TTaxplain

Sole trader
tax set-aside calculator

Earned money as a sole trader or freelancer? Work out roughly how much to put aside for tax — so the bill at lodgement time never catches you out.

Rates verified against the ATO · income tax, Medicare & HELP/HECS for 2025-26

Your details

Your business income minus business expenses — the profit you actually take, before tax. Not your turnover.

$
Options
Set aside
Put aside
Estimated tax on your profit
—
Enter your profit →

How to actually use this

  • Open a separate account and move your set-aside amount across every time you get paid — treat it as money that was never yours.
  • Percentage, not dollars: putting aside the effective rate (shown above) of every payment self-adjusts as your income moves through the year.
  • PAYG instalments: after your first year, the ATO usually asks you to pre-pay tax quarterly. This set-aside habit is exactly what funds those instalments.
  • GST is separate: if your turnover passes $75,000 you must register for GST — that’s collected on top of income tax, not included here.
↓ Save as PDF / printPAYG instalments guide →Hobby or business? →

General information only, based on current ATO rates — not personal tax advice. This is an estimate: it taxes your profit as your only income, doesn’t account for other income, deductions beyond those already in your profit figure, tax offsets, or the Medicare levy surcharge, and estimates HELP/HECS on the figure you enter. Your actual tax is determined by the ATO when you lodge. Confirm at ato.gov.au or with a registered tax agent. Built by a CPA-qualified accountant. Taxplain is independent and not affiliated with the ATO.

Taxplain.com.au — tax, in plain English