Family Tax Benefit 2026–27: The Complete Guide to Who Gets It, How Much, and the Supplement Families Miss

Family Tax Benefit (FTB) is a fortnightly payment to help with the cost of raising children, in two parts. Part A is paid per child: up to $235.48 a fortnight for a child aged 0 to 12, and $306.46 for 13 to 19. Part B is paid per family, mainly to single parents and single-income couples: up to $200.34 a fortnight while the youngest is under 5. On top of that come yearly supplements of up to $970.90 per child and $478.15 per family — but only if you confirm your income on time, and the Part A supplement stops completely once family income passes $80,000.

Rates from 1 July 2026, checked on Services Australia's and the Department of Social Services' own pages on 19 September 2026. Rates are indexed each July.

Key takeaways

• Part A is up to $235.48 a fortnight per child aged 0 to 12 ($306.46 for 13 to 19), falling as family income rises past $69,131.
• Part B is up to $200.34 a fortnight per family (youngest aged 0 to 4) or $139.86 (5 to 18), for single parents and couples with one main income.
• The supplement cliff: the Part A supplement of up to $970.90 per child is only paid if family income is $80,000 or less. A dollar over, and it's gone.
• Confirm your income within 12 months of the financial year ending — for 2025–26 that's 30 June 2027 — or you lose the supplements and top-ups, and the year's FTB can become a debt.
• New baby: claim up to 3 months before the birth. FTB families can also get a $708 Newborn Upfront Payment and a Newborn Supplement, but not if they take Parental Leave Pay for the same child.
• FTB unlocks other help, from kids' sport vouchers to free dental checks.

Who can get Family Tax Benefit

You may be eligible if you:

• have a dependent child aged 15 or under, or a full-time secondary student aged 16 to 19 who isn't getting a payment like Youth Allowance,
• care for the child at least 35% of the time,
• meet the income test and the residence rules.

Newly arrived residents generally wait one year for Part A. There's no waiting period for Part B.

Two requirements reduce Part A if they're not met, by up to $36.54 a fortnight per child:

• Immunisation: children must be up to date on the schedule, on an approved catch-up schedule, or have an exemption on the Australian Immunisation Register.
• Healthy Start for School: if you or your partner get FTB Part A and an income support payment, your child needs a health check around age 4, reported before their fifth birthday. From 1 November 2026, the new Medicare-funded Thriving Kids check for 3-year-olds also counts.

How much: FTB Part A

Part A is paid for each child. The maximum rate per fortnight:

The income test works on your family's adjusted taxable income for the financial year:

• Up to $69,131: the maximum rate.
• Above $69,131: it falls by 20 cents for every dollar over, until it reaches the base rate.
• Above $123,078: the base rate falls by 30 cents for every dollar over, until it reaches nothing.

For a family with one child aged 0 to 12, that means the maximum up to $69,131, the base rate from $89,973, and no Part A at all from $129,648. With two children aged 0 to 12 the cut-out is $136,218, and with three it's $148,507.

If you receive child support, a separate maintenance income test also applies: generally, the more child support you get, the less Part A, but never below the base rate.

The $80,000 supplement cliff

After the financial year ends and your income is confirmed, Services Australia pays the FTB Part A supplement: up to $970.90 per child for 2026–27. But your family's adjusted taxable income must be $80,000 or less, and that applies to everyone, including families on income support.

That creates a cliff. A family on $80,000 with one child aged 0 to 12 receives about $4,936 in Part A for the year including the supplement; a family on $80,001 receives about $3,965 — $970.90 less per child for one extra dollar of income. If your income is close to $80,000, it's worth knowing, for example when timing a bonus or deciding on salary sacrifice. Check your own situation with a financial adviser or the Services Australia estimator.

Our calculation using the published 2026–27 rates and income test, for one child, annualised the way the Department of Social Services does.

How much: FTB Part B

Part B is paid per family, if you are:

• a single parent (or grandparent carer) with a child under 18, or
• a couple with one main income and a child under 13.

