty + legal fees + renovations + agent commission). If held over 12 months; apply the 50% discount. The discounted gain is added to your taxable income and taxed at your marginal rate. Example: bought for $500;000; sold for $700;000 with $30;000 costs = $170;000 gain. After 50% discount = $85;000 added to income. At a $90;000 salary (37% marginal rate); CGT is approximately $31;450.
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How Capital Gains Tax Works in Australia
Capital gains tax (CGT) in Australia is not a separate tax โ it is part of your income tax. When you sell an asset (investment property, shares, ETFs, cryptocurrency, or collectibles) for more than your cost base, the profit is a capital gain. This gain is added to your assessable income for the financial year and taxed at your marginal tax rate. The most important concession is the 50% CGT discount: if you held the asset for at least 12 months before selling, only half the capital gain is included in your taxable income. Companies do not receive this discount, and non-residents lost the discount for assets acquired after May 2012. Your cost base includes the purchase price plus incidental costs like stamp duty, legal fees, brokerage, and improvement costs (for property).
CGT on Investment Property โ Worked Example
Suppose you bought an investment property in 2020 for $600,000 with $25,000 in stamp duty and $3,000 in legal fees. You spent $40,000 on renovations. In 2026 you sell for $850,000, paying $17,000 in agent commission and $2,000 in legal fees. Your cost base is $600,000 + $25,000 + $3,000 + $40,000 = $668,000. Your capital proceeds are $850,000 - $17,000 - $2,000 = $831,000. Capital gain = $831,000 - $668,000 = $163,000. Since you held for over 12 months, the 50% discount applies: taxable gain = $81,500. If your salary is $90,000, your total taxable income becomes $171,500 and the CGT portion is taxed at your marginal rate (37% on income over $135,000). Your approximate CGT bill is around $30,000. Timing the sale for a year when your other income is lower can significantly reduce this amount.
CGT on Shares and ETFs in Australia
When you sell shares, ETFs, or managed fund units for a profit, capital gains tax applies. Your cost base for shares includes the purchase price plus brokerage fees on both buying and selling. If you participate in a Dividend Reinvestment Plan (DRP), the reinvested distributions increase your cost base โ failing to account for these means you overpay CGT. Track each parcel separately if you bought shares in multiple lots at different prices. You can choose which parcels to sell first: selling higher-cost parcels first reduces your gain. Example: bought 1,000 BHP shares at $40 ($50 brokerage) and sold at $50 ($50 brokerage). Capital gain = ($50,000 - $50) - ($40,000 + $50) = $9,900. After 50% discount (held 12+ months) = $4,950 added to your taxable income.
CGT on Cryptocurrency in Australia
The ATO treats cryptocurrency as a CGT asset, not as currency. Every disposal โ selling, trading one crypto for another, converting to fiat, or using crypto to buy goods โ is a CGT event. The 50% discount applies if you held the crypto for over 12 months. Your cost base includes the purchase price in AUD at the time of acquisition plus any exchange fees. If you received crypto through mining, staking, or airdrops, the market value at the time of receipt is assessable income AND becomes your cost base for future CGT calculations. Keep detailed records of every transaction including dates, amounts, and AUD values โ the ATO data-matches with Australian exchanges.
How to Minimise Your Capital Gains Tax
The most effective CGT reduction strategies include: (1) Hold assets for at least 12 months to qualify for the 50% discount โ this alone halves your tax. (2) Time sales for years when your income is lower, such as during a career break, parental leave, or early retirement, to benefit from lower marginal rates. (3) Use tax-loss harvesting โ sell underperforming investments at a loss in the same financial year to offset your gains. Capital losses can be carried forward indefinitely. (4) Claim every eligible cost in your cost base: stamp duty, legal fees, valuations, renovations (for property), brokerage (for shares), and exchange fees (for crypto). (5) Consider contributing to super before selling โ this reduces your taxable income and therefore the rate at which your gain is taxed. (6) The main residence exemption makes your home completely CGT-free, and the 6-year absence rule lets you rent it out for up to 6 years without losing the exemption.
Key Information
| Parameter | Details |
|---|---|
| 50% CGT Discount | Assets held 12+ months โ only half the gain is taxed |
| Main Residence Exemption | Your home is 100% CGT-free (6-year absence rule applies) |
| Shares CGT Cost Base | Purchase price + brokerage + reinvested distributions |
| Capital Losses | Carry forward indefinitely to offset future gains |
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Use Calculator NowFrequently Asked Questions
How much CGT do I pay on an investment property in Australia?
CGT on investment property = Sale price minus cost base (purchase price + stamp duty + legal fees + renovations + agent commission). If held over 12 months; apply the 50% discount. The discounted gain is added to your taxable income and taxed at your marginal rate. Example: bought for $500;000; sold for $700;000 with $30;000 costs = $170;000 gain. After 50% discount = $85;000 added to income. At a $90;000 salary (37% marginal rate); CGT is approximately $31;450.
How do I calculate CGT on shares in Australia?
Your capital gain on shares = sale proceeds minus cost base. The cost base includes the purchase price; brokerage fees on both buying and selling; and any reinvested distributions (like DRPs). If you held shares for 12+ months; apply the 50% CGT discount. Example: bought 1;000 shares at $10 ($50 brokerage) and sold at $15 ($50 brokerage) = $15;000 - $10;100 = $4;900 gain. After 50% discount = $2;450 added to your taxable income. Track each parcel separately if you bought in multiple lots.
How can I reduce or avoid capital gains tax in Australia?
Hold assets over 12 months for the 50% CGT discount. Time sales for years when your income is lower (career break or retirement) to benefit from a lower marginal rate. Use tax-loss harvesting โ sell losing investments in the same financial year to offset gains. Claim every eligible cost: stamp duty; legal fees; renovations; brokerage; and agent commission. Your main residence is fully CGT-exempt; and the 6-year absence rule lets you rent your home for up to 6 years while keeping the exemption.
What is the CGT discount in Australia?
Australian resident individuals and trusts get a 50% CGT discount on assets held for 12 months or more. This means only half your capital gain is added to your taxable income. For example, a $100,000 gain on shares held for 2 years becomes $50,000 taxable. Companies do not receive the discount. This is the single most powerful CGT concession โ always check if you can delay selling until the 12-month mark.
Do I pay CGT on cryptocurrency in Australia?
Yes. The ATO treats crypto as a CGT asset. You trigger a CGT event when you sell crypto for AUD, trade one crypto for another, use crypto to buy goods or services, or gift crypto. The 50% discount applies if held over 12 months. Your cost base is the AUD value at the time you acquired the crypto plus exchange fees. The ATO data-matches with Australian exchanges so all transactions should be reported.
How is CGT calculated on shares sold in Australia?
Capital gain = sale proceeds (minus brokerage) minus cost base (purchase price plus brokerage plus any DRP reinvestments). If held over 12 months, apply the 50% discount. The discounted gain is added to your other income and taxed at your marginal rate. Track each parcel separately if you bought at different times and prices โ you can choose which parcels to sell first to minimise tax.
What is the main residence CGT exemption?
Your main residence (the home you live in) is completely exempt from CGT when you sell it. This is the most valuable tax concession in Australia. The 6-year absence rule extends this: if you move out and rent your home, the exemption continues for up to 6 years, provided you do not claim another property as your main residence during that time. If you exceed 6 years, CGT applies proportionally to the period beyond 6 years.
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Last updated: March 2026