As the 2025–26 financial year comes to an end, Centrelink has started its annual balancing process for Family Tax Benefit (FTB) and Child Care Subsidy (CCS). This routine review compares the income families estimated during the year with the income information received after tax time.
The process is designed to ensure families receive the correct amount of government assistance. Some households may qualify for an additional payment if they received less support than they were entitled to during the financial year. Others could discover they have already received the correct amount, while a smaller number may need to repay an overpayment.
Balancing is an automatic process, but families must complete several important steps before it can be finalised.
Why It Happens Every Year
Many Centrelink payments are calculated using an estimate of a family’s annual income. Since earnings can change because of salary increases, reduced working hours, job changes or other circumstances, the estimated figure may not exactly match the final income recorded after the financial year ends.
Once the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) confirms taxable income, Services Australia compares the estimate with the actual amount earned.
If the estimate was higher than the actual income, eligible families may receive an additional payment. If the estimate was too low, the balancing process may identify an overpayment that needs to be resolved.
This annual review helps ensure government assistance is distributed fairly based on each family’s actual financial situation.
Who May Receive Extra Money?
Families who received Family Tax Benefit or Child Care Subsidy during the 2025–26 financial year could be eligible for an additional payment after balancing.
A top-up may be available if:
- Actual household income was lower than originally estimated.
- Eligible payments were underpaid during the year.
- The family qualifies for end-of-year supplements linked to Family Tax Benefit.
- Child care subsidy calculations show additional entitlement.
The exact payment varies because every family’s income, employment circumstances and payment history are different.
There is no standard amount paid to every recipient.
Tax Returns Are Essential
The most important requirement for balancing is completing tax obligations.
Services Australia cannot finalise most balancing outcomes until the Australian Taxation Office has processed the required tax information.
Families generally need to:
- Lodge their 2025–26 tax return if required.
- Submit a non-lodgement advice if they are not required to lodge a return.
- Ensure their partner also completes the necessary tax requirements where applicable.
Delays in meeting these obligations may postpone balancing and any additional payment that could be owed.
Family Tax Benefit Review
Family Tax Benefit balancing checks whether eligible families received the correct fortnightly payments throughout the financial year.
Because these payments depend on annual income, even relatively small income changes can affect final entitlements.
If balancing shows a family should have received more assistance, Centrelink will issue the additional amount once all requirements are met.
Eligible families may also receive any applicable end-of-year supplements after balancing has been completed successfully.
Child Care Subsidy Check
Child Care Subsidy also goes through a balancing process each year.
Throughout the year, subsidy payments are based on estimated family income and the number of hours of approved child care used.
Once actual income information becomes available, Services Australia recalculates the subsidy.
Some families may receive an extra payment if they qualified for a higher subsidy than originally calculated. Others may have received the correct amount already, while some may need to repay part of the subsidy if their income exceeded earlier estimates.
Keeping income estimates up to date during the year can reduce the likelihood of unexpected adjustments.
How to Track Progress
Families do not need to submit a separate balancing application.
Once all required tax information has been received, Services Australia automatically begins assessing the account.
Recipients can monitor the progress through their myGov account linked to Centrelink or by using the Express Plus Centrelink mobile app.
These services provide updates on whether balancing has started, whether additional information is required and when the outcome has been completed.
Common Reasons for Delays
Although balancing is automatic, several factors can slow the process.
Common reasons include:
- Tax returns have not yet been lodged.
- A partner’s tax information is still outstanding.
- Income details require further verification.
- Centrelink is waiting for information from the Australian Taxation Office.
- A non-lodgement advice has not been submitted where required.
Completing tax obligations as early as possible usually helps speed up the assessment.
What Families Should Do Now
Families receiving Family Tax Benefit or Child Care Subsidy should review their tax obligations without delay.
Checking that personal information, bank details and contact information remain accurate with Centrelink can also help prevent payment delays.
If household circumstances changed during the financial year, including employment, relationship status or income, ensuring those updates have already been reported may assist with a smoother balancing process.
Most importantly, families should regularly check their myGov account for messages from Services Australia requesting additional information.
Centrelink’s annual balancing process plays an important role in making sure Australian families receive the correct level of financial support after the end of each financial year.
For many households, the review could result in an additional payment or end-of-year supplement if their actual income was lower than estimated or if they were entitled to further assistance. However, these payments can only be finalised after all required tax information has been provided to the Australian Taxation Office and Services Australia.
With tax time now underway, eligible families should complete their tax return or non-lodgement advice promptly and monitor their Centrelink account for updates. Taking these simple steps can help ensure any extra payment is processed as quickly as possible and reduce the risk of unnecessary delays during the 2025–26 balancing period.
