Investment and super tax: check which stage you are modelling
This guide covers the separate tax questions for investment income, capital gains, super contributions, earnings and withdrawals.
On this page
- Different stages
- Super contributions, investment earnings and withdrawals have separate tax questionsMoneySmart: tax and super
- Different arrangements
- Retirement income treatment depends on the fund and payment arrangementMoneySmart: retirement income and tax
Income and disposal records answer different questions
Investment income can include interest, dividends, rent and managed-fund distributions. A disposal can separately create a capital gain or loss. MoneySmart investment income (opens in a new tab).
A quoted investment return is not a personal after-tax result. This guide does not determine residency, ownership allocation or tax liability. MoneySmart investment income (opens in a new tab).
Losses and expenses have different treatment
A net capital loss can generally reduce future capital gains. Expenses incurred to earn investment income may have different deduction treatment, while some costs form part of the cost base. MoneySmart gains losses and deductions (opens in a new tab).
This overview establishes no deduction, discount or cost base and applies no announced future policy change.
Super contributions and earnings are separate
Super has separate tax rules for contributions, fund investment earnings and withdrawals. Deducted personal contributions change category. MoneySmart tax and super stages (opens in a new tab).
Accumulation and retirement income accounts have different earnings treatment. This guide calculates none of these amounts and provides no uniform tax-rate assumption for a projection. MoneySmart tax and super stages (opens in a new tab).
Retirement arrangements differ
Account-based pensions, defined benefit pensions, transition-to-retirement income streams and annuities are distinct arrangements. Taxed and untaxed funds can have different treatment. MoneySmart retirement arrangements (opens in a new tab).
Transition-to-retirement investment earnings are not automatically treated like retirement-phase earnings. No tax-free withdrawal or account entitlement is determined here. MoneySmart retirement arrangements (opens in a new tab).
Records and scenario boundaries
Purchase and sale contracts, income statements and expense receipts support investment tax reporting. A calculator return or drawdown scenario does not replace that evidence. MoneySmart investment tax records (opens in a new tab).
This explanation excludes a capital-gains estimate, personalised rate, deduction decision, investment selection and transfer recommendation.