HECS repayment calculator
This HECS repayment calculator works out your compulsory HELP repayment for 2026-27 under the marginal repayment system. Enter your repayment income and HELP balance to see what comes out of your pay each year and week, what share of your income that is, and roughly how many years it will take to clear the debt.
Updated 12 November 2026 · Uses 2026-27 figures
Work out your HELP repayment
Enter your repayment income, your HELP balance and an indexation rate.
General information only, not financial, tax or legal advice. Results are estimates based on 2026-27 figures and the assumptions shown. Check your award, agreement or a qualified adviser for your situation.
Looking for steady shifts or a permanent role? TQN Personnel places casual, contract and permanent staff across Australia.
Find workHow to use the HECS repayment calculator
- Enter your repayment income per year. Start with taxable income and add any reportable fringe benefits, reportable super contributions and net investment losses.
- Enter your HELP balance from myGov.
- Set an indexation rate. The 1 June 2026 rate was 2.8%.
- Read your compulsory repayment, the weekly amount and the years left at this income.
HECS-HELP repayment thresholds 2026-27
Since 2025-26, HELP repayments use a marginal system. You repay a percentage of the income above the threshold, not a percentage of your whole income. The 2026-27 thresholds are:
| Repayment income | Compulsory repayment |
|---|---|
| $0 to $69,528 | Nil |
| $69,529 to $129,717 | 15c for each $1 over $69,528 |
| $129,718 to $186,050 | $9,028 plus 17c for each $1 over $129,717 |
| $186,051 and over | 10% of total repayment income |
These rules apply to HECS-HELP, FEE-HELP, VET Student Loans and the other study and training support loans.
Worked example
Repayment income $85,000, HELP balance $28,000, 3% indexation.
Income above the threshold is $85,000 − $69,528 = $15,472. At 15c per dollar the compulsory repayment is $2,321 a year, about $44.63 a week, or 2.7% of income. At that income and with 3% indexation, the debt takes about 16 years to clear.
At $140,000 with a $40,000 balance, the repayment is $10,776 a year (7.7% of income) and the debt is gone in about 4 years.
Your employer withholds an amount from each pay towards this, based on the tax table. The final amount is worked out on your tax return, so you may get some back or owe a little more.
How does HECS debt work?
- When you start paying: once your repayment income is above $69,528 in 2026-27. Below that, no compulsory repayment is due.
- Interest: HELP debts have no interest. Instead the balance is indexed each 1 June, in line with the lower of CPI and the wage price index.
- Voluntary payments: you can pay extra at any time through the ATO. Paying before 1 June avoids indexation on that amount.
- When you die: any HELP debt left is cancelled and is not passed on.
What counts as repayment income?
Repayment income is wider than taxable income. It adds back:
- reportable fringe benefits, including an FBT-exempt electric car on a novated lease
- reportable super contributions, including salary sacrifice
- net investment losses, such as negative gearing on a rental property
- exempt foreign employment income
So salary sacrificing or packaging a car lowers your income tax but does not lower your HELP repayment by the same amount.
Should you pay off HECS early?
Voluntary repayments go straight off your balance, and a payment made before 1 June is not indexed that year. With indexation at 2.8% on 1 June 2026, paying early saves you that rate on the amount paid, with no tax effect. Compare that with what the same money could do elsewhere: paying off a credit card or personal loan at a higher interest rate, adding to a home deposit, or keeping an emergency buffer usually comes first. Unlike most debts, HELP has no interest, no fixed repayment schedule and no repayments while your income is below $69,528, so many people simply let compulsory repayments clear it over time.
HELP and extra shifts
Because repayments are now marginal, extra shifts or overtime above the threshold cost you an extra 15c in the dollar in HELP, on top of income tax and Medicare. Picking up casual work no longer causes the sudden jump in repayments that the old whole-income system did. If you work casual or labour hire shifts for more than one employer, tell each one about your HELP debt on the tax file number declaration so enough is withheld. Looking for more hours? Register with TQN Personnel for casual and permanent roles.
Frequently asked questions
How much do you have to earn to pay HECS?
In 2026-27 compulsory repayments start when your repayment income is above $69,528. You then repay 15c for each dollar above that threshold, rising to 17c above $129,717.
How much HECS do I pay?
It depends on your repayment income. On $85,000 you pay $2,321 a year, or about $44.63 a week. On $140,000 you pay $10,776 a year. Above $186,050 you pay 10% of your total repayment income.
Does HECS debt have interest?
No. HELP debts are interest-free but are indexed each 1 June. Indexation on 1 June 2026 was 2.8%. Voluntary payments made before 1 June reduce the balance that is indexed.
Is HECS the same as HELP?
Yes. HECS is the old name. HECS-HELP is the loan for Commonwealth supported university places, and it is one of several HELP loans repaid the same way through the tax system.
How do I check my HECS debt?
Log in to myGov, open your linked ATO account and go to Loans. It shows your current HELP balance, indexation and compulsory repayments. The studyassist website explains each loan type.
When do you start paying HECS?
Repayments begin in the first year your repayment income is above the threshold after your study. The ATO withholds amounts from each pay if you have told your employer about the debt, and the final amount is settled when you lodge your tax return.
What happens to HECS debt when you die?
It is cancelled. A HELP debt is not passed to your estate or family.
Related calculators
Sources and assumptions
- ATO: Study and training support loans rates and repayment thresholds
- ATO: Study and training support loans indexation rates
- Study Assist: HECS-HELP
General information only, not financial, tax or legal advice. Results are estimates based on 2026-27 figures and the assumptions shown. Check your award, agreement or a qualified adviser for your situation.