This guide is about the individual tax return specifically: what an accountant charges to prepare one in 2026, the deductions that make the fee worth paying, and how the fee itself comes back to you. If you want the wider picture of lodgement options and deadlines, see our companion tax return cost guide; for business structures, the cost of an accountant guide covers sole traders, companies and trusts.
Individual return fees by situation in 2026
| Your situation | Typical fee (AUD) | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| Single PAYG salary, basic deductions | $150-$220 | Income, work-related deductions, donations |
| PAYG + work-from-home + car | $200-$300 | Running-cost method, logbook, occupation deductions |
| PAYG + 1 investment property | $300-$500 | Rental schedule, depreciation, interest, CGT events |
| PAYG + share or crypto portfolio | $400-$650 | Dividends, franking credits, CGT calculations |
| PAYG + side hustle (sole trader) | $400-$800 | Business schedule, deductions, GST if registered |
Capital city pricing compared
| City | Simple individual return | With investment property |
|---|---|---|
| Sydney | $150-$300 | $300-$550 |
| Melbourne | $150-$290 | $300-$520 |
| Brisbane | $140-$280 | $290-$500 |
| Perth | $140-$280 | $290-$500 |
| Adelaide / Gold Coast | $130-$260 | $280-$480 |
Indicative ranges. CBD firms in any city sit at the top of each band; outer-metro and suburban practices often quote lower. Complexity matters far more than postcode.
The deductions that pay the fee back
The reason an individual return is worth paying for is that the deductions an experienced agent identifies usually exceed the fee. The most commonly under-claimed items:
- Work from home. Running costs for electricity, internet and phone, claimed under the ATO's fixed-rate or actual-cost method. Keep a record of hours.
- Motor vehicle. Work-related travel that is not your ordinary commute, claimed by logbook or cents-per-kilometre. A 12-week logbook supports the larger claims.
- Self-education. Courses, conferences and materials directly tied to your current role.
- Professional memberships and union fees. Fully deductible when work-related.
- Tools, equipment and subscriptions. Items used for work, immediately for amounts under the relevant threshold and depreciated above it.
- Income protection insurance premiums. Deductible where the policy is held outside super.
- Donations. Gifts of $2 or more to deductible gift recipients.
Claims totalling more than $300 require receipts, so the value of an accountant is partly in knowing what is legitimately claimable for your occupation, which the ATO publishes industry by industry.
The fee is deductible too
The cost of managing your tax affairs is itself deductible under section 25-5 of the Income Tax Assessment Act 1997. That means the fee you pay this year reduces your taxable income next year. The practical effect:
| Agent fee paid | Marginal rate | Net cost after deduction |
|---|---|---|
| $200 | 19% | ~$162 |
| $400 | 32% | ~$272 |
| $650 | 37% | ~$410 |
Marginal rates are illustrative. The deduction applies in the year the fee is paid, so keep the invoice for next year's return.
What about the refund?
The average Australian refund sits at roughly $2,500, but it is not free money. A refund happens because your employer withheld more PAYG tax across the year than you ultimately owed once deductions and offsets were applied. A larger refund is not automatically a better outcome; it can simply mean you lent the ATO money interest-free all year. The goal is the correct tax, claimed in full, not the biggest possible refund.
When free MyTax is genuinely fine
- A single PAYG employer with standard, well-understood deductions
- Basic bank interest and a few Australian shares with no disposals
- No rental property, business income or foreign income
- A situation broadly unchanged from last year
Add an investment property, active trading, business income or a major life event, and an individual return moves into accountant territory, where the fee reliably pays for itself.
Compare individual tax accountants near you
Get fixed-fee quotes from a few registered tax agents with the same scope before deciding. Browse the best tax accountants in Sydney or the best accountants in Melbourne, and verify any agent free on the TPB register at tpb.gov.au first.