TFNABNTax ReturnSuperMedicareCalculatorBlogContact
Start your tax return →
Tax Practitioners Board
Home/Blog/Tax Return/What is the Australian financial year and when does it start and end?
Tax Return·30 December 2024·2 min read

What is the Australian financial year and when does it start and end?

Australia uses a financial year that runs from 1 July to 30 June, not the calendar year. Here is what that means for your tax.

2 min left
Quick answer

The Australian financial year runs from 1 July to 30 June of the following calendar year. This is different from the calendar year and different from the tax year used in many other countries. The current financial year as of mid-2026 is 2025-26 (1 July 2025 to 30 June 2026).

How are Australian financial years named?

Australian financial years span two calendar years, so they are named using both:

  • 2024-25 financial year: 1 July 2024 to 30 June 2025
  • 2025-26 financial year: 1 July 2025 to 30 June 2026
  • 2026-27 financial year: 1 July 2026 to 30 June 2027

When someone refers to "the current tax year" or "this financial year", they mean whichever year is currently in progress.

Why do these dates matter for working holiday makers?

The dates determine which return your income falls under:

  • Arrived November 2024, worked through May 2025: all income falls in the 2024-25 financial year. Lodge after 30 June 2025.
  • Arrived May 2024, left August 2024: income spans two financial years. You need to lodge separate returns for 2023-24 (May-June 2024 income) and 2024-25 (July-August 2024 income).
  • Arrived July 2025, worked through to June 2026: all income falls in the 2025-26 financial year. Lodge after 30 June 2026.

If your stay crosses 30 June, you will need to lodge two tax returns, one for each financial year. Our team handles this commonly.

What are the key dates to remember?

  • 30 June: financial year ends
  • 1 July: new financial year begins, tax return lodgment window opens
  • 14 July: employers begin finalising income statements
  • 31 July: most income statements should be finalised by this date
  • 31 October: standard deadline to lodge your tax return
  • Extended (around May the following year): deadline if you lodge through a registered tax agent like our team

Lodgment opens 1 July, but it is usually worth waiting until late July or early August so your employer's income statement is finalised. We monitor this for you when you lodge through our service.

What about super and quarterly deadlines?

Superannuation contributions are paid quarterly:

  • Q1 (Jul-Sep): due by 28 October
  • Q2 (Oct-Dec): due by 28 January
  • Q3 (Jan-Mar): due by 28 April
  • Q4 (Apr-Jun): due by 28 July

These dates matter if you are checking that your employer has paid your superannuation correctly before you leave Australia.

Share this article:

Read also

Tax Return4 min read

What is a tax refund and how do you know if you are owed one in Australia?

A tax refund is money the ATO pays back to you when you have paid more tax than you owed during the year. Most working holiday makers are owed one.

Tax Return5 min read

What is the backpacker tax rate in Australia and how does it work?

Working holiday makers pay a flat 15% tax rate on their Australian earnings. Here is exactly how it works and what it means for your take-home pay.

Tax Return4 min read

What is a PAYG payment summary and how do you use it?

A PAYG payment summary shows your total earnings and tax withheld for the year. Here is what it is and how to access yours.

View all Tax Return articles →