Paid Parental Leave Calculator 2026 — 26 Weeks, Pay and Super

How Much Is Paid Parental Leave?

Parental Leave Pay is based on the national minimum wage and usually changes on 1 July. You are paid the rate for the financial year each day falls in, not the year your child was born — so leave that runs across 1 July is paid at two rates.

Before tax. Parental Leave Pay is taxable income. For a multiple birth you get Parental Leave Pay for one child only.

How Many Weeks: 22, 24 or 26?

It depends on the child's date of birth or adoption:

A single parent gets all the days (and can choose to share). If you lodged a pre-birth claim before 1 July 2026 and the baby arrives on or after it, Services Australia adds the extra 10 days once it has proof of birth — no new claim needed.

Paid Parental Leave Income Test

Services Australia looks at your adjusted taxable income for the financial year before the birth or adoption, or before your claim — whichever date is earlier.

Your partner is whoever you're in a relationship with on the day you claim. If you don't have a partner, your own income is tested against the family limit.

Paid Parental Leave Work Test

• Worked 10 of the 13 months before the birth or adoption (295 of 392 days), and
• at least 330 hours in those 10 months — around one day a week, and
• no gap of more than 12 weeks between work days.

Paid leave counts as work, work for several employers can be combined, and self-employed parents can qualify. There are exceptions for pregnancy-related illness, complications and premature birth, and a dangerous jobs provision. If you are the birth mother's partner (or the biological father or his partner), both you and the birth mother must meet the work test.

Flexible Days, Sharing and Working

• Take your days as one block, several blocks, single days, or a mix — all within 2 years of the birth or adoption. You can change nominated days after claiming.
• The birth mother (or first adoptive parent) approves how many days are shared with the other parent; each parent claims separately.
• Parental Leave Pay is only for days you don't work. Working 1 hour or more — including a keeping-in-touch meeting or training — counts as working, so pick another day or return that day to your balance. The birth mother must not work in the first 14 days after the birth.
• You can take Parental Leave Pay before, during or after employer-paid parental leave, annual leave or long service leave.

Who Pays You: Employer or Centrelink

Your employer pays your Parental Leave Pay through payroll if you've worked for them for at least 12 months before the birth or adoption, they're Australian based, and you take a continuous block of at least 8 weeks of 5-day weeks within a year of the birth — withholding tax at your usual rate. Otherwise Services Australia pays you every 2 weeks and withholds tax at 15% unless you ask for a different rate. If you have other income that year, 15% may not be enough — the income tax calculator shows your likely bill.

Super on Paid Parental Leave

For children born or adopted from 1 July 2025, the ATO pays a Paid Parental Leave Superannuation Contribution of 12% of the Parental Leave Pay you received, plus an interest component, as a lump sum to your super fund after the end of the financial year. The first contributions are paid in 2026-27. There's nothing to claim — just make sure your fund has your TFN and that your name and address match at the ATO and Services Australia. It counts towards your concessional contributions cap and is taxed at 15% in the fund. On 130 days at the 2026-27 rate that is about $3,134.66 before interest.

How and When to Claim

1. Claim through your Centrelink online account up to 3 months before the due date. Claiming early lets your employer register and opt in.
2. After the birth, give Services Australia your child's details and proof of birth within 56 days.
3. To be paid from the date of birth, the claim and proof must be in within 100 days (14 weeks). Payments can be backdated up to 100 days.
4. At least one parent must claim within 52 weeks of the birth or adoption; the other parent has 2 years.

Separately from the government payment, employees may be entitled to unpaid parental leave under the National Employment Standards — see the Fair Work Ombudsman. Budget the drop from your salary with the take-home pay calculator.

Related Calculators and Guides

• Centrelink income test guide — free areas, tapers and cut-offs for every payment
• Carer Payment calculator — the pension-rate payment with the 100-hour work rule
• Carer Allowance — the fortnightly supplement and its $250,000 income limit
• Centrelink advance payment calculator — how much you can borrow and what comes off each fortnight
• Crisis Payment — the one-off payment after an extreme circumstance
• Centrelink debt — overpayments, refunds and the income apportionment scheme
• Cost of living payment 2026 — what actually exists this year
• JobSeeker payment calculator — what you keep when you work part-time
• Age Pension calculator — rates from 20 September 2026 and the income test, with the Work Bonus
• Age Pension assets test calculator — limits, the $3-per-$1,000 taper and which test applies
• Deeming rates and calculator — 1.75% and 3.75% from 20 September 2026
• Disability Support Pension calculator — rates, the income test and the 29-hour work rule
• Commonwealth Seniors Health Card — the income limit, deeming and a quick eligibility check
• Child Care Subsidy calculator — your CCS % on family income and the gap fee
• Parenting Payment calculator — single and partnered
• Fortnightly pay calculator — the gross fortnightly figure Centrelink asks for

• Family Tax Benefit calculator — Parental Leave Pay counts in your family income
• Superannuation calculator — the effect of time out of work on your balance
• Leave calculator — annual and personal leave balances

Frequently Asked Questions