Free calculator · Current rates
Sole trader vs company tax calculator
Enter your profit and what you actually draw. See both tax outcomes side by side — then weigh the annual compliance cost honestly.
Does a company actually save tax?
Only on the profit you don't take out. A sole trader is taxed on all profit at personal rates up to 45% plus Medicare, whether it's drawn or not. A company pays 25% (base rate entity) or 30% on profit retained in the business, while wages you draw are taxed to you personally. The saving is real but it's a deferral: retained profits are taxed again in your hands when distributed as dividends, with franking credits for the company tax already paid. Against the saving, budget $2,000–$4,000 a year in additional compliance.
- Company: 25% or 30% on retained profits
- Sole trader: taxed on all profit at personal rates
- Deferral, not elimination — franking applies later
- Compliance cost $2,000–$4,000 per year
Calculator
Enter your numbers.
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Calculators handle the arithmetic. What they can't do is spot the deduction you didn't know existed, or the structure issue costing you every year. That's a 15-minute call.
Book a free consultationReading the result properly
If you draw everything you earn, a company saves you nothing on tax and costs you several thousand in compliance — the honest answer for a lot of sole traders. The company case gets strong when profit meaningfully exceeds drawings, because the surplus is taxed at 25% or 30% instead of 37% or 45% while it stays in the business funding equipment, stock or growth.
Note what happens later: when those retained profits are eventually paid out as dividends, the franking credit means you top up to your marginal rate rather than paying twice. So the benefit is timing and flexibility — genuinely valuable, but not free money.
The non-tax reasons that usually decide it
In practice, most clients incorporate for liability separation, because a client or licensing body requires a company, or because a partner or investor is coming in. Tax is the tiebreaker rather than the driver. Our structure comparison sets out the full trade-offs, and company and trust setup covers what it costs to do properly.
| Factor | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Asset protection | A company separates trading liability from personal assets — often worth more than the tax |
| Division 7A | Money taken out other than as wages or dividends becomes a loan with strict rules |
| Personal services income | If PSI rules apply, income is attributed to you regardless of the entity |
| Payroll tax | Wages above the state threshold attract payroll tax |
| Selling the business | Buyers usually prefer to buy shares in a company; CGT concessions differ |
| Losses | Sole trader losses may offset other income; company losses stay in the company |
FAQ
Questions about this calculator.
Which company tax rate applies to me?
25% if you're a base rate entity — aggregated turnover under $50 million with no more than 80% of income being passive base rate entity income. Otherwise 30%. Most small trading companies qualify for 25%.
Can I just leave profits in the company and pay 25% forever?
No. Retained profits are company money, not yours. Taking them out requires wages, a franked dividend, or a complying Division 7A loan with minimum repayments — and drawing them informally creates a deemed dividend, which is the most common expensive mistake in owner-managed companies.
What about a trust?
A trust distributes income annually to beneficiaries who are taxed at their own rates, which can beat both options for a family group — but it can't retain profits efficiently and needs resolutions before 30 June. See the three-way comparison.
Is this calculator enough to decide on?
No — it's a first filter. Asset protection, PSI rules, payroll tax, your exit plans and the cost of restructuring all move the answer. A structure consultation models it on your actual figures.
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Talk to a Brisbane tax accountant.
Free 15-minute consultation. No obligation — just clear advice on what you need, what it costs, and what you could be saving.