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Enter your gross fortnightly wages and see how much JobSeeker you keep. Uses the Services Australia income test — $150 free area, 50 cents to $256, 60 cents above — with both the 20 March 2026 maximum rates and the 20 September 2026 rates that replace them.
Services Australia reduces JobSeeker once your own income passes $150 a fortnight. The free area and the tapers are not part of the September indexation — they are the same before and after 20 September 2026:
| Your income per fortnight | Most recipients | Single principal carer |
|---|---|---|
| Up to $150 | $0 | $0 |
| $150 to $256 | 50c for each dollar | 40c for each dollar over $150 |
| Over $256 | 60c for each dollar | 40c for each dollar over $150 |
| Situation | Maximum per fortnight | Cut-off (payment reaches $0) | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| To 19 Sep 2026 | From 20 Sep 2026 | To 19 Sep 2026 | From 20 Sep 2026 | |
| Single, no children | $808.70 | $824.90 | $1,530.17 | $1,557.17 |
| Single, dependent child under 16 (not the principal carer) | $866.00 | $883.30 | $1,626.84 | $1,655.67 |
| Single, principal carer of a child under 16 | $866.00 | $883.30 | $2,356.25 | $2,399.50 |
| Single, 55 or older, 9+ months on payment | $866.00 | $883.30 | $1,638.50 | $1,667.33 |
| Single, partial capacity to work (under 15 hrs/week) | $866.00 | $883.30 | $1,638.50 | $1,667.33 |
| Partnered | $740.30 | $755.10 | depends on partner income | depends on partner income |
| Single principal carer, exempt from mutual obligations | $1,047.30 | $1,068.20 | $2,815.75 | $2,868.00 |
| Partner income free area (partner 22 to Age Pension age) | $1,415.00 | $1,440.00 | 60c per $1 above it, either way | |
Rates are indexed on 20 March and 20 September. The 20 March 2026 figures are Services Australia's, read on 28 August 2026; the 20 September 2026 rates are from the DSS rates list published 20 August 2026. The September cut-offs are calculated from those published rates and the unchanged taper — Services Australia publishes its own cut-off figures on the day, and we will replace ours with them. Cut-offs include an Energy Supplement (and, for some situations, a Pharmaceutical Allowance) that not every recipient gets, which is why the payment above reaches $0 slightly below them.
| Fortnightly wages | Reduction | JobSeeker to 19 Sep 2026 | JobSeeker from 20 Sep 2026 | Wages + JobSeeker (from 20 Sep) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $0 | -$0.00 | $808.70 | $824.90 | $824.90 |
| $100 | -$0.00 | $808.70 | $824.90 | $924.90 |
| $150 | -$0.00 | $808.70 | $824.90 | $974.90 |
| $200 | -$25.00 | $783.70 | $799.90 | $999.90 |
| $256 | -$53.00 | $755.70 | $771.90 | $1,027.90 |
| $300 | -$79.40 | $729.30 | $745.50 | $1,045.50 |
| $400 | -$139.40 | $669.30 | $685.50 | $1,085.50 |
| $500 | -$199.40 | $609.30 | $625.50 | $1,125.50 |
| $600 | -$259.40 | $549.30 | $565.50 | $1,165.50 |
| $800 | -$379.40 | $429.30 | $445.50 | $1,245.50 |
| $1,000 | -$499.40 | $309.30 | $325.50 | $1,325.50 |
| $1,200 | -$619.40 | $189.30 | $205.50 | $1,405.50 |
| $1,400 | -$739.40 | $69.30 | $85.50 | $1,485.50 |
| $1,500 | -$799.40 | $9.30 | $25.50 | $1,525.50 |
Every extra dollar you earn above $256 leaves you 40 cents better off before tax, and that is before working credits — so working more always adds to the total, but at a flatter slope than the wage suggests. The 20 September increase of $16.20 a fortnight for a single recipient flows through at every income up to the cut-off.
In fortnights when your income is under $48, you build working credits. Services Australia uses them first in a fortnight when you earn more, which can keep some payment flowing above the published cut-off. The calculator does not include them because the balance is individual — check yours in your Centrelink online account before relying on a figure here.
Gross wages in the fortnight they are paid — before tax, salary sacrifice or HECS. Commission, bonuses, overtime and penalty rates count too. Your fortnightly gross is the figure to enter, and JobSeeker itself is taxable, so put the wages and the payment together through the take-home pay calculator to see the year.
$150 a fortnight. Above that your payment reduces by 50 cents for each dollar up to $256, then 60 cents for each dollar over $256. The free area and the tapers are unchanged by the 20 September 2026 indexation. Working credits, built up in fortnights when you earn under $48, can cover some income before the test applies.
Single with no children earning $600 a fortnight: the reduction is $259 ($53 on the first band plus $206 at 60 cents). On the $809 maximum paid to 19 September 2026 you keep $549 of JobSeeker; on the $825 maximum from 20 September 2026 you keep $566. Your $600 wages are on top either way.
To 19 September 2026: $1,530 a fortnight for a single person with no children, $1,639 if you are 55 or older after 9 months on payment, and $2,356 for a single principal carer. From 20 September 2026 those become $1,557, $1,667 and $2,400. Earn more than that in a fortnight and you are paid $0 for it — unless working credits cover part of the income.
A single person with no children goes from $809 to $825 a fortnight, up $16.20. Single with a dependent child, aged 55+ after 9 months, or with a partial capacity to work: $866 to $883. Partnered (each): $740 to $755. Single principal carers exempt from mutual obligations: $1,047 to $1,068. The first payment at the new rate covers the fortnight that starts on or after 20 September.
To 19 September 2026: $809 a fortnight single with no children; $866 single with a dependent child, aged 55+ after 9 months, or with a partial capacity to work; $740 partnered; $1,047 for a single principal carer exempt from mutual obligations. From 20 September 2026: $825, $883, $755 and $1,068. Rates are indexed on 20 March and 20 September.
Yes. If your partner does not get a pension, your payment reduces by 60 cents for each dollar they earn over $1,415 a fortnight, rising to $1,440 from 20 September 2026. The under-22 limits do not change on 20 September: $1,307 if they are under 22 with no children, $1,402 under 22 with children. Your own income is tested separately.
Yes. JobSeeker Payment is taxable income. Services Australia can withhold tax from it if you ask, which helps avoid a bill at tax time when you also have wages.
Gross — your pay before tax, and in the fortnight it is paid. The calculator uses the same gross fortnightly figure. If you are paid weekly, add the two pays that fall in the reporting fortnight.
Last verified: 28 August 2026. Our content is based on the latest information from official Australian government sources.
Senior Tax & Payroll Analyst
CPA, Registered Tax Agent (25787011)
James is a CPA-qualified tax professional with over 14 years of experience in Australian taxation and payroll systems. He spent six years at the Australian Taxation Office working on PAYG withholding and individual tax return processing before moving into financial publishing. He now leads the tax content at Pay Calculator Australia, translating complex ATO legislation into clear, actionable guidance.
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