Family Tax Benefit (FTB) is a government payment that may help with the cost of raising children. Part A is paid for each eligible child. Part B is paid per family and provides extra support to single parents, carers and some couples with one main income.

Children have a habit of growing out of shoes, needing another lunchbox and making an ordinary supermarket trip surprisingly expensive. Family Tax Benefit is one way the Australian Government helps eligible families with some of the everyday costs of raising children. FTB has two parts. You may qualify for Part A, Part B or both, depending on your income and family circumstances.

Part A and Part B at a glance:

Who can receive Family Tax Benefit?

The detailed rules differ between Part A and Part B, but generally you must:

• care for an eligible child at least 35% of the time
• meet the relevant income test
• meet Australian residence rules.

You do not have to be a child’s biological parent. Eligible carers may include foster parents, adoptive parents, step-parents, grandparents, legal guardians and other non-parent carers, depending on their circumstances. When care is shared, Services Australia uses each person’s assessed care percentage to work out their payment.

Family Tax Benefit Part A

FTB Part A is paid for each eligible child. You may qualify for a child aged 15 or younger, or for a young person aged 16 to 19 who meets the secondary-study requirements.

How much is FTB Part A?

The amount depends on your adjusted taxable income, the ages and number of children in your care and your care percentage. The maximum fortnightly rates for 2026–27 are:

The Part A base rate is $75.60 per child, per fortnight. Your actual payment may be lower or higher than the base rate, depending on your circumstances.

How does the Part A income test work?

There is no single $80,000 cut-off for receiving FTB Part A. For 2026–27:

• families with adjusted taxable income of $69,131 or less may receive the maximum rate
• between $69,131 and $123,078, the payment generally reduces by 20 cents for each dollar over $69,131 until it reaches the base rate
• over $123,078, another test generally reduces the payment by 30 cents for each dollar over that amount until it reaches zero.

The final cut-off depends on the number and ages of your children and other family circumstances, so two families with the same income may receive different amounts.

What is the Part A supplement?

After Services Australia balances your payments, you may receive an annual Part A supplement of up to $970.90 for each eligible child. This is where the $80,000 limit applies: your family’s adjusted taxable income must be $80,000 or less to receive the supplement.

Good to know: Immunisation and Healthy Start for School requirements may apply. If you care for a child from a previous relationship, child-support rules may also affect your Part A payment. Services Australia can check how these rules apply to you.

Family Tax Benefit Part B

FTB Part B is paid per family. It supports single parents and carers, grandparent carers and some couples with one main income. Single parents may qualify until their youngest child turns 18; for most couples, the youngest child must be under 13.

How much is FTB Part B?

The maximum rate depends on the age of your youngest child:

How does the Part B income test work?

For a single parent or single carer, the maximum rate may be available if their adjusted taxable income is $124,327 or less. They are not eligible if their income is above this amount.

For couples, Services Australia uses a two-part income test:

• the higher earner must earn $124,327 or less
• the lower earner can earn up to $7,154 before the payment begins reducing
• the payment then generally reduces by 20 cents for every dollar the lower earner earns over $7,154.

Some Part B may still be payable when the lower earner earns below $35,661 if the youngest child is under five, or below $27,777 if the youngest child is aged five to 13. You cannot receive FTB Part B for days when you or your partner receive Parental Leave Pay.

What is the Part B supplement?

After Services Australia balances your payments, you may receive an annual Part B supplement of up to $478.15 per family. The final amount depends on your income, care arrangements and the number of days you were eligible.

How is Family Tax Benefit paid?

You can generally choose to receive FTB fortnightly or claim it as a lump sum after the end of the financial year.

• Fortnightly payments can help with regular expenses, but you need to keep your family income estimate and care arrangements up to date.
• A lump-sum claim may suit families with income that changes or is difficult to predict. Claims generally need to be made within 12 months after the end of the financial year.

After the financial year ends, Services Australia compares your estimated family income with your actual adjusted taxable income. This is called balancing. You may receive a top-up if you were paid too little, or have an amount to repay if you were paid too much.

How do I claim?

The easiest way to claim is through a Centrelink online account linked to myGov. Before claiming, you can use Services Australia’s Payment Finder to check which payments you may qualify for and estimate your possible rate.

Keep Services Australia updated if your income, relationship status, care arrangements or a child’s living situation changes.

Parents often ask

Can I receive both Part A and Part B?

Yes. They are separate payments with different rules, and an eligible family may receive both.

Is $80,000 the income limit for Part A?

No. The $80,000 limit applies to the annual Part A supplement. Families earning more than $80,000 may still qualify for ongoing Part A payments.

Is Family Tax Benefit the same as Child Care Subsidy?

No. FTB helps with the broader cost of raising children. Child Care Subsidy is the main government subsidy designed specifically to reduce eligible childcare fees. A family may qualify for both.

The bottom line

Part A is paid for each eligible child, while Part B is paid per family. The amount you may receive depends on your income, your children’s ages, care arrangements and other family circumstances. Use this guide as a starting point, then check your individual eligibility through Services Australia.