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What you need to do
You might get a letter about your parents’ or guardians’ income if you’re dependent and get:
- Youth Allowance for students and Australian Apprentices
- Youth Allowance for job seekers
- ABSTUDY Living Allowance.
We need to know their income so we can pay you the right amount.
You’ll get the letter in September or October each year. You need to give this letter to your parents or guardians straight away. These are the parents or guardians you normally live with or last lived with. They can check the letter to see what they need to tell us. It will also tell them how to update their income details.
If you don’t get a letter, you don’t need to do anything. We’ve already got the information we need.
Watch our video to learn more about parental income and how the reassessment works.
When we need this information
We need your parents’ or guardians’ details by the due date in the letter we send.
If your parents or guardians don’t update their income details by the due date, we may stop or suspend your payment. You may also owe us money.
If you get Youth Allowance
Your parents or guardians need to provide their income details by the date in the letter or we’ll suspend your payment.
If we suspend your payment, your parents will have until mid-December to give us their income details or we’ll cancel your payment.
If we cancel your payment, and your parent or guardian provides their income details within 13 weeks, we can restore your payment. You won’t have to reapply. We’ll also pay back the money you would have received during that period.
If your parent or guardian doesn’t provide their income details within 13 weeks from the date we cancel your payment, you’ll have to reapply.
If you get ABSTUDY
If you get ABSTUDY your parents or guardians need to give us their income details by 31 December. If they don’t, we may reduce your payment to zero.
If your payment has been reduced to zero
If your payment has been reduced to zero because your parents didn’t tell us their income, they can still update their income details online. After they do this, we’ll restart your payment if you’re still eligible.
If it’s more than 13 weeks since your payment was reduced to zero, you may need to reapply.
How parents can give us their income details
Your parents can read our information on updating parental income details.
What happens after we review parental income
After we review your parents’ or guardians’ income, we may change your payment rate. When it changes will depend on the payment you get.
Your payment rate may increase or decrease depending on how much your parents earn.
We’ll write to you to let you know your new payment rate.
If you get Youth Allowance
If your parents’ income decreases, your payment may go up from 1 January.
If your parents’ income increases more than 25% and is over $78,292 your payment will decrease from October.
If their income changes but remains below the threshold, your payment may not change.
If you get ABSTUDY
If your parents’ income decreases, your payment may go up from 1 January.
If your parents’ income increases more than 25% and is over $78,292 your payment will decrease from October.
If their income changes but remains below the threshold, your payment may not change.
What happens if your parents’ income decreases
In 2024 we’ll calculate your payment by using your parents’ or guardians’ income from the 2022-23 tax year.
Your parents’ income may have decreased since then. We may be able to use their current income to calculate your payment.
If your parents want us to use their current income, they’ll need to phone us on your regular payment line. This will be either the Youth and students line or ABSTUDY line.
What to do if you need more time
You may be able to tell us your parents’ or guardians’ income later than we requested.
You must have a good reason why you need more time. For example, if your parents can’t do their tax return yet because they’re waiting for information from someone else. You’ll need to phone us on your payment line to talk about this.
Your parents can give us an income estimate until they get their Tax Notice of Assessment from the Australian Taxation Office.