What Your Seek Salary Really Means: After-Tax Take-Home Pay Guide

Understanding Your Seek Salary

When you browse job ads on Seek, the salary figure is usually the gross amount before tax. What actually lands in your bank account each fortnight is your take-home pay, after the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) deducts income tax and the Medicare levy. This guide explains how to estimate that net amount using the latest 2026–27 tax rates and thresholds.

Step 1: Start with the Gross Salary

Your gross annual salary is the number you see in the ad. For example, a role advertising $80,000 a year. If the ad says "plus super", the employer will also pay 12% super (from 1 July 2026) into your super fund, but that doesn't affect your take-home pay. If the ad says "package", the super is included in the $80,000, so your base salary is lower. Always check the wording.

Step 2: Apply the 2026–27 Income Tax Rates

The ATO publishes resident tax rates for Australian residents. For 2026–27, the rates are:

• $0 – $18,000: Nil
• $18,201 – $45,000: 15c for each $1 over $18,200
• $45,001 – $135,000: $4,020 plus 30c for each $1 over $45,000
• $135,001 – $190,000: $31,020 plus 37c for each $1 over $135,000
• $190,001 and over: $51,370 plus 45c for each $1 over $190,000

These rates do not include the Medicare levy (2%). For a $80,000 salary: tax = $4,020 + 30c × ($80,000 – $45,000) = $4,020 + $10,500 = $14,520.

Step 3: Apply the Low Income Tax Offset (LITO)

LITO reduces tax for low to middle incomes. For 2026–27:

• Maximum $700 if taxable income ≤ $37,500
• Then reduces by 5c per $1 until $45,000
• Then $325 minus 1.5c per $1 over $45,000 until $66,667
• No LITO above $66,667

For $80,000, you get no LITO.

Step 4: Subtract the Medicare Levy

The Medicare levy is 2% of your taxable income, but low-income earners may pay less or nothing. The latest single-person thresholds are $28,011 and $35,013. If your taxable income is below $28,011, you pay no levy. Between $28,011 and $35,013, you pay 10c per $1 over $28,011. Above $35,013, you pay the full 2%. For $80,000, the levy is $1,600.

Step 5: Calculate Your Take-Home Pay

Annual take-home = gross salary – income tax – Medicare levy + LITO (if any). For $80,000: $80,000 – $14,520 – $1,600 = $63,880. Divide by 26 for fortnightly: $2,456.92. That's what you'd see in your bank account each fortnight, assuming no other deductions like HELP/HECS or salary sacrifice.

Benchmarks to Compare

Fair Work sets the national minimum wage at $26.44 per hour or $1,004.90 per week (from 1 July 2026). That's about $52,255 a year. After tax and Medicare, a single person earning the minimum wage would take home roughly $44,000 annually (depending on LITO). The ABS average full-time adult ordinary time earnings are $2,083.70 per week (May 2026), around $108,000 a year. After tax, that's about $80,000 take-home.

Important Notes

• Super is not deducted from your take-home pay; it's extra on top. If you're comparing salaries, always check if the ad says "plus super" or "including super". Use the [Take-home pay](/topics/take-home] and Tax and Medicare tools on this site for a quick estimate.

Final Thoughts

Your seek salary is just the starting point. By applying the 2026–27 tax rates and Medicare levy, you can estimate your real take-home pay. Always use the ATO's official tax tables for exact withholding, but this guide gives you a reliable ballpark.