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Final pay on a $$90,000 salary (2026–27): redundancy, notice, leave and tax
Estimated final pay after tax
$28,290
Gross $31,603 · tax $3,313 · net $28,290
| Weekly base pay | $1,634.62 |
| Redundancy pay (NES: 10 weeks) | $16,346 |
| Notice in lieu (3 weeks) | $4,904 |
| Unused annual leave (10.0 days) | $3,269 |
| Long service leave NSW (4.33 weeks) | $7,084 |
| Gross final pay | $31,603 |
| Tax-free redundancy (limit $47,603) | $21,250 |
| Tax on leave (32%) | − $3,313 |
| Net final pay (estimate) | $28,290 |
Pro-rata after 5 years (New South Wales). (Long Service Leave Act 1955 (NSW))
Made redundant in October: the refund nobody budgets for
A $90,000 salary is $1,731 a week — while it lasts. Tax on a final pay is withheld as if the year were normal, but the year has just stopped being normal. Lose the job in October and your taxable income for the year is a third of $90,000, not $90,000: much of it falls in the 15% bracket below $45,000, while the flat 32% has already been taken from the leave and from any excess above the limit. The money is not lost, but it is not yours until the return is lodged. On a ten-year payout of $46,154 gross, the difference between what the payslip withholds and what the year actually owes can run into thousands.
Final pay on $90,000 by years of service
Genuine redundancy, age 45, notice in lieu, 10 days of unused annual leave, NSW long service leave. Withholding as shown on the payslip, before the annual return.
| Service | Redundancy | Notice | Annual leave | LSL | Gross | Tax | Net |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 yr | $6,923 | $1,731 | $3,462 | $0 | $12,115 | $1,108 | $11,008 |
| 2 yrs | $10,385 | $3,462 | $3,462 | $0 | $17,308 | $1,108 | $16,200 |
| 3 yrs | $12,115 | $3,462 | $3,462 | $0 | $19,038 | $1,108 | $17,931 |
| 5 yrs | $17,308 | $5,192 | $3,462 | $7,500 | $33,462 | $3,508 | $29,954 |
| 7 yrs | $22,500 | $6,923 | $3,462 | $10,500 | $43,385 | $4,468 | $38,917 |
| 10 yrs | $20,769 | $6,923 | $3,462 | $15,001 | $46,154 | $5,908 | $40,247 |
| 15 yrs | $20,769 | $6,923 | $3,462 | $22,501 | $53,655 | $8,308 | $45,347 |
| 20 yrs | $20,769 | $6,923 | $3,462 | $30,001 | $61,155 | $10,708 | $50,447 |
Every tax figure here is withholding, not final tax. The tax-free component never enters your return at all; the taxed components do, and they meet whatever brackets your part-year income leaves open. That is why two people with identical payouts can settle up very differently depending on the month they were let go.
Ten years of service in each state
Same salary and leave, each state's long service leave Act at ten years. The last column is a resignation instead of a redundancy.
| State | Long service leave | Net on redundancy | Net on resignation |
|---|---|---|---|
| New South Wales | $15,001 | $40,247 | $12,554 |
| Victoria | $15,001 | $40,247 | $12,554 |
| Queensland | $15,001 | $40,247 | $12,554 |
| Western Australia | $15,001 | $40,247 | $12,554 |
| South Australia | $22,500 | $45,346 | $17,654 |
| Tasmania | $15,001 | $40,247 | $12,554 |
| Australian Capital Territory | $15,001 | $40,247 | $12,554 |
| Northern Territory | $22,500 | $45,346 | $17,654 |
Frequently asked questions
How much redundancy pay on a $90,000 salary?
On a salary of $90,000 the base rate works out at $1,731 a week, and redundancy pay is that figure multiplied by the number of weeks set by the National Employment Standards: $17,308 after 5 years, which is 10 weeks; $27,692 after 9 years, the peak of the scale at 16 weeks; and $20,769 at 10 years or more, where the scale drops back to 12 weeks. An award or enterprise agreement may provide more, never less.
Should I ask for the payout to be delayed into the new financial year?
It can cut the tax if the redundancy falls late in the year and you expect little income after it, since the lump sum then meets a fresh set of brackets. It also delays the money, and the employer is not obliged to agree. The tax-free component is unaffected either way.
Does redundancy pay affect Centrelink?
A redundancy payment generally triggers an income maintenance period for JobSeeker, calculated from the payment divided by your weekly rate — here $1,731. Tax treatment and Centrelink treatment are separate: a payment that is tax-free still counts for the waiting period.
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Sources
Written by Mottalib Radif
INSEAD MBA · Mines Saint-Étienne engineer · Personal finance and employment entitlements
Updated on · Editorial policy · Contact
Rates 2026–27, last updated 2026-09-16