Family Tax Benefit (FTB)

Services Australia (Centrelink)Verified 22 Oct 2026Official pages checked daily

Family Tax Benefit (FTB) is a payment from the Australian Government to help families with the cost of raising children. It has two parts, Part A and Part B, and is paid by Services Australia through Centrelink. Part A is worked out for each child and depends on your family income. Part B is paid per family, to single parents or couples with one main income. You must meet residence rules (normally Australian citizenship or a permanent visa), so families on temporary visas usually cannot get it.

Key facts

Basic conditions: You have a dependent child aged 15 or under, or a child aged 16–19 who meets study requirements; you care for the child at least 35% of the time; and you pass the income test and residence rules¹
Part A maximum rate per child per fortnight (2026–27 financial year): Aged 0–12: A$235.48; aged 13–15: A$306.46; aged 16–19 and meeting study requirements: A$306.46²
Part A base rate: A$75.60 per child per fortnight; if your income is high, you may get less than the base rate²
Part A income test (2026–27 financial year): You get the maximum rate if your family's adjusted taxable income is A$69,131 or less. Between A$69,131 and A$123,078, the payment reduces by 20 cents for every dollar over, down to the base rate. Above A$123,078, it reduces by 30 cents for every dollar over, until it reaches zero³
Income limits where Part A stops (examples): 1 child: A$129,648; 2 children aged 0–12: A$136,218; 3 children aged 0–12: A$148,507. The limit is higher if you have more or older children (and higher again if you get Rent Assistance or the Energy Supplement)³
Part A supplement (yearly): Up to A$970.90 per eligible child for the 2026–27 financial year (A$938.05 for 2025–26), paid after balancing at the end of the financial year²
Income condition for the Part A supplement: Only if your family's adjusted taxable income is A$80,000 or less³
Part B maximum rate per family per fortnight (2026–27 financial year): Youngest child aged 0–4: A$200.34; youngest child aged 5–18: A$139.86⁴
Part B income test (2026–27 financial year): A single parent or the main earner cannot get Part B if their yearly income is over A$124,327. In a couple, the lower earner can earn A$7,154 a year without affecting the payment; above that, it reduces by 20 cents for every dollar over. You can still get some Part B if the lower earner's income is under A$35,661 (youngest child under 5) or under A$27,777 (youngest child aged 5–13)⁵
Part B supplement (yearly): Up to A$478.15 per family for the 2026–27 financial year (A$459.90 for 2025–26), paid after balancing at the end of the financial year⁴
Residence rules: On the day you claim, you and your child must live in Australia. You must be an Australian citizen, hold a permanent visa, a Special Category visa, or one of the specific temporary visas listed on the Services Australia website (a partner provisional visa or a temporary protection type visa)⁶
Newly arrived resident's waiting period: If you are a new Australian resident, you usually wait 1 year for Part A (there are exemptions). There is no waiting period for Part B⁶

Who is this for, and what are the requirements?

Part A: you care for a dependent child aged 15 or under, or a child aged 16–19 in full-time secondary study (or with an acceptable study load or an exemption). Each child is assessed separately.
Part B: you are a couple with one main income and your youngest child is under 13; or you are a single parent or grandparent carer and your youngest child is under 18 (a child aged 16–18 must be in secondary study).
You care for the child at least 35% of the time. You do not have to be the birth parent: adoptive parents, step-parents, legal guardians, foster parents and same-sex partners can also claim.
Residence: on the day you claim, you and your child live in Australia, and you are an Australian citizen or hold a permanent visa, a Special Category visa, a partner provisional visa or a temporary protection type visa. Your child must live with you, or be a citizen or hold a permanent visa or SCV themselves. You must keep meeting these rules while you get the payment.
Families on common temporary visas, such as student, work or visitor visas, do not meet the residence rules and usually cannot get FTB.
For Part A, your child must also meet the immunisation requirements (and the Healthy Start for School requirement, if it applies). If not, your fortnightly Part A is reduced.

