Government Payments For Parents

Dad and Partner Pay

Dads or partners may be eligible for two weeks of government-funded pay after the birth of a new baby or the adoption of a child.

To be eligible you must:

• Provide care for a newborn or recently adopted child

• Meet an income test

• Have worked at least 10 of the 13 months before the date your Dad and Partner Pay period starts, and 330 hours in that 10 month period (just more than a day a week) with no more than an 8eight week gap between two consecutive working days

• Be on unpaid leave or not working while getting the payment

• Make a claim within 52 weeks of the child’s birth or adoption

Dad and Partner Pay is $641.05 per week before tax (correct as of April 2015). The Government pays the money into your bank account in one instalment after your child is born and your claim is finalised.

Family Tax Benefit

This ongoing payment is to help with the cost of raising children. It has two parts Family Tax Benefit Part A and Part B.

To be eligible you must:

• Have a dependent child or secondary student aged under 20 not receiving a pension, payment, or benefit such as Youth Allowance,

• Provide care for the child for at least 35 per cent of the time,

• Meet an income test.

Family Tax Benefit Part A is paid for each child. The amount you get is based on your family’s income, the number of children you have and how old they are.

You may be eligible for Family Tax Benefit Part A if you have a dependent child who is:

• Aged 0 -15 years,

• Aged 1619 years, paid until the end of the calendar year in which they turn 19, and undertaking full-time education or training in an approved course leading towards a Year 12 or equivalent qualification with an acceptable study load, or has been granted an exemption from education or training requirements.

You should contact the Family Assistance Office to find out exactly how much your family will receive in Family Tax Benefit Part A. You will need to estimate your income “”if you’re close to the cut-off amount then it might be best to wait until the end of the financial year once your actual is known. You’ll then receive a lump sum payment.

Family Tax Benefit Part B

This is an extra payment for single parents and families with one main income “”where one parent stays at home to care for a child full-time or only earns a small income. This payment is income tested.

You may be eligible for Family Tax Benefit Part B if you have care of a child for at least 35 per cent of the time who is:

• A dependent child under 16 years of age, or

• Adependent full-time secondary student up until the end of the calendar year in which they turn 18

You cannot receive Family Tax Benefit Part B while you’re receiving Parental Leave Pay.

Child Care Benefit

The Child Care Benefits helps parents with costs for approved and registered child care such as long day care, family day care, occasional day care, outside school hour care and vacation care.

To be eligible you must:

• Use approved or registered child care,

• Be responsible for paying the child care fees,

• Have immunised your child

You will receive the maximum benefit if your actual annual family income under $42,997. The cut-off amount is $149,597 (for one child), $155,013 (for two children), $175,041 plus $33,106 for each child after the third (amount correct as of April 2015).

The Child Care Benefit can be claimed as a reduction in fees or a lump sum payment.

Grandparents, relatives, friends, neighbours and nannies can apply to be registered carers. Parents can receive Child Care Benefit for Registered Care.

Child Care Rebate

The Child Care Rebate covers 50 per cent of your child care expenses for approved child care.

To be eligible you must:

• You use a Child Care Benefit approved child care service,

• You are eligible for Child Care Benefit for approved care, even if you earn too much to receive payment, and

• You and your partner meet the Work, Training, Study test or are exempt from it

The maximum amount of Child Care Rebate you can receive is $7500 for each child each year.

You can choose to receive the Child Care Rebate in one of four ways: directly to your approved child care service (fortnightly), directly to your bank account (fortnightly),

directly to your bank account (quarterly) or annually to your bank account (if you receive your Child Care Benefit as a lump sum).

Schoolkids Bonus

The Schoolkids Bonus is paid to eligible families to help with the costs of school. It is an automatic payment, so there’s no need to apply for it.

To be eligible you must be:

• A parent/carer who receives Family Tax Benefit Part A for a dependent child attending primary school or high school,
• Or a young person receiving an eligible payment while attending primary school of high school,
• Have an adjusted taxable income of $100,000 or less (introduced in January 2015)

If you receive your Family Tax Benefit A fortnightly you’ll automatically receive the Schoolkids Bonus each January and July. If you receive FTB A annually you’ll receive it then.

The current amount for Schoolkids Bonus is two instalments of $211 for each primary school student ($422 a year) and two instalments of $421 for each high school student ($842 a year).

Parenting Payment

Parenting Payment is an income support payment for parents or guardians to help with the cost of raising children.

To be eligible you must:

• Single and care for a child under 8, or

• Have a partner and care for a child under 6

• Meet an income and assets test

Only one parent or guardian can receive the payment and the amount of Parenting Payment you get depends on the income and assets of both you and your partner (if you have one).

If you qualify for Parenting Payment, you may also be entitled to other payments and services, such as:

• Clean Energy Advance

• Energy Supplement

• Health Care Card

• Helping Young Parents

• Jobs, Education and Training Child Care Fee Assistance

• Telephone Allowance