How to Claim Family Tax Benefit as a Grandparent Carer on myGov

Claiming Family Tax Benefit as a grandparent or kinship carer is not the same as a parent claiming it after having a baby. Services Australia needs to verify that you genuinely have care of the child, especially when the biological parents may still have an active FTB claim. Here is the process from start to finish, including how to handle the evidence requirements and the 35% care rule.

Before You Start: Gather Your Evidence

You will need these documents ready before lodging your claim:

1. Statutory Declaration (Form CS4647) — "Non-parent Carer" declaration, sworn before a Justice of the Peace or Commissioner for Declarations, stating your care arrangement
2. Care Details Form (FA012) — outlines the care percentage split, care history, and living arrangements
3. Third-party letter — from the child's school principal, GP, or community worker confirming the child resides with you
4. Child's birth certificate or official extract
5. Your identity documents — driver licence or passport, plus proof of residence

If a biological parent is still claiming FTB for the child, Services Australia will conduct a formal care determination once you lodge your claim. Having strong third-party evidence avoids delays in this process.

Setting Up myGov and Linking Centrelink

If you do not already have a myGov account linked to Centrelink:

1. Go to my.gov.au and create an account using your email address
2. Set up multi-factor authentication (SMS or authenticator app)
3. From the myGov home page, select "Link a service" and choose "Centrelink"
4. You will need your Centrelink Customer Reference Number (CRN). If you receive the Age Pension or any other Centrelink payment, you already have one. If you do not have a CRN, prove your identity online through myGov, by phone, or at a service centre before linking Centrelink
5. Answer the identity verification questions to complete the link

If digital access is difficult, you can call the Grandparent, Foster and Kinship Carer Adviser line on 1800 245 965 to start the claim over the phone instead.

Lodging the FTB Claim Online

Once your Centrelink is linked in myGov:

1. Go to Centrelink online → Make a claim → Families
2. Select Family Tax Benefit
3. The claim form asks for the child's details, your care arrangement, and your income estimate
4. Under the care arrangement section, declare that you are a non-parent carer and upload your evidence (CS4647, FA012, third-party letter)
5. Provide your income estimate for the current financial year
6. Submit the claim and note the receipt number

Processing typically takes 21 to 56 days, though the Grandparent Adviser line can request urgent processing if you are in financial hardship.

The 35 Percent Care Rule

To receive any FTB for a child, you must provide at least 35% of their care — that equates to roughly 2.5 days per week or 5 nights per fortnight. For most kinship carers who have a child living with them full-time, the 35% threshold is easily met.

Where this rule becomes important is in shared care arrangements. If you share care with the child's parent or another relative, Services Australia calculates each person's percentage based on the number of nights the child spends with them. The person with at least 35% care receives FTB proportional to their percentage.

If the biological parent disputes your care claim, Centrelink will ask both parties for evidence and make a care determination. This is where your statutory declaration and third-party letters carry their weight.

FTB Part A vs Part B: What You Get

FTB Part A is paid per child and income-tested:

• Maximum rate for children 0–12: $235.48 per fortnight
• Maximum rate for children 13–15, or 16–19 in full-time secondary study: $306.46 per fortnight
• Household income up to $69,131 gets the maximum rate; above that, it tapers

FTB Part B is paid per family (not per child):

• Youngest child under 5: up to $200.34 per fortnight
• Youngest child 5–18: up to $139.86 per fortnight (16–18-year-olds must be in full-time secondary study)
• Single carers on income below $124,327 receive the full amount
• For partnered carers, the secondary earner can earn up to $7,154 before Part B starts reducing

Both are tax-free and do not count as income for other Centrelink payments.

Common Complications and How to Handle Them

The parent is still claiming FTB. Services Australia cannot pay FTB to two people for the same child at the same percentage. Your claim triggers a review. Provide your evidence and let the process run — do not contact the parent to ask them to cancel their claim unless you have a safe relationship.

The parent cannot be contacted. If the birth parent is deceased, imprisoned, missing, or you have safety concerns, explain this in your claim and to the Grandparent Adviser. Centrelink can make a care determination without the other party's input if there is sufficient third-party evidence.

Your income estimate is wrong at reconciliation. FTB is paid on your estimated income during the year, then reconciled against your actual tax return. If your actual income was higher than estimated, you may need to repay some FTB. Update your estimate through myGov whenever your income changes.

What to Do Next

The FTB claim is usually the first Centrelink payment kinship carers apply for, but it is rarely the only one available. Our Queensland kinship carer support guide covers the full sequence — FTB, Double Orphan Pension, child care subsidies, Medicare transfers, and school enrolment — so you can work through each claim in the right order without missing entitlements.

See more Queensland guides →