How is a second income taxed in New Zealand?

Each person is taxed on their own income using the same brackets; incomes are not added together for tax. So the household take-home is the sum of each person's net pay, which this calculator works out for both earners.

Why does my second job have a different tax code?

A second job for the same person uses a secondary tax code so enough tax is withheld across both, since the tax-free brackets are already used by the first job. For two different people, each is simply taxed on their own income.

What is the combined take-home for a couple?

It is each partner's net pay after tax and the ACC levy, added together. This calculator shows both nets and the combined weekly and annual figure you actually have to budget with.

Second Income Budget Calculator

This New Zealand calculator budgets a household's combined income with the second earner's tax correctly applied. Each income is taxed on its own using the same brackets, so the household take-home is the sum of each net pay, not a single combined tax. You enter both incomes, and the tool shows each net and the combined weekly and annual take-home you actually have to budget with.

First income (annual)

Second income (annual)

combined household take-home per year

First net$0

Second net$0

Combined per week$0

Each income is taxed on its own using the 2025/2026 brackets and the ACC levy, which is how household tax actually works. Excludes KiwiSaver and student loan. Estimate only, not tax advice.

How it works

The calculator taxes each income separately, because in New Zealand incomes are not added together for tax; each person uses the same brackets on their own earnings. It works out each net after tax and the ACC levy, adds them for the combined household take-home, and shows it per week and per year. This is the real figure to build your household budget on, rather than the gross combined income.

Worked example

A $75,000 first income nets about $59,200 and a $45,000 second income nets about $37,600, for a combined household take-home of roughly $96,800 a year, or about $1,860 a week. That weekly figure is what the household actually has to cover the mortgage, bills and everything else.

Related calculators

Budget Calculator: plan your spending.
PAYE Calculator: tax on one income.
Return to Work Worth It Calculator: is the second income worth it.
Borrowing Capacity Calculator: what you can borrow.

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