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Examples of calculating the withholding amounts

Examples of how to calculate the withholding amounts.

Published 17 June 2026

Medicare levy variation declaration example

Example: Medicare levy adjustment

Jabe's weekly earnings are $1,333.45. Jabe has completed a Tax file number declaration claiming the tax-free threshold. Jabe has also provided a Medicare levy variation declaration with 5 children shown at question 12.

Therefore, scale 2 is applied.

x = 1,333.99

Weekly withholding amount (y)

= (a × x) − b

= (0.3200 × 1,333.99) − 181.7319

= 245.1449 or $245.00 (rounded to nearest dollar)

Levy adjustment: weekly earnings are greater than WFT ($1,325.54) and less than the SOP ($1,656) appropriate to an employee with 5 children. Formula (3) applies.

= (1,325.54 × 0.0200) – ([1,333.99 − 1,325.54] × 0.0800)

= 26.5108 − 0.6760

= 25.8348 or $26.00 (rounded to nearest dollar)

Net weekly withholding amount = $245.00 − $26.00 = $219.00

End of example

Multiple claims example

Example: Tax offsets and Medicare levy adjustment

Prue's fortnightly earnings are $1,299.30. She resides in zone B and has provided a Tax file number declaration that claims the tax-free threshold and a Withholding declaration that claims zone and tax offsets at the tax offsets questions that totals $1,645. She has also lodged a Medicare levy variation declaration claiming a full exemption from the Medicare levy.

Therefore, scale 5 is applied.

Convert to weekly equivalent = (1,299.30 ÷ 2)

= 649.65 or $649 (ignore cents)

x = 649.99

Weekly withholding amount (y)

= (a × x) − b

= (0.1500 × 649.99) − 54.3462

= 43.1523 or $43.00 (rounded to nearest dollar)

Fortnightly withholding amount

$43.00 × 2 = $86.00

Tax offsets claimed at the tax offsets questions on the Withholding declaration

= 3.8% of $1,645

= 62.5100 or $63.00 (rounded to nearest dollar)

Net fortnightly withholding amount

$86.00 − $63.00 = $23.00

End of example

Tax offsets example

Example: Tax offsets

Tan's monthly earnings are $5,400.33. He has provided a Tax file number declaration claiming the tax-free threshold and claimed a total tax offset of $1,365 at the tax offsets question on the Withholding declaration. He has one child but isn't eligible for a Medicare levy adjustment. The weekly equivalent of his earnings exceeds the Medicare levy SOP of $1,239 appropriate to a payee with one child.

Therefore, scale 2 is applied.

Convert to weekly equivalent = ($5,400.33 + 0.01) × 3 ÷ 13

= 1,246.2323 or $1,246 (ignore cents)

x = 1,246.99

Weekly withholding amount (y)

= (a × x) − b

= (0.3227 × 1,246.99) − 185.1935

= 217.2102 or $217.00 (rounded to nearest dollar)

Monthly withholding amount = $217.00 × 13 ÷ 3 = $940.00 (rounded to nearest dollar)

Tax offset claimed = 8.3% of $1,365 = 113.2950 or $113.00 (rounded to nearest dollar)

Net monthly withholding amount = $940.00 − $113.00 = $827.00

End of example

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