Can I combine multiple first home buyer programs?

Yes, mostly. State stamp duty concessions stack with state FHOG and FHSS. Federal FHBG adds on top. Help to Buy and FHBG are mutually exclusive — pick one.

What is the First Home Guarantee Scheme?

Federal scheme letting eligible first home buyers purchase with as little as a 5% deposit, with the government guaranteeing the lender against the LMI shortfall. Income caps are $125,000 single / $200,000 combined couple. Property price caps vary by state and region.

Federal shared-equity scheme where the government takes an equity stake in the property (up to 40% on new builds, 30% on established) in exchange for reducing your borrowing requirement. Lower income cap than FHBG: $90,000 single / $120,000 couple.

Does stamp duty concession apply to established homes?

Most states cover both new and established homes — NSW, VIC, QLD, WA, TAS, ACT, NT. South Australia is the exception: SA's first home buyer SD exemption applies only to new builds. All states' FHOG (separate cash grant) is restricted to new builds.

What is the First Home Super Saver?

Voluntary super contributions of up to $15,000 per year (max $50,000 total per person) can be withdrawn later for a first home deposit. The benefit is tax: contributions taxed at 15% inside super vs your marginal rate (32-47% outside).

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First Home Buyer Grants & Concessions Calculator

State stamp duty + FHOG + federal FHBG + Help to Buy + FHSS — see your total $ assistance in one screen. All eight states.

Your purchase

State / Territory

Property purchase price

Property type

Location (affects federal FHBG property cap)

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Your first home buyer assistance

The Five Pillars of First Home Buyer Assistance in Australia

Buying your first home in 2026 you have access to five distinct programs that stack (mostly):

State stamp duty concession — Run by your state revenue office. Full exemption up to your state's threshold, sliding partial above. Saving: $8,000-$50,000 depending on state + price.
State First Home Owner Grant (FHOG) — Cash grant from the state, $10,000-$30,000, typically restricted to new builds only.
Federal First Home Guarantee Scheme (FHBG) — Government guarantees your loan so you can buy with 5% deposit, no LMI. Saving: $10,000-$30,000 in avoided LMI. Annual scheme places capped.
Federal Help to Buy — Government takes equity stake (up to 40% on new, 30% on established) so you only need 2% deposit + smaller loan. Lower income cap. Mutually exclusive with FHBG.
First Home Super Saver (FHSS) — Voluntary super contributions taxed at 15% inside super, withdrawn later for deposit. Max $50,000 per person ($100k couple). Time-horizon play: 3-5 years out.

This calculator shows your eligibility and dollar benefit across all five in one view, so you can compare what each adds and which combinations make sense for your situation.

How State Stamp Duty Concessions Stack Up (FY 2025-26)

State	Full exemption	Sliding partial	Notes
NSW	≤ $800,000	$800k–$1,000k	New + established
VIC	≤ $600,000	$600k–$750k	New + established
QLD	≤ $500,000	$500k–$550k	New + established
SA	≤ $650,000	$650k–$700k	New builds only
WA	≤ $430,000	$430k–$530k	New + established
TAS	50% off ≤ $750k	—	50% concession (not full exemption)
ACT	≤ $1,000,000 (HBCS)	—	Income-tested ($250k household)
NT	Up to $50,000 off	—	New builds only; capped discount

Federal First Home Guarantee Scheme (FHBG) — The 5% Deposit Game-Changer

FHBG is administered by Housing Australia (formerly NHFIC) and partnered with about 35 lenders. If you're eligible, you can purchase with as little as 5% deposit with no LMI — the government guarantees the lender against any shortfall. On a $700,000 purchase you save approximately $25,000 in LMI premium.

Eligibility (FY 2025-26):

First home buyer (never owned property in Australia)
Income cap: $125,000 single / $200,000 combined couple (taxable income)
Property price cap by state and region (capital vs other)
Australian citizen or permanent resident, 18+
Annual scheme places capped at ~50,000 nationwide — apply early in financial year

Help to Buy — Federal Shared-Equity Scheme

Started 2024 under the Albanese government. The government takes an equity stake of up to 40% on new builds or 30% on established homes in exchange for reducing your borrowing requirement. You contribute as little as 2% deposit.

On a $600,000 new-build purchase:

Government equity: $240,000 (40%)
Your deposit: $12,000 (2%)
Your borrowing: $348,000 (58%)

When you sell or refinance, the government takes its proportional share of capital gain. Lower income cap than FHBG: $90,000 single / $120,000 couple. Annual places capped at ~10,000 nationwide. Mutually exclusive with FHBG — you pick one.

First Home Super Saver (FHSS) — The Tax-Effective Deposit Strategy

Voluntary super contributions of up to $15,000 per year (max $50,000 total per person) can later be withdrawn for your first-home deposit. The tax benefit is the contribution rate: 15% inside super vs your marginal rate (32-47%) outside.

A buyer on $100,000 income contributing $15,000 over 3 years to FHSS pays $6,750 tax inside super vs ~$14,400 outside — a saving of $7,650. Withdrawn amount also accrues "deemed earnings" (roughly the 90-day Bank Bill Swap rate + 3%).

Best for buyers 3-5 years from purchase. Withdrawal application takes ~25 business days — start the paperwork BEFORE you start house hunting. Two-person couple can double the total to $100,000.

Combining Schemes — What Stacks With What

State SD concession + State FHOG + FHBG + FHSS: All combinable. Most generous total package.
State SD concession + State FHOG + Help to Buy + FHSS: All combinable. Alternative if income low enough for HTB.
FHBG + Help to Buy: Cannot combine — pick one.
State FHOG: Always restricted to new builds, regardless of other schemes used.

What's Not in This Calculator (Yet)

Specific FHBG property caps by region/postcode (using state capital cap as proxy)
State-specific shared-equity schemes (VIC Homebuyer Fund, WA Keystart, etc.)
Defence-only schemes (HomeStart, Defence Home Ownership Assistance Scheme)
Family Home Guarantee (single-parent variant of FHBG, 2% deposit)
Regional First Home Buyer Guarantee (separate annual quota for regional areas)

If you're in a special category (defence, single parent, regional buyer), check Housing Australia's site for additional schemes specific to your situation.