CGT Strategist, our calculations, and why you should still talk to your accountant.
Absolutely, and more power to you if you do. The ATO rules aren't a secret, it's all published guidance, and a well-structured spreadsheet can absolutely get the job done.
In fact, that exact experience is what led to CGT Strategist being built in the first place. After one too many EOFY weekends spent wrestling VLOOKUP formulas, partial sell allocations, FX conversions, and the 12-month discount across dozens of trades, it became clear there had to be a better way.
If you enjoy the spreadsheet life, we respect that. But if you'd rather upload a CSV and have it done in seconds, we're here when you're ready.
Getting started is easy:
Yes! You have full control over your data. In the Actions menu, you'll find options to:
You can also delete your entire account from the Profile page, which removes all your data permanently.
We'd genuinely love to hear why. We read every piece of feedback and it makes the product better. Hit us up on the contact page, roast us, praise us, or pitch us a feature.
We currently support CSV imports from Superhero, SelfWealth, NAB Trade, and other platforms using our custom CSV mapping feature. The custom mapper lets you define the column layout for any broker that exports transaction history as CSV.
If your broker isn't natively supported, you can create a custom mapping in the "Custom CSV Mappings" section. Once saved, all future imports from that platform will use your mapping.
Workspaces let you keep your data organised. You might use separate workspaces for:
Each workspace has its own imports, lots, disposals, and CGT calculations. You can switch between workspaces at any time.
The EOFY Evidence Pack is an Excel workbook containing everything you (or your accountant) need to understand your CGT position:
We follow the standard Australian CGT methodology as outlined in ATO guidance:
Gains on assets held for more than 12 months are flagged as discount-eligible. The 50% CGT discount is then applied at the year level, after capital losses have been netted against gains. We use calendar months, not 365 days, for the holding period, because that's what ATO guidance specifies.
The ATO allows a 50% discount on capital gains for assets held for at least 12 months. The discount is not applied per disposal; it is applied at the year level after capital losses have been netted against gains. Each eligible disposal is flagged as discount-eligible, and the discount is then applied to whatever discount-eligible gains remain once losses are absorbed.
The 12-month period is calculated using calendar months, not days. We exclude the acquisition date and include the disposal date, as per ATO guidance. For example, ATO guidance indicates that a purchase on 1 January 2024 typically qualifies for the discount on a disposal on or after 2 January 2025.
Note: The discount only applies to gains, not losses. Losses remain at full value (for offsetting against gains).
CGT Strategist calculates each disposal individually, cost base, proceeds, and gain or loss. The 50% CGT discount is not applied per disposal; it is applied at the year level after losses have been netted against gains, using the ATO method:
This means the year total may differ from a simple sum of the per-disposal capital gain figures. The per-disposal figures show the result for each individual sale; the year total applies the ATO netting method across all disposals.
CGT Strategist supports three lot matching methods:
For transactions in foreign currencies, we convert to AUD using the monthly exchange rates published by the ATO. We match the transaction date to the appropriate month's rate.
If ATO rates aren't available for a particular month (e.g., future or very recent months), we'll flag this with an "FX estimate" warning so you know to verify the rate for accuracy.
You can view and manage FX rates in the FX Rates section under your profile menu.
No. CGT Strategist is a calculation engine, not your accountant, tax agent, or financial advisor. We crunch numbers, not your financial future.
Think of us like a very fancy calculator that uses the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) guidance for capital gains tax, including parcel identification methods like specific parcel selection and FIFO where applicable. We produce calculation reports based solely on the transaction data you provide.
The results are general in nature, don't consider your personal circumstances, and may not cover every tax scenario. You remain responsible for checking the accuracy of your data and for how your tax return is prepared and lodged.
If you're unsure how any CGT guidance applies to you, you should consult a registered tax professional or refer directly to the ATO's published guidance.
No. Evidence Packs are not ATO forms and are not tax returns. They are supporting calculation and record-keeping documents designed to show how capital gains were calculated based on your trade history and selected allocation methods.
They are intended to be reviewed by you and your tax professional and kept with your broker statements as part of your tax records.
We take security seriously. Your data is encrypted in transit (HTTPS). We use industry-standard authentication.
We don't sell identifiable trade data as detailed in Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
That said, no system is 100% secure. We recommend using a strong, unique password and not uploading anything you wouldn't want a determined hacker to potentially see (though we do our best to make their job as difficult as possible).
See our Privacy Policy and Terms of Service for the full legal details.
Great question. Here's the thing: tax law is complicated, your situation is unique, and we're software, not psychic.
CGT Strategist handles the mechanical calculations brilliantly. But it doesn't know about:
A registered tax professional sees your full picture. We just produce calculation reports based on the data you provide.
Check our Privacy Policy, Terms of Service, and Data Retention Policy, or reach out through the support channels in the app.