Do I Pay Tax on ABN Income If I Already Pay Tax at My Job?

Yes — you still pay tax on your ABN income, even though your employer already withholds tax from your salary. Your employer only covers the tax for your wages, not your side-hustle income.

Here’s how it works:

• Your salary has tax withheld

• Your ABN income has no tax withheld

• At tax time, the ATO adds both together

• If the total tax withheld isn’t enough to cover the combined income → you get a tax bill

This is why so many first-year side hustlers get caught out.
It’s not because you did anything wrong — it’s simply how the system works.

The good news? You can reduce or eliminate the tax bill by claiming the right deductions and lodging properly through:

GoTax ABN Tax Return

For the full breakdown of how job + ABN income interacts, see:

Side-Hustle ABN Tax Guide