16 Jul 2026

What else can be salary packaged?

A guide to non-vehicle benefits with Remunerator

Ask most people what salary packaging means and they’ll say a car. They’re not wrong, of course - a novated lease can be one of the most popular and tax-effective ways to salary sacrifice in Australia. But cars are just the beginning.

Through Remunerator, powered by FleetPartners, eligible employees can package a wide range of benefits beyond their vehicle. The opportunities depend on your employer and industry, but for many Australians, there’s considerably more on the table than they realise.

Salary packaging is more than a car

Salary packaging (also called salary sacrifice) is an ATO-approved arrangement where you make an agreement with your employer to receive part of your salary as benefits instead of wages. Those benefits are usually paid from your pre-tax income, which can reduce your taxable income and can increase your take-home pay.

What you can package depends on your employer’s policy and the industry sector you work in. Some benefits are available to all PAYG employees; others come with higher caps for workers in not-for-profit, healthcare, charity or public benevolent institution (PBI) roles.

How salary packaging reduces your taxable income

The mechanics are straightforward. Before your employer calculates PAYG tax on your salary, an agreed amount is redirected to cover your chosen benefits. You pay for those costs with pre-tax dollars instead of post-tax dollars, so the amount of tax you pay is calculated on a reduced amount.

Tax advantages may not last 

Right now, eligible electric vehicles obtained through a novated lease benefit from the Australian Government’s Fringe Benefits Tax (FBT) exemption (subject to eligibility criteria and caps). This can reduce the after-tax cost for some drivers by allowing a portion of costs to be salary packaged. 

Some benefits are exempt from fringe benefits tax (FBT), meaning there’s no offsetting tax cost for you or your employer. Others attract FBT, which is factored into the packaging arrangement. Remunerator works with your employer to structure every package to ATO requirements, to avoid surprises at tax time.

Work-related electronic items

Portable electronic devices used primarily for work are among the most straightforward items to package, and they’re FBT-exempt. Through Remunerator, eligible employees can package:

• A laptop, tablet or iPad (one device per FBT year, provided it’s primarily used in your employment; GST savings may also apply)
• A mobile phone (where the device is used at least 50% for business purposes)

These benefits sit outside your general expense threshold, so they don’t eat into other packaging entitlements or opportunities.

Depending on your employer’s salary packaging program, other work expenses that might be available to be salary sacrificed by eligible employees include e-Bikes, parking and even airline lounge memberships.

Professional memberships, subscriptions and professional development

Industry body memberships, professional association fees and relevant journal subscriptions can be packaged as a work-related expense. Education costs connected to your current employment can also be packaged as a pre-tax benefit.

This means you can cover the cost of staying up-to-date in your field while also potentially saving money on tax (check with your employer to confirm which memberships fall inside their approved program).

Everyday living expenses for eligible workers

Beyond work expenses, employees working for eligible healthcare, charity, public benevolent institutions (PBIs) and not-for-profit employers can package a range of everyday living costs, including mortgage or rent repayments, utility bills, council rates, credit card repayments and household expenses (up to the FBT-exempt threshold for their sector).

Remunerator also offers a Beyond Bank Salary Packaging Visa Card, which eligible workers can load with pre-tax funds and use for everyday purchases, so you don’t even need to submit individual reimbursement claims.

For eligible employees, a separate entertainment cap of up to $2,650 per FBT year is available on top of the general expenses threshold, covering meals at restaurants, accommodation and other similar costs.

Getting started with salary packaging

If you’re already salary packaging a vehicle and want to know what other opportunities you might be able to take advantage of, or if you are starting from scratch, the first step is confirming what your employer permits.

From there, Remunerator handles the set-up directly with your payroll team. You choose your salary packaging benefits, Remunerator works with your employer to structure the arrangement in line with the ATO’s requirements, and the change takes effect from your next pay cycle.

Ready to see what you could be packaging? Visit Remunerator to explore the full range of benefits.
 

Important note: Information was correct at the time of publishing and is subject to change. This information is general in nature and does not constitute financial or tax advice. It does not take into account your specific financial circumstances, situation or needs. Independent financial and tax advice should be sought before entering into any salary packaging arrangement. Terms, conditions and eligibility criteria apply.