NZ take-home pay equals gross salary minus income tax (5 brackets: 10.5% to 39%, with no tax-free threshold), ACC Earner's Levy (1.67%), your KiwiSaver contribution, and any student loan repayment. Employer KiwiSaver (3% minimum) is paid separately on top. This calculator handles all of it for FY 2025-26.
NZ has no regional income tax — these affect SEO context only.
$
Excludes employer KiwiSaver (paid on top).
Employer also contributes minimum 3% on top.
FY 2025-26. Brackets updated 31 July 2024; full year applies.
Take-home per fortnight
$0
Annual take-home
$0
Effective tax
0%
Marginal rate
0%
Where each $1 of your salary goes
Where is your money going?
Line
Annual
Per period
Gross salary
$0
$0
Income tax (after IETC)
−$0
−$0
ACC Earner's Levy (1.67%)
−$0
−$0
KiwiSaver (employee)
−$0
−$0
Student loan (12%)
−$0
−$0
Take-home pay
$0
$0
+ Employer KiwiSaver (paid to your fund)
$0
$0
NZ income tax (FY 2025-26)
New Zealand has a national income tax with five brackets and
no tax-free threshold — tax starts from the first
dollar earned. Budget 2024 raised the bottom two bracket thresholds,
with full new thresholds applying from FY 2025-26.
Taxable income
Rate
$0 – $15,600
10.5%
$15,601 – $53,500
17.5%
$53,501 – $78,100
30%
$78,101 – $180,000
33%
$180,001+
39%
Earners between $24,000 and $70,000 may also claim the
Independent Earner Tax Credit (IETC) — up to $520/year
($10/week) — provided they don't receive Working for Families or a
main benefit. The full $520 applies between $24k and $66k; it tapers
13c per $1 from $66k → $0 at $70k.
ACC Earner's Levy
All employees pay the ACC Earner's Levy to fund New
Zealand's national accident-compensation scheme. FY 2025-26 rate:
1.67% on liable earnings, capped at $152,790/year.
Collected automatically via PAYE alongside income tax.
KiwiSaver
KiwiSaver is NZ's opt-in retirement savings scheme. You pick a
contribution rate of 3%, 4%, 6%, 8%, or 10% of your
gross pay. Your employer must contribute a minimum of 3%
on top of your salary in most contracts (some employment agreements
bundle it into a total-remuneration package — check yours).
The government also tops up your KiwiSaver with up to $521.43/year
(50c per $1 you contribute, up to the cap), provided you're eligible
and contribute at least $1,042.86 per year.
Student loan repayments
If you have a NZ student loan, compulsory repayments are deducted via
PAYE at 12% of every dollar above $24,128/year
($464/week). The rate is flat — no marginal bands. Repayments are
applied automatically when your employer uses the SL tax code.
GST
15% nationwide on most goods and services. Raised
from 12.5% on 1 October 2010; stable since.
Calculator is provided for estimation only and does not constitute tax
advice. Consult an accountant or IRD for filing.
How NZ paychecks compare to Australia
The two countries share a lot — single national income tax, no
state tax, similar opt-in retirement (KiwiSaver vs Super), and
student loan via payroll. Key differences:
Feature
NZ
Australia
Tax-free threshold
None (tax from $1)
$18,200
Retirement contribution
KiwiSaver 3-10% (opt-in)
Super 12% (mandatory)
Health/injury levy
ACC 1.67%
Medicare Levy 2% + MLS
Student loan
Flat 12% above $24,128
HECS marginal 15%/17%/10%
GST
15%
10%
Low-income credit
IETC up to $520
LITO up to $700
Frequently Asked Questions
How does this NZ PAYE calculator work?
Enter your gross salary, pick your KiwiSaver contribution rate (3/4/6/8/10% — default 3%), and tick whether you have a student loan. The calculator returns your take-home pay after income tax (10.5–39% across 5 brackets), ACC Earner's Levy (1.67%), KiwiSaver employee contribution, and any student loan repayment. Your employer's KiwiSaver contribution is shown separately because it's paid on top of your salary — not deducted from take-home.
Why doesn't NZ have a tax-free threshold?
New Zealand taxes from the first dollar earned at 10.5%. This is unusual — Australia ($18,200), the UK (£12,570), and India (₹3 lakh under new regime) all have tax-free thresholds. NZ's approach offsets this with the IETC ($520 credit for $24-70k earners) and a Working for Families system for parents.
What are the FY 2025-26 brackets?
Budget 2024 raised the 10.5% bracket from $14,000 to $15,600 and the 17.5% upper bound from $48,000 to $53,500. Full new thresholds applied for the FY 2025-26 year: 10.5% to $15,600 → 17.5% to $53,500 → 30% to $78,100 → 33% to $180,000 → 39% above.
How does KiwiSaver work for take-home pay?
Your contribution (3-10% of gross) comes out of your pay. Your employer also contributes minimum 3% on top of your salary in most contracts — that goes straight to your KiwiSaver fund, not your bank account. The government adds up to $521.43/year as a "member tax credit" if you contribute at least $1,042.86. Opting out means you forgo both employer and government contributions — usually a bad deal.
What is the ACC Earner's Levy?
A 1.67% levy (FY 2025-26) on earnings up to $152,790 that funds NZ's national no-fault accident-compensation scheme. Pays for injury treatment and income compensation regardless of whether the injury is work-related. Collected via PAYE alongside income tax — appears as a separate line on your payslip.
How is student loan calculated?
Flat 12% of every dollar above the $24,128/year threshold (or $464/week). No marginal bands — much simpler than Australia's HECS. Deducted automatically when your employer uses the "SL" tax code.
Can I claim the Independent Earner Tax Credit?
Yes if (a) your annual income is between $24,000 and $70,000, AND (b) you don't receive Working for Families tax credits or a main government benefit. Worth up to $520/year. The calculator includes it by default — uncheck the box if you receive WfF or a main benefit.
How accurate is this calculator?
It uses published FY 2025-26 IRD rates: brackets, ACC levy + cap, KiwiSaver rates, student loan threshold + rate, IETC structure. It does NOT handle: extra pays (bonuses, lump sums — taxed differently), Working for Families (separate from IETC), residence status changes, multiple jobs, secondary income tax codes (S, SH, ST). For tax filing, use IRD's myIR portal.