How do I do it? Steps and process

Check that you qualify
Check your child's age, how much of the time you care for them, your visa status and your family income. You can use the Payment Finder on the Services Australia website to estimate how much you could get.
Get your information ready
You need your and your partner's TFN (no payment is made without a TFN), an estimate of your family income for this financial year, your partner's residence details, a bank account in your name, and your child's name and date of birth (for a newborn, the birth certificate). If you or your child were born or lived overseas, you also need passport numbers, the date you started living in Australia and any periods spent outside Australia.
Set up myGov and link Centrelink
If you do not have a Centrelink Customer Reference Number (CRN), you can prove your identity online in myGov, for example with myID, to get one. If that does not work, call the Centrelink families line or visit a service centre.
Submit your claim online
Sign in to myGov, then go to Centrelink, Make a claim or view claim status, Make a claim, Families, Get started, Apply for Family Assistance (including Paid Parental Leave), and follow the prompts. For a newborn you can claim up to 3 months before the due date and no later than 52 weeks after the birth or adoption. For an older child, claim as soon as you think you qualify. You can choose fortnightly payments, or a lump sum after the end of the financial year based on your actual income (you must claim the lump sum by 30 June of the following financial year).
Provide documents and wait for the decision
Provide any documents Centrelink asks for within 14 days, and your TFN and bank account within 28 days. The decision is sent to your myGov Inbox (or by post if you have not turned on electronic letters). If you disagree, you can ask for a review.
Update your details during the year
If your income estimate, relationship, care arrangements for your child or return to work change, update them in your Centrelink online account as soon as you can. Any underpayment or overpayment is worked out at balancing time at the end of the year.
Balancing at the end of the financial year
The financial year runs from 1 July to 30 June. After it ends, you and your partner lodge your tax returns and the ATO tells Centrelink your actual income. If you do not need to lodge a tax return, you must still tell Centrelink in myGov and confirm your income. After balancing, Centrelink pays any amount you were underpaid (including the supplements). If you were overpaid, you must pay it back.

What documents do I need?

Your and your partner's Tax File Number (TFN)
An estimate of your family income (adjusted taxable income) for this financial year
A bank account in your name or a joint account (not an account in your child's name, unless you are a signatory or trustee)
Your child's name and date of birth, plus the birth certificate or adoption papers if you have not given them to Centrelink before
Your child's Medicare card number and the individual reference number on the card (used to check immunisation records)
Your partner's residence details; if you or your child were born or lived overseas, passport numbers, the date you started living in Australia, and any periods you or your child spent overseas
Details of shared care arrangements, previous carers, and any child support you receive (if they apply)

What should I watch out for?

How the newly arrived resident's waiting period works: if your permanent visa or partner provisional visa was granted on or after 1 January 2019, you wait 1 year for Part A and there is no wait for Part B. Every day you are in Australia as an Australian resident counts; time spent overseas does not. For partner provisional visas (subclass 309 / 820), the waiting period starts from the later of the date you applied for the visa and the date you arrived to live in Australia.
Most temporary visas (student, work, visitor and others) do not meet the residence rules, so you generally cannot get FTB. The exceptions listed on the website are mainly partner provisional visas and temporary protection type visas. For visa questions, see a registered migration agent or a lawyer.
Make your income estimate as accurate as you can. If you estimate too low, you will have to pay money back at the end of the year. If your income is close to the limit, you can choose to claim a lump sum after the end of the year, so it is based on your actual income and you cannot be overpaid.
Immunisation: Centrelink checks the Australian Immunisation Register (AIR). Your child must be up to date with the National Immunisation Program schedule or on a catch-up schedule. If your child had vaccinations overseas, give a translated record to an Australian vaccination provider so they can record it in the AIR. If the requirement is not met, Part A is reduced, and this is checked again at balancing.
You cannot get Part B and Parental Leave Pay for the same day. If the lower earner in a couple returns to work for the first time after the birth, the period before they returned to work in that financial year may be paid at the maximum Part B rate. You must tell Centrelink within 12 months after the end of that financial year.
FTB and Child Care Subsidy are balanced separately. Even if you do not need to lodge a tax return, you must tell Centrelink in myGov. According to the website, the deadline to confirm your income or claim a lump sum is 12 months after the end of the financial year.
If you get the maximum rate of Part A, you may automatically get a Health Care Card. If you get more than the base rate and pay rent, you can also apply for Rent Assistance. When you have a baby, Centrelink assesses the Newborn Upfront Payment and Newborn Supplement as part of your FTB claim.
For questions, call the Centrelink families line on 136 150 (Monday to Friday, 8am–8pm). If you prefer another language, Centrelink's multilingual phone service is available.
This page is an unofficial plain-English summary of public information. Whether you can get FTB, and how much, depends on the assessment by Services Australia and the official website. It is not immigration, legal or financial advice.

