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5 Australian Government allowances and payments 2023

Complete question 5 to declare allowances and payments received from the Australian Government.

Last updated 24 May 2023

Things you need to know

Declare at this question the following Australian Government payments:

  • JobSeeker payment
  • youth allowance
  • Austudy payment
  • parenting payment (partnered)
  • special benefit
  • farm household allowance
  • an education payment of any of the following when you were 16 years old or older
    • ABSTUDY living allowance
    • payment under the Veterans' Children Education Scheme
    • payment under the Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Act Education and Training Scheme 2004, shown as 'MRCA Education Allowance' on your PAYG payment summary – individual non-business
     
  • other taxable Commonwealth education or training payments shown on your payment summary
  • youth disability supplement as a component of
    • youth allowance
    • ABSTUDY living allowance
     
  • an income support component from a Community Development Employment Project (CDEP) shown as 'Community Development Employment Projects (CDEP) payments' on your PAYG payment summary – individual non-business
  • a CDEP scheme participant supplement
  • disaster recovery allowance
  • disaster income support allowance for special category visa (subclass 444) holders.

Do not include any Australian Government allowances and payments that are not taxable. For a list of the most common types of exempt Australian Government allowances and payments, see Amounts that you do not pay tax on 2023.

You may need to include amounts that are not taxable at question IT3 Tax-free government pensions or benefits 2023.

Do not include at this question any parental leave payments or dad-and-partner payments – declare these at question 1 Salary or wages 2023.

Include in the supplementary tax return at question 24 Other income 2023 the balance of the amount for emergency and general assistance payments shown on your Centrelink PAYG payment summary.

Beneficiary tax offset

You may be entitled to a tax offset on this income.

Tax offsets reduce the amount of tax you have to pay.

If you received one or more of the payments listed above, you may be entitled to a beneficiary tax offset. You do not have to work out your tax offset. We work it out for you from the answers you give at this question. If you want to work out your beneficiary tax offset, you can use the Beneficiary tax offset and seniors and pensioners tax offset calculator.

If you are eligible for both the seniors and pensioners tax offset and the beneficiary tax offset, you are entitled to receive only one of these offsets. We will work out which one gives you the highest tax offset.

Did you receive any of the payments listed above?

No

Go to question 6 Australian Government pensions and allowances 2023, or return to main menu Individual tax return instructions 2023.

Yes

Read below.

What you need to answer this question

You will need:

  • your PAYG payment summary – individual non-business, or
  • a letter from the agency that paid your allowance or payment stating the amount you received.

If you can't find or have not received this information, contact the agency that paid you.

Completing your tax return

To complete this question, follow the steps below.

Step 1

Add up the tax withheld shown on each of your payment summaries and letters.

Write the total under Tax withheld at the left of question 5 – label A.

Step 2

Add up the income shown on each of your payment summaries and letters.

Write the total at question 5 – label A.

Where to go next

QC71983