About HECS Check

What this is

HECS Check is a free, independent set of calculators for Australia's HECS/HELP student loans, built for the new marginal repayment system that started on 1 July 2025. It has three tools:

• a tax-time refund estimator — because payroll withholding didn't switch to the new marginal rates until 24 September 2025, so many people were over-withheld in 2025-26;
• a repayment calculator that itemises your repayment income, including the effect of salary packaging; and
• a payoff planner that indexes the thresholds properly and compares paying extra against investing.

Why we built it

When the rules changed, most existing calculators either kept the old flat-rate system, ignored the tax-time refund entirely, or didn't show how salary packaging quietly raises your repayment. We wanted one place that handles the current 2026-27 rules correctly and shows its working.

Our commitment to accuracy

Every rate, threshold and indexation figure on this site is cross-checked against the Australian Taxation Office's published tables, and each page links to its ATO source. When the figures change — the thresholds are indexed on 1 July and the indexation rate is set on 1 June each year — we update the calculators and the "updated" date on each page.

HECS Check is not affiliated with, or endorsed by, the Australian Taxation Office or the Australian Government. It is general information only and isn't financial or tax advice — your ATO assessment is the only number that counts. For your own situation, consider a registered tax agent or licensed adviser.

Privacy in one line

The calculators run entirely in your browser. Nothing you type is stored or sent to us, and there's no sign-up. See the privacy policy for the detail.