What has changed recently?

2026-07-01
For the 2026–27 financial year, the Part A supplement increased to up to A$970.90 per child (it was A$938.05 in 2025–26).Source: servicesaustralia.gov.au ↗
2026-07-01
For the 2026–27 financial year, the Part B supplement increased to up to A$478.15 per family (it was A$459.90 in 2025–26).Source: servicesaustralia.gov.au ↗

Common questions

What is Family Tax Benefit in Australia and how do I apply?

Family Tax Benefit (FTB) is a government payment that helps with the cost of raising children. It has Part A and Part B and is paid by Services Australia through Centrelink. To apply, sign in to myGov, go to Centrelink, Make a claim, Families, then Apply for Family Assistance. For a newborn you can claim up to 3 months before the due date and no later than 52 weeks after the birth.

What is the difference between Family Tax Benefit Part A and Part B?

Part A is worked out for each child and depends on your family income. It covers children aged 15 or under, or 16–19 if they meet study requirements. Part B is paid per family to couples with one main income whose youngest child is under 13, or to single parents and grandparent carers whose youngest child is under 18. Each part has its own income test and yearly supplement.

What is the income limit for Family Tax Benefit?

For Part A it depends on how many children you have and their ages. With 1 child, Part A stops at A$129,648; with 2 children aged 0–12 at A$136,218; with 3 at A$148,507. For Part B, a single parent or main earner cannot get it if their yearly income is over A$124,327. The lower earner in a couple can earn A$7,154 a year without affecting it.

I just got my PR. How long do I have to wait before I can get Family Tax Benefit?

Usually 1 year for Part A, and no waiting period for Part B. This applies if your permanent visa or partner provisional visa was granted on or after 1 January 2019. Every day you are in Australia as an Australian resident counts, but time overseas does not. There are exemptions, so the final decision is made by Services Australia.

Can I get Family Tax Benefit on a student visa or work visa?

Usually no. Student, work and visitor visas do not meet the residence rules, so most families on these visas cannot get FTB. You normally need Australian citizenship, a permanent visa or a Special Category visa. The only temporary visas listed as exceptions are partner provisional visas and temporary protection type visas. For visa questions, see a registered migration agent or a lawyer.

Will my child's missing vaccinations affect Family Tax Benefit?

Yes. For Part A, your child must be up to date with the National Immunisation Program schedule or on a catch-up schedule. If not, your fortnightly Part A is reduced, and this is checked again at balancing. Centrelink checks the Australian Immunisation Register (AIR). If your child was vaccinated overseas, give a translated record to an Australian vaccination provider so they can add it to the AIR.

How much is Family Tax Benefit per fortnight?

For 2026–27, the maximum Part A rate per child per fortnight is A$235.48 for ages 0–12 and A$306.46 for ages 13–15 or 16–19 with study requirements met. The base rate is A$75.60. Part B is up to A$200.34 per family if your youngest child is 0–4, or A$139.86 if aged 5–18. Your actual amount depends on your family income. Use the Payment Finder to estimate it.

Centrelink says I was overpaid FTB at the end of the year and must pay it back. Why?

Your fortnightly payments are based on the income estimate you gave. After the financial year ends, you and your partner lodge tax returns and the ATO tells Centrelink your actual income. If your estimate was too low, you were paid too much and must pay it back. Update your estimate in your Centrelink online account whenever your income changes, or choose a lump sum after the end of the year.

Answers are based on the verified content of this page — the official source always prevails.

Where can I check the official information?

Family Tax Benefit Part A eligibilityServices Australia · servicesaustralia.gov.au
Family Tax Benefit Part A payment ratesServices Australia · servicesaustralia.gov.au
Income test for Family Tax Benefit Part AServices Australia · servicesaustralia.gov.au
Family Tax Benefit Part B payment ratesServices Australia · servicesaustralia.gov.au
Income test for Family Tax Benefit Part BServices Australia · servicesaustralia.gov.au
Residence rules for Family Tax BenefitServices Australia · servicesaustralia.gov.au

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