Australian investors have spent more than two decades operating under the same capital gains tax rules. Hold an eligible asset for at least 12 months, sell it, and the taxable capital gain is generally reduced by 50%.
That arrangement is changing.
From 1 July 2027, the 50% capital gains tax discount for individuals, partnerships, and trusts will be replaced by inflation-based cost-base indexation. A minimum 30% tax rate will also apply to real capital gains.
The reforms apply to shares and exchange-traded funds, not only investment property. However, they are prospective: gains accruing before 1 July 2027 retain the existing treatment, even if the investment is sold later.
Importantly, the new system will not automatically leave every investor paying more tax. The outcome will depend on the return earned, inflation, and the investor's marginal tax rate. Treasury modelling suggests indexation could have produced a slightly larger effective discount than the current system for average ASX share returns over some historical periods.
Nevertheless, the changing rules provide a timely reason to examine how investment returns are delivered. That brings a much older strategy back into focus.
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Income that gives itself a pay rise
Dividend growth investing focuses on businesses capable of growing their earnings, cash flow, and shareholder distributions over time.
The objective is not simply to find the highest yield available today. It is to own companies that can increase their dividends without weakening their balance sheets or starving the business of necessary investment.
Consider a $10,000 investment yielding 4%. That produces $400 of income in the first year, before tax. If the dividend grows by 5% annually, the payment reaches approximately $620 in year 10 without the investor contributing another dollar.
Reinvesting those dividends could increase the income further by adding more shares, although taxes and changing share prices will affect the eventual result.
Unlike an unrealised capital gain, a dividend delivers part of the shareholder's return in cash without requiring the shares to be sold. However, dividends are generally taxable in the year they are received, while capital gains remain deferred until an investment is sold.
That means neither approach is automatically more tax-efficient. The better outcome depends on the business, the price paid, and the investor's circumstances.
Separating a payer from a grower
Not every generous yield is sustainable. A yield approaching 9% may reflect a falling share price and expectations that the dividend will be cut.
Four characteristics can help separate a genuine dividend grower from a potential yield trap.
The first is earnings and free cash flow growth. A dividend cannot keep rising indefinitely unless the business produces more cash to support it.
The second is the payout ratio, which measures how much profit is being distributed. A company paying out almost everything it earns has little room for weaker conditions or further investment.
The third is balance-sheet strength. Heavy debt repayments compete directly with shareholders for the same cash.
Finally, investors can examine capital-allocation discipline and dividend history. A company that has increased its payout through different economic conditions has demonstrated something a forecast cannot.
How Wesfarmers has grown its dividend
Wesfarmers Ltd (ASX: WES) provides a useful recent example.
The conglomerate increased its total dividends from $1.80 per share in FY22 to $1.91 in FY23, $1.98 in FY24 and $2.06 in FY25. Its FY26 interim dividend rose to $1.02 per share, up from 95 cents a year earlier. These dividends were fully franked. That record does not guarantee future increases. Wesfarmers must continue growing its earnings while balancing dividends against investment in businesses such as Bunnings, Kmart and WesCEF.
Washington H. Soul Pattinson and Co. Limited (ASX: SOL) offers a longer example, with FY26 marking its 28th consecutive year of dividend growth. Its record shows why investors may accept a lower starting yield when they believe the payout can compound over decades.
The franking factor
Australia adds another element through dividend imputation.
A 4% fully-franked cash yield equates to approximately 5.7% on a grossed-up basis when the company tax rate is 30%. This accounts for the company tax already paid and attached to the dividend as franking credits.
The investor's final benefit depends on their tax rate, eligibility for refunds, and compliance with the relevant holding-period rules. Some investors may receive excess franking credits as a refund, while those on higher marginal rates may owe additional tax.
Foolish takeaway
Dividend growth investing is not risk-free. Dividends can be reduced, and an excessive focus on income can leave a portfolio concentrated in mature sectors or cause investors to overlook businesses capable of reinvesting capital at attractive returns.
The CGT reforms do not make dividend growth investing universally superior. Some investors may pay more tax under the new rules, while others could pay less.
However, the calculation is changing. For investors thinking in decades rather than quarters, companies capable of growing both their underlying value and their cash distributions may deserve a closer look.
