Salary packaging

How salary packaging works

Salary packaging is when you arrange to receive less income after tax, in return for your employer paying for benefits out of your pre-tax salary. The benefits could be things like a car or a phone.

For example, you might package a salary of $100,000 so that you receive:

• $85,000 as income

• $15,000 car as a benefit

This reduces your taxable income to $85,000. You can benefit as you may pay less income tax.

You need to arrange your salary package before you get paid. You can’t package your salary after you’ve earned it.

Salary packaging is usually more effective for people on middle to high incomes. You may want to get professional tax advice to work out if salary packaging is right for you.

For more details about salary packaging, see salary sacrifice arrangements for employees on the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) website.

What you can salary package

You can salary package benefits you would normally pay for with your after-tax income, such as computers, cars, child care or super. But it depends on what your employer offers and you may have to pay tax.

Most employers will offer salary sacrifice for super to all employees, but may restrict who can package other benefits.

Benefits fall into three categories: fringe benefits, exempt benefits and super.

Fringe benefits

Fringe benefits can include:

• salary sacrifice for a car

• health insurance

• loans (usually for a car)

• school fees

• childcare fees

• other personal expenses

Your employer pays fringe benefit tax (FBT) on these benefits. See fringe benefits tax on the ATO website for more information.

Exempt benefits

Exempt benefits include:

• portable electronic devices

• computer software

• protective clothing

• tools of the trade

Your employer will not have to pay fringe benefits tax on these.

Super

Putting some of your pre-tax income into super has benefits for you and your employer. Your super fund will tax these contributions at 15% — the same as your employer’s contributions.

For most people this will be lower than their marginal tax rate. See salary sacrifice and personal super contributions for more information on how this can benefit you.

Important

Not-for-profit organisations have an FBT exemption. This means they provide fringe benefits for their employees without having to pay tax on those benefits.

Call us today on Phone 1300 558 499 to discuss whether a salary packaging arrangement would be beneficial for you. 

Source: moneysmart.gov.au
Reproduced with the permission of ASIC’s MoneySmart Team. This article was originally published at https://moneysmart.gov.au/income-tax/salary-packaging

Important note: This provides general information and hasn’t taken your circumstances into account.  It’s important to consider your particular circumstances before deciding what’s right for you. Although the information is from sources considered reliable, we do not guarantee that it is accurate or complete. You should not rely upon it and should seek qualified advice before making any investment decision. Except where liability under any statute cannot be excluded, we do not accept any liability (whether under contract, tort or otherwise) for any resulting loss or damage of the reader or any other person.  Past performance is not a reliable guide to future returns.

Important
Any information provided by the author detailed above is separate and external to our business and our Licensee. Neither our business nor our Licensee takes any responsibility for any action or any service provided by the author. Any links have been provided with permission for information purposes only and will take you to external websites, which are not connected to our company in any way. Note: Our company does not endorse and is not responsible for the accuracy of the contents/information contained within the linked site(s) accessible from this page.