Sign inSet up for free

Salary packaging

See how much of your pay you can package before tax.

Your cap depends on your employer, not your role. See your cap, what’s left before the packaging year ends on 31 March and what people package inside and beside it.

  • Caps from the ATO
  • Set by who employs you
  • Resets 1 April

Your cap this year

Fill in your details above to see your result.

Estimates from published caps and tax rates. Your payslip is locked with your face or fingerprint; only you can open it.

What it is

Salary packaging pays some of your costs from your pay before tax is worked out, so less tax comes out. Public and not-for-profit health employers can offer it without paying fringe benefits tax, up to a yearly cap for each employee. The cap depends on the type of employer, not your role.

What to know

RequirementYour cap depends on your employerPublic and not-for-profit hospitals and ambulance services: $17,000 grossed up, about $9,010 of your pay. Public benevolent institutions and health promotion charities: $30,000, about $15,900. A public hospital that is also a charity uses the hospital cap.Source: ATO, FBT-exempt organisations
Good to knowIt starts after your first payEnrolment needs your payroll number, then one pay cycle. Packaging only runs forward, so a missed fortnight is gone.Source: Health service salary packaging policies
Good to knowThe year runs to 31 MarchThe cap resets on 1 April. Unspent funds carry over but count against the new cap, and claim cut-offs fall in late March.Source: ATO and your packaging provider
RequirementPackaging raises your HELP repaymentsPackaged benefits appear on your income statement as a reportable amount. It is not taxed, but it counts toward HELP repayment income, so graduates repay more.Source: ATO

What we do

  • Show what is left of your cap, and remind you before 31 March
  • Show the caps and rules as published

What we don’t

  • Pick a provider for you. Where your employer offers more than one, the choice is yours
  • Advise on super contributions through packaging

What people package

What you can package, inside and outside the cap.

Most people use the cap on everyday costs. A few things sit outside it, with their own limit or none.

Inside your cap

Paid from your pay before tax

  • Everyday living costs.
  • Rent or a mortgage.
  • Credit card bills.

Source: ATO and health service salary packaging policies.

Outside the cap

Their own limits, or none

  • Meal entertainment and venue hire, on their own $2,650 cap.
  • A novated lease, run through your packaging account.
  • Relocation costs, exempt and outside the cap with any employer.

Source: ATO and health service salary packaging policies.

Price a novated lease

What to know

RequirementMeal entertainment has its own capMeal entertainment and venue hire share a separate $5,000 grossed-up cap, about $2,650, on top of the main one.Source: ATO

What we don’t

  • Tell you what to package