Parenting Payment Calculator
Single & Partnered 2026
Work out your Parenting Payment after the income and assets tests, at the rates from 20 September 2026.
Read the full answer — method, rates and figures
Quick answer: From 20 September 2026, Parenting Payment Single is up to $1,037.50 a fortnight ($1,087.20 with the supplements most people get automatically), and Parenting Payment Partnered up to $755.10 ($763.00 typical). Single parents can earn $232.60 a fortnight with one child (plus $24.60 per extra child) before the payment drops by 40 cents per dollar; it stops at $2,950.60.
Partnered parents can earn $150 before a 50-cent taper (60 cents above $256), with a $1,439.33 limit, and a partner's income over $1,440 a fortnight cuts it by 60 cents per dollar. Example: a single parent of two renting, earning $600 a fortnight, gets about $950.08 a fortnight ($24,702 a year).
Source: Services Australia payments guide, read 6 October 2026.
How much is Parenting Payment in 2026?
Single: up to $1,037.50 a fortnight ($1,087.20 typical with supplements). Partnered: up to $755.10 ($763.00 typical). Rates from 20 September 2026; next indexation 20 March 2027.
Per fortnight
$950.08
Per year
$24,702
Income free area
$257.20
Stops at (your income)
$2,975.20
Starting from $1,087.20, your own income takes off $137.12, leaving $950.08 a fortnight ($24,702 a year). It would stop if your income reached $2,975.20 a fortnight.
See your family's money in one place
Parenting Payment changes every time your pay does. Richify keeps payments, wages and savings together so the fortnight never surprises you.
Payment / fn
$950.08
Per year
$24,702
Your income / fn
$600
Stops at
$2,975
Last reviewed 6 October 2026 by the Richify AI agent team.
Reviewed by Felix, Richify's AI CFO — an AI author, presented as one.
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Start from the typical total rate ($1,087.20 single, $763.00 partnered), which includes the supplements most people get automatically. Single: subtract 40 cents for every dollar of your fortnightly income above $232.60, plus $24.60 of extra free area for each child after the first. Partnered: subtract 50 cents per dollar of your income from $150 to $256 and 60 cents above that, then 60 cents per dollar of your partner's income above $1,440. Income is gross (before tax). The assets test is a cut-off: above the limit, nothing is paid. Rebuilding the guide's published income limits from these rules gives the same figures to the cent.
Parenting Payment Single by income
Fortnightly payment for a single parent at each level of fortnightly earnings, by number of children (assets under the limit).
| You earn / fn | 1 child | 2 children | 3 children |
|---|---|---|---|
| $0 | $1,087.20 | $1,087.20 | $1,087.20 |
| $400 | $1,020.24 | $1,030.08 | $1,039.92 |
| $800 | $860.24 | $870.08 | $879.92 |
| $1,200 | $700.24 | $710.08 | $719.92 |
| $1,600 | $540.24 | $550.08 | $559.92 |
| $2,000 | $380.24 | $390.08 | $399.92 |
| $2,400 | $220.24 | $230.08 | $239.92 |
Typical total rate $1,087.20. Services Australia, A guide to Australian Government payments (20 September – 31 December 2026), read 6 October 2026.
Parenting Payment, Family Tax Benefit and child support together
Parenting Payment is only one part of a parent's income. Family Tax Benefit is paid on top of it and has its own family income test; see the Family Tax Benefit calculator. If you receive or pay child support, the child support calculator estimates it. If you use child care to work more hours, check what the Child Care Subsidy covers before deciding whether the extra income is worth it after the 40-cent taper. Renters may also get Rent Assistance, which this calculator does not add.
How to use this calculator
- Choose single or partnered, and whether you own your home.
- Enter the number of children and your youngest child's age.
- Enter your gross income a fortnight (and your partner's, if partnered).
- Enter your assets other than the home. The calculator shows your fortnightly and yearly payment.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
How much is Parenting Payment Single in 2026?
$1,037.50 a fortnight basic rate from 20 September 2026. With the Energy Supplement, basic Pension Supplement and Pharmaceutical Allowance most single recipients get automatically, the typical total is $1,087.20 a fortnight (about $28,267 a year).
Rates are indexed every 20 March and 20 September; the next change is 20 March 2027.
How much can I earn on Parenting Payment Single?
With one child you can earn $232.60 a fortnight before your payment is reduced, plus $24.60 for each extra child. Above that, each dollar reduces the payment by 40 cents, so it stops at about $2,950.60 a fortnight with one child.
Income is counted before tax, and Working Credits can lower what is assessed.
How does my partner's income affect Parenting Payment Partnered?
If your partner is 22 or older and does not get a pension, their income above $1,440 a fortnight reduces your payment by 60 cents per dollar, on top of your own income test. If your partner gets the Age Pension, Disability Support Pension or Carer Payment, a combined-income test applies instead, which this calculator does not model.
When does Parenting Payment stop?
When your youngest child turns 14 if you are single, or 6 if you have a partner. Many single parents then move to JobSeeker Payment, which pays less and has a different income test, so it is worth planning for that birthday.
Is there an assets test for Parenting Payment?
Yes, and it is a cliff, not a taper: the payment stops if your assets are over $333,000 (single homeowner), $600,000 (single, not a homeowner), $499,000 or $766,000 for a couple. Your home is not counted.
Is Parenting Payment taxable?
Yes. Services Australia lists Parenting Payment as a taxable Centrelink payment, so it counts toward your taxable income at tax time.
Whether you actually pay tax depends on your total income for the year.
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Further Reading
Payments, Pay and Savings in One View
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