Blog
How Australia’s tax, super, property and pension rules work, in plain language.
- First home buyer stamp duty in each state, 2026–27Stamp duty for a first home buyer in each state and territory in 2026–27: the exemptions, the price limits, and the duty on a $600,000 and a $750,000 home.
- Land tax in each state and territory, 2026–27Who pays land tax, when it is assessed, and each state’s threshold and rates for individuals in 2026–27, with the tax on $800,000 and $1.2 million of land.
- Deeming rates for the Age Pension, 2026–27How deeming turns savings, shares and super into income for the Age Pension income test, the 2026–27 rates and thresholds, and a worked example.
- Transfer balance cap and minimum pension drawdowns, 2026–27Turning super into a retirement income: when you can, the $2.1 million transfer balance cap for 2026–27, and the minimum you have to draw each year by age.
- How the Age Pension income and assets tests workThe Age Pension is paid under two means tests and the lower result applies. How the income test, the assets test and deeming work, and how couples are assessed.
- Upfront costs of buying a home in Australia, beyond the depositStamp duty, registration fees, lenders mortgage insurance and the rest: what a purchase costs on settlement day, and why it differs by state.
- Super contribution caps for 2026–27, explainedThe concessional and non-concessional caps for 2026–27, carry-forward, the bring-forward rule, Division 293 and the new Division 296, in plain language.
- CGT in Australia: how the 50% discount works, and the 2027 changesHow a capital gain is worked out, when the 50% discount applies, how losses count, and what the Tax Reform Act 2026 changes from 1 July 2027.
- What is a financial runway? Work out the year you can afford itA financial runway is how long your money carries you, and how far you are from the next big step. What goes into working it out, year by year.