Tax Breaks for Australian Small Business Owners 2026
The Small Business Tax Offset (SBO) is a valuable tax concession available to Australian small business entities. For the 2025-26 income year, eligible small business owners can claim a tax offset equal to 16% of the tax payable on their business income, with a maximum cap of $1,000 per person per year. This offset provides direct savings on your tax bill, helping you reinvest more into your business.
Who is Eligible?
To qualify for the Small Business Tax Offset in 2025-26, you must:
- Be an individual (or trustee of a trust) receiving business income
- Your business must have an aggregated turnover of less than $50 million in the income year
- The business income must be from a trading or active business (not passive investments)
- You must be an Australian tax resident
How the Offset Works
The offset is calculated as 16% of the tax attributable to your business income. Your total income tax payable is allocated between your business income and other income sources (salary, investment income, etc.) based on their proportions. The offset then reduces your overall tax bill, but is capped at $1,000 per person annually.
Calculation Example
Suppose you have:
- Business net income: $60,000
- Total taxable income (including salary): $120,000
- Total income tax payable: $30,000
Business income proportion = $60,000 ÷ $120,000 = 50%.
Tax on business income = $30,000 × 50% = $15,000.
Small Business Tax Offset = $15,000 × 16% = $2,400.
However, the maximum offset is capped at $1,000. So your final offset is $1,000, reducing your tax to $29,000.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1: What is the maximum Small Business Tax Offset for 2025-26?
The maximum offset is $1,000 per person per year. Even if your calculated offset exceeds this amount (e.g., 16% of tax on business income > $1,000), the offset will be capped at $1,000.
Q2: How does the offset interact with other tax offsets?
The Small Business Tax Offset is a non-refundable tax offset, meaning it can reduce your tax bill to zero but does not generate a refund. It is applied after calculating your tax liability and can be combined with other offsets like the Low Income Tax Offset (LITO).
Q3: Do partnerships and trusts qualify?
Yes, but the offset flows through to the individual partners or beneficiaries. The partnership or trust itself does not claim the offset; instead, each partner/beneficiary claims their share of the offset on their individual tax return. The $1,000 cap applies to each individual.
Q4: Does the $50 million turnover threshold include all related entities?
Yes. The aggregated turnover test includes the turnover of the business and any connected or affiliated entities. This prevents businesses from splitting operations into multiple entities to stay under the threshold.
Important: This calculator provides estimates based on 2025-26 tax offset rules. Your actual offset may vary depending on your specific circumstances, other tax offsets, and ATO interpretations. Consult a registered tax agent for personalized advice.