24/08/2026
Now, how much should I pay myself as a business owner if I’m doing $300k per month?
Most owners guess... and that’s when cash gets tight. If you pay yourself like an employee, you starve growth and get tax shocks.
Owner pay isn’t random. It’s a simple system that protects cash flow and turns profit into personal wealth. $300k revenue. $180k expenses. ~$120k profit.
First: build a 3‑month expense buffer in the business.
Then: take about a quarter of monthly profit as pay.
Finally: set a modest wage, top up with a dividend, add super, and keep legit business costs in the business.
The decision isn’t “How much can I take?” It’s “What keeps the engine running while I build wealth outside the company?
”Check your true profit, fund the buffer before lifting pay, choose your mix (PAYG wage + dividend top‑ups + super), and track business‑use costs with a logbook.
Save this if you’re considering how much to pay yourself.