Australia · Independent guide
Youth Allowance: the parental income test
If you're a dependent young person, your parents' combined income from the relevant tax year is tested. Above a threshold, your Youth Allowance reduces; the limit rises with the number of dependent children. If you qualify as independent, the test doesn't apply.
Official site: Official Youth Allowance page ↗
What is assessed
- Parents' combined adjusted taxable income, usually from the previous financial year.
- Parents' assets and family actual means in some cases.
- Number of other dependent children in the family.
Ways the test may not apply
- You meet independence criteria (e.g. supporting yourself through work for a set period, being partnered, being a parent, or being unable to live at home).
- Parents' income has dropped significantly — you can ask for a current-year assessment.