Fortnightly Pay Calculator 2026–27
See how much tax comes out of each fortnightly pay, what you take home, and every payday in the financial year.
Your paydays in 2026–27
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Printed from ClearCalc (clearcalc.com.au/fortnightly-pay-calculator/). Estimates only, not financial advice.
How fortnightly tax is worked out
Employers use the ATO's tax tables to decide how much to withhold from each pay. For a fortnightly pay, they halve your pay to get a weekly amount, apply the weekly formula, and double the result. This calculator uses the ATO's Schedule 1 formulas that apply from 1 July 2026, so the tax withheld should match your payslip to within a dollar or two.
Tax withheld isn't the same as the tax you finally pay. It's an estimate, and your tax return squares it up at the end of the year.
What is a 27-pay year?
A year has 52 weeks and one or two extra days. Every 11 years or so, those extra days add up and a financial year contains 27 fortnightly paydays instead of 26. If your salary is split into 26 equal payments, you can be paid slightly more than your salary in a 27-pay year, and the tax withheld may come up short. Enter one of your paydays above to check whether 2026–27 has 27 pays for you.
HELP and other deductions
If you have a study loan, your employer withholds extra for it. This calculator estimates that from your annualised pay. Salary sacrifice, union fees and other deductions also come out of your pay. Use the pay calculator for salary sacrifice and the Medicare levy surcharge.
Frequently asked questions
How much tax is taken from $3,000 a fortnight?
If you claim the tax-free threshold, $598 a fortnight is withheld from 1 July 2026, leaving $2,402. With a HECS-HELP debt, roughly another $49 comes out.
How many fortnightly pays are in a year?
Usually 26. Every 11 years or so a financial year has 27, depending on which day of the week you're paid.
Why does my payslip differ slightly?
Employers can use the tax tables or the formulas, which are allowed to differ by a few dollars due to rounding. Allowances, overtime and salary sacrifice also change the amount withheld.
Last reviewed October 2026. This calculator gives an estimate for general information only. Check important figures with the relevant government agency or a licensed professional.