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Investment Property: Understanding the Tax Benefits

Merit Financial Services · February 2026 · 6 min read

Australians love property. With over 2.2 million individual investors holding rental properties, it's the nation's most popular investment class outside of superannuation. Much of its appeal lies in the tax benefits — but these are frequently misunderstood. Here's a clear-eyed look at how investment property taxation works and where the real advantages lie.

Negative Gearing Explained

Negative gearing occurs when the costs of holding an investment property (interest, rates, insurance, management fees, repairs, depreciation) exceed the rental income it generates. The resulting net rental loss can be offset against your other income — including salary — reducing your overall taxable income.

For example, if your investment property generates $25,000 in rent but costs $35,000 to hold (including interest and depreciation), the $10,000 loss reduces your taxable income. On a 39% marginal tax rate (including Medicare levy), that's a tax saving of $3,900 — meaning the government is effectively subsidising $3,900 of your $10,000 cash shortfall.

However, negative gearing is not free money. You're still out of pocket by $6,100 per year in this example. The strategy only makes sense if you expect the property to deliver capital growth that more than compensates for the ongoing cash-flow deficit.

Depreciation Deductions

Depreciation is often the most misunderstood — and most valuable — deduction for property investors. There are two components:

• Capital works deduction (Division 43): The building structure itself depreciates at 2.5% per year over 40 years (for properties built after September 1987). On a property with a construction cost of $300,000, that's $7,500 per year in deductions — without spending a single additional dollar.
• Plant and equipment (Division 40): Items within the property (carpets, blinds, hot water systems, air conditioning, ovens) can be depreciated over their effective life. Note: since changes introduced in 2017, plant and equipment deductions for previously used items in residential properties are only available to the original purchaser of the items (not subsequent owners of the property).

A professional quantity surveyor's depreciation schedule typically costs $600–$800 and can identify tens of thousands of dollars in deductions over the property's life. It's one of the best returns on investment in property ownership.

CGT Discount: The Long Game

When you sell an investment property held for more than 12 months, you're entitled to the 50% CGT discount. Only half the capital gain is included in your assessable income.

For example, if you purchased a property for $500,000 and sold it 10 years later for $800,000, the gross capital gain is $300,000. After the 50% discount, only $150,000 is assessable. On a 47% marginal rate, the tax would be $70,500 — an effective rate of 23.5% on the total gain.

Be aware that depreciation deductions claimed during the holding period may reduce the cost base of the property, increasing the eventual capital gain. This is a trade-off: you receive tax deductions at your marginal rate during the holding period but pay CGT (at effectively half your rate) on disposal. For most investors in higher tax brackets, this trade-off is favourable.

Holding Costs and Cash Flow Management

Tax benefits don't pay the bills — cash flow does. Before acquiring an investment property, model the realistic holding costs:

• Mortgage interest (stress-test at rates 2% above current)
• Council and water rates
• Landlord insurance
• Property management fees (typically 6–8% of rent)
• Maintenance and repairs (budget 1–2% of property value annually)
• Strata/body corporate fees (for apartments)
• Vacancy periods (typically 2–4 weeks per year)

A common mistake is relying too heavily on the tax refund to cover negative cash flow. Tax refunds arrive annually (or quarterly with a PAYG variation), while expenses are ongoing. Ensure you have buffers to cover shortfalls.

Property Inside vs Outside Super

As discussed in our SMSF property guide, holding property within super offers concessional tax rates (15% on income, 10% on long-term gains, 0% in pension phase). However, this comes with reduced accessibility, contribution cap constraints, borrowing limitations, and higher compliance costs.

Property outside super offers full control, no contribution caps, the ability to negative gear against personal income, and the CGT main residence exemption if you ever live in the property. The right structure depends on your age, tax position, and goals.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Buying for tax, not returns: A property that doesn't grow in value is a losing investment regardless of the tax deductions.
• Mixing loan purposes: Using an investment loan redraw for personal expenses contaminates the deductibility of the interest. Keep investment and personal finances strictly separate.
• Ignoring depreciation: Failing to obtain a depreciation schedule leaves thousands of dollars of deductions unclaimed.
• No buffer: Interest rate rises, unexpected repairs, or extended vacancies can quickly turn a manageable negative cash flow into financial stress.
• Overcapitalising on renovations: Not all improvements add commensurate value. Renovation costs that can't be recovered through higher rent or sale price are money spent, not invested.
• Forgetting CGT on sale: The tax bill on disposal can be substantial. Factor it into your long-term projections from day one.