Payroll services for real estate agents

How payroll for real estate agencies usually works

Effective payroll services for real estate agents start with a short discovery: headcount, roles, awards or agreements, pay cycles, commission rules, software used (e.g., CRM, payroll, time and attendance), and any current ATO or Fair Work pressure.

From there, the work typically runs in three passes:

• Stabilise: fix urgent items (late super, STP errors, mismapped allowances), ensure registrations are correct and halt further issues.
• Design: classify staff under the Real Estate Industry Award (MA000106) where applicable, set pay items for commissions/allowances, align leave and overtime rules, and document the workflow from CRM to payroll.
• Run and review: process payroll, reconcile super, automate reports, and complete STP finalisation at year end. Spot-check commissions and leave balances monthly.

Australian context to keep in view

• Real Estate Industry Award 2020 (MA000106) commonly covers sales agents, property managers and admin. Confirm classification, minimum rates, allowances and ordinary hours.
• Single Touch Payroll (STP) Phase 2 requires correct disaggregation and categorisation of pay items, including commissions, allowances and paid leave.
• Superannuation Guarantee is 12%. Super generally applies to ordinary time earnings, which usually include commissions and most allowances, but not reimbursements.
• PAYG withholding and ABN checks: register for PAYG, withhold tax correctly, and avoid sham contracting with “contractors” who are effectively employees.
• Payroll tax may apply once your Australia-wide wages exceed state thresholds. Check registration and grouping rules in each state where you employ staff.
• Record-keeping: retain time/roster records, commission agreements, payment summaries, super evidence and leave approvals as per Fair Work and ATO rules.

What to compare before you commit

Common scenarios we fix

• Commissions paid but not mapped to STP Phase 2 “Bonuses and Commissions”.
• Super not calculated on commissions or certain allowances when required.
• Mismatched employee classifications under the Real Estate Award causing underpayments.
• Manual commission spreadsheets creating pay errors and reconciliation issues.
• Late or missing super payments and unclear clearing house processes.
• End-of-year STP finalisation out of balance with the general ledger.

Software we support

We work with the tools most Australian agencies use. The best setup reduces double handling and makes audit trails clear.

• Payroll: Xero Payroll, MYOB, Employment Hero Payroll (KeyPay).
• Rostering/time: Deputy, Tanda (if relevant to your operations).
• CRM/commissions: Rex, Agentbox, VaultRE and other data sources used for commission splits.
• Super: integrated clearing houses via your payroll system.

If you plan a migration, map pay items and leave balances first, then run a parallel pay cycle to validate results.

Key dates and payroll calendar

• STP reporting: on or before payday for each run.
• Super payments: generally quarterly by ATO due dates (or earlier if your fund or award requires). Paying late risks the Super Guarantee Charge.
• Year-end: STP finalisation typically due by 14 July for most employers.
• Payroll tax: monitor monthly and annual thresholds by state and lodge on time.

Best next steps

List your outcomes: correct awards, clean commission rules, on-time super, accurate STP, and clearer reports. Then shortlist providers with real estate payroll experience who can show you their pay item mapping and month-end checks.

Use these related pages to go deeper into bookkeeping, tax and general payroll if your needs are broader than payroll alone.