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Partner Income Test for ABSTUDY customers 22 years and over 010-08010030

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Partner Income Test effect on payments

The Partner Income Test for ABSTUDY customers 22 years or over works by reducing the amount of the customer's fortnightly payment by 50 cents for each dollar that their partner earns above the Partner Income Free Area. The Partner Income Free Area is adjusted for dependent children (if any) by adding on an amount determined by the number of dependent children.

A dependent children adjustment is applied for any young person who is dependent upon the customer/partner, where the young person is:

  • 16-21 years of age, and
    • in full-time or concessional study-load study, and
    • not assessed as independent for the purposes ABSTUDY/Youth Allowance (YA), and
    • not receiving Australian Government income support other than ABSTUDY/AIC or YA

or

  • under 16 years of age, and
    • is not assessed as independent for the purposes of ABSTUDY or Youth Allowance, and
    • not receiving Australian Government income support other than ABSTUDY/AIC or YA

Dependant ABSTUDY rates

Table 1: This table describes information to assist in the calculation of the correct rate of payment for ABSTUDY customers 22 years or over.

Category

Rate

The Partner Income Free Area for ABSTUDY customers 22 years or over.

This is similar to the partner income cut-out point for JobSeeker Payment and subject to Consumer Price Index (CPI) changes in March and September each year.

See Rates and Thresholds for current and historical rates of payment.

For the first dependent child under 16.

$1,230 per annum

For each subsequent child under 16.

$2,562 per annum

For each dependent child/student who is:

  • aged 16-21 and in full-time study, or
  • under 16 and not independent for ABSTUDY or Youth Allowance and who qualifies for either:
    • Assistance for Isolated Children (AIC) Boarding Allowance or Second Home Allowance, or
    • for students with a full-time or concessional study load, one of the following:

School Term Allowance under the ABSTUDY Schooling A Award

ABSTUDY Schooling B Award

ABSTUDY Tertiary Award

ABSTUDY Masters and Doctorate Award

$3,792 per annum

ABSTUDY Partner Income Free Area Adjustment Chart

Table 2: This table determines adjustment to Partner Income Free Area per annum where there are multiple dependent children/students:

ABSTUDY Partner Income Free Area Adjustment Chart

Number of Dependent Children

Number of Dependent Students

0

1

2

3

4

5

0

$1,230

$3,792

$6,354

$8,916

$11,478

1

$3,792

$5,022

$7,584

$10,146

$12,708

$15,270

2

$7,584

$8,814

$11,376

$13,938

$16,500

$19,062

3

$11,376

$12,606

$15,168

$17,730

$22,292

$22,854

4

$15,168

$16,398

$18,960

$21,522

$24,084

$26,646

5

$18,960

$20,190

$22,752

$25,314

$27,876

$30,438