Income test: no Part B if the primary earner earns more than $124,327. For couples, the secondary earner can earn up to $7,154 a year before Part B reduces by 20 cents in the dollar; some Part B is still paid up to $35,661 if the youngest is under 5, or $27,777 if the youngest is 5 to 12.

Two points couples often miss: Part B stops when the youngest turns 13, and it isn't paid on days either parent gets Parental Leave Pay. The Part B supplement is up to $478.15 per family for 2026–27.

The deadline that costs families the most: confirm your income

Services Australia pays FTB fortnightly using your income estimate, then balances it after 30 June against your actual income. You have 12 months from the end of the financial year to confirm your family income, usually by lodging your tax returns. For 2025–26, the deadline is 30 June 2027.

Miss it, and Services Australia says you may miss out on top-ups and supplements, and may have to repay the FTB you received during the year. The ATO can extend your tax-return deadline, but that doesn't change the FTB time limit.

Estimate carefully. If your estimate is too low, you may end up with a debt; too high, and you're paid less during the year (you get the difference at balancing). If your income is hard to predict, you can instead claim FTB as a lump sum after the financial year ends, which avoids an estimate altogether.

A new baby: extra payments

• Newborn Upfront Payment: a $708 lump sum per child, not taxable.
• Newborn Supplement: paid for up to 13 weeks — a maximum of $2,125.76 for your first child and $709.80 for later children.

To get them you need to be eligible for FTB Part A, and not be getting Parental Leave Pay for the same child. You can claim FTB as early as 3 months before the expected birth or adoption, and up to 52 weeks after.

FTB unlocks other help

Receiving FTB is also the key to several other programs:

• NSW Active and Creative Kids vouchers: two $50 vouchers a year for families receiving FTB Part A or Part B, to spend on sport, activities and creative programs. You can use them with providers like those in our activities directory.
• Child Dental Benefits Schedule: FTB Part A is one of the payments that qualifies a child for free basic dental care. See our guide to the Child Dental Benefits Schedule.
• School cost help: most states also run school-cost help for lower-income families, usually tied to a concession card or family income. See help with school costs in every state.

How to claim

1. Sign in to myGov with a linked Centrelink online account.
2. Select Make a claim, then under Families choose Get started.
3. Select Apply for Family Assistance Payments, and give your family income estimate.
4. Keep your estimate up to date during the year (myGov → My family → Family income estimate).

Frequently asked questions

How much Family Tax Benefit will I get?

Part A is up to $235.48 a fortnight per child aged 0 to 12 and $306.46 for older children, reducing once family income passes $69,131. Part B is up to $200.34 a fortnight per family while the youngest is under 5. Yearly supplements add up to $970.90 per child and $478.15 per family.

What is the income limit for Family Tax Benefit?

For Part A with one child aged 0 to 12, payments stop at $129,648 of family income; the limit rises with more children. For Part B, the primary earner must earn $124,327 or less. The Part A supplement has its own limit of $80,000.

When is the FTB supplement paid?

After the financial year ends and you and your partner confirm your income, usually by lodging tax returns.

What happens if I don't lodge my tax return?

You have 12 months after the financial year ends to confirm your income; for 2025–26 that's 30 June 2027. If you miss it, you may lose the supplements and top-ups and may have to repay the year's FTB.

Can I get FTB and Parental Leave Pay?

Yes, but not both at once for Part B: Part B isn't paid on days either parent receives Parental Leave Pay. And the Newborn Upfront Payment and Newborn Supplement aren't paid if you get Parental Leave Pay for the same child.

Related reading

• The Child Dental Benefits Schedule: who's eligible
• Help with school costs in every state
• Why Australian kids are lucky to go to school

Sources: Services Australia pages on Family Tax Benefit eligibility, payment rates, income tests, immunisation, Healthy Start for School, newborn payments, time limits and claiming (updated June–July 2026); Department of Social Services Family Assistance Guide v1.275 (August 2026); Services Australia 2026–27 Budget fact sheets (May 2026); Service NSW Active and Creative Kids (July 2026). All read 19 September 2026. This is general information, not financial advice.