Family tax benefit – Part A and Part B
6-minute read
Key facts
- Family Tax Benefit (FTB) is a government payment to help with the cost of raising children.
- It's made up of 2 parts — Part A and Part B.
- You need to meet certain requirements to be able to get these payments.
What is the Family Tax Benefit?
Family Tax Benefit (FTB) is a 2-part payment for eligible families to help with the cost of raising children.
The Family Tax Benefit is made up of 2 parts:
- Part A — a payment made per child, depending on your family's circumstances.
- Part B — a payment made per family, to give extra help to families that need it.
Who is eligible for Family Tax Benefit Part A?
To be eligible for Family Tax Benefit Part A, you must:
- care for a dependent child
- meet the residence rules
- meet an income test
Family Tax Benefit child criteria
Your child must be aged:
- 0 to 15 years
- 16 to 19 years and meet certain study requirements
The child must be in your care for at least 35% of the time. Your child must not be receiving other benefits, such as Youth Allowance.
Residence rules
You and your child must be living in Australia and meet one of the following criteria:
- be an Australian citizen
- hold a permanent visa
- hold a special category visa
- hold a temporary visa, such as a partner provisional or temporary protection visa
Your payments might be affected if you've been living outside Australia.
New arrivals to Australia may have to wait one year before you can get Family Tax Benefit Part A. But there are some exemptions.
Income test
The amount of FTB Part A you get paid will depend on your family income.
You — and your partner if you have one — must lodge a tax return at the end of the financial year. The financial year runs from 1 July to 30 June. Your tax return needs to be completed within 12 months from the end of the financial year.
If you are not required to lodge a tax return you must notify Services Australia. Services Australia will balance your FBT payments after looking at your tax return each year.
Any child support you receive will affect your FTB payment.
Other requirements
To receive the payment, your child must also meet early childhood immunisation requirements. They also need to have a health check if they are turning 4 years old.
To find out more about eligibility, visit the Services Australia website.
How much does the Family Tax Benefit Part A pay?
The amount you receive depends on:
- your income
- the ages of your children
- how many children you have
To find out more about FTB Part A payment rates, visit Services Australia.
The payments can either be made fortnightly (every 2 weeks) or as a lump sum. Any lump sum will be paid at the end of the financial year to your bank account.
Family Tax Benefit Part A can also include a supplement at the end of the financial year. This is calculated after Centrelink balances your family assistance payments.
If you get Family Tax Benefit Part A, you may also be eligible for:
- Newborn Supplement and Newborn Upfront Payment
- Energy Supplement
- Multiple Birth Allowance
- Rent Assistance
- a Health Care Card
For more information about what you can claim, visit Centrelink's Payment and Service Finder.
What is Family Tax Benefit Part B?
Family Tax Benefit Part B gives extra help to single-parent families and non-parent carers. It also helps some families that only have one main income.
It recognises that you may not be able to work due to your circumstances or the age of your child.
Who is eligible for Family Tax Benefit Part B?
To be eligible to receive Family Tax Benefit Part B, you need to either:
- care for a child aged under 13 years and be a member of a couple with one main income
- be a single parent or grandparent carer of a child aged under 18 years (meeting study requirements if they're aged 16 to 18 years)
You must also:
- care for the child at least 35% of the time
- meet the Australian residence rules
- meet the income test for FTB Part B
You can't receive FTB Part B while you are receiving Parental Leave Pay.
To find out more about eligibility, visit the Services Australia website.
How much does the Family Tax Benefit Part B pay?
The amount of family Tax Benefit Part B you receive depends on the age of your youngest child and your income.
To find out more about Family Tax Benefit Part B payment rates, visit Services Australia.
Payments are made either fortnightly or as a lump sum at the end of the financial year to your bank account.
The supplement is paid after you and your partner have lodged your income tax returns at the end of the financial year or told Services Australia if you are not required to lodge a tax return.
You might also be eligible for:
For more information about what you can claim, visit Centrelink's Payment and Service Finder.
How do I apply for Family Tax Benefit?
The easiest way to claim Family Tax Benefit is online. To claim online, you need a myGov account linked to Centrelink. If you don't have a myGov account or a Centrelink online account, you will need to set them up.
If you can't claim online, you can either:
- call the Centrelink families line on 136 150
- go to a service centre
Resources and support
To find out more about Family Tax Benefit eligibility, or how to claim Family Tax Benefit, visit Services Australia.
For more information about what you can claim, visit Centrelink's Payment and Service Finder.
Speak to a maternal child health nurse
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