Payments
Eligibility
Baby Bonus may be paid to families following the birth (including stillbirth) or adoption of a child if you:
- are eligible for Family Tax Benefit for the child (disregarding the FTB income test) within 26 weeks of the child's birth or adopted child aged under 16 years being entrusted to your care, or
- if you are claiming for a child other than your own, you started caring for the child within 26 weeks of the child's birth and you are likely to continue caring for the child for at least 26 weeks, and
- have care of the child for at least 35% of the time or more, and
- meet the residence requirements,
- meet the Baby Bonus income test,
- are not receiving Parental Leave Pay for the child, and
- make your claim no later than 52 weeks after the birth of the child or adopted child entering your care.
Baby Bonus and Parental Leave Pay cannot be paid for the same child. If you think you are eligible for both payments you should check the Paid Parental Leave Comparison Estimator to help you decide which payment will be best for your family.
Registering the birth
- If you are the parent of a newborn child, you must register the child's birth as required by the Births, Deaths and Marriages registry in your State or Territory to be eligible for Baby Bonus.
- This requirement does not apply if your child is stillborn, adopted or born outside Australia.