How many days of Paid Parental Leave can I claim?

Up to 130 days for babies born or adopted from 1 July 2026 (120 days applied to births between July 2025 and June 2026). Single parents may claim all days. Partnered parents share the pool, with 20 days reserved exclusively for the other parent.

Is Paid Parental Leave taxed?

Yes. PPL is taxed at your marginal income tax rate and may affect other benefits.

Am I eligible for superannuation with PPL?

If your child is born/adopted from 1 July 2025, super is paid on your PPL.

What is the work test for PPL?

You must have worked 10 of the 13 months before your child’s birth or adoption, at least 330 hours (about 1 day/week), with no more than 12 weeks break between work days.

Can my partner and I both claim PPL?

Yes, if both meet the eligibility tests, you can share the 130 days as suits your household — but 20 days are reserved exclusively for each parent and can't be transferred if unused.

§ Tool · tier 1 · independent

Paid Parental Leave Estimator.

Estimate Parental Leave Pay days and total amount after tax based on due/birth date, work history, income test and partner sharing options.

CalculatorFree, no signupOn-deviceLiveupd August 2026

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Move the sliders or type in the form on the left — the math updates live as you go. Click Get AI verdict when you want a written analysis.

The Paid Parental Leave Estimator helps Australian parents work out how many government-funded leave days they may get, and what their total Parental Leave Pay will be (before and after tax). Takes account of your child's due or birth date, the new income and work test thresholds for 2026, and if the leave is shared with a partner. From July 2025, superannuation is included for most parents during Paid Parental Leave.

§ Worked examples

Real-world scenarios

Single Parent Taking Full Entitlement

Alex is a single parent, due August 2026, and meets both the work and income tests.

Inputs

dueDate:2026-08-20parentType:YesworkHistoryMet:YesincomeTestMet:YesdaysRequested:130partnerShares:N/A

Alex can claim all 130 PPL days, totalling $26,127.40 before tax, plus 12% super ($3,135.29), since the birth is after July 2025 and the child is born from 1 July 2026 (the 130-day rate).

Partners Sharing Leave

Sam and Taylor are eligible partners. Their baby's due September 2026. Sam claims 90 of his available 110 days; the remaining 40 days (including Taylor's 20 reserved days) go to Taylor.

Inputs

dueDate:2026-09-15parentType:NoworkHistoryMet:YesincomeTestMet:YesdaysRequested:90partnerShares:Yes

Because Sam is partnered, 20 of the 130-day family pool are reserved exclusively for Taylor, capping Sam at 110 days. Claiming 90 days pays Sam $18,088.20 before tax, plus 12% super ($2,170.58), since the birth is after 1 July 2025.

§ FAQ

Questions Australians ask

§ Glossary

Plain-English definitions

Paid Parental Leave (PPL)

Government program paying eligible parents up to 130 days leave at a set rate ($200.98/day before tax for 2026-27).

Work Test

To get PPL, you must work at least 10 of 13 months before birth/adoption, at least 330 hours total (approx. one day a week), and no more than 12 weeks between working days.

Income Test

Adjusted taxable income under $186,487 individual (2026-27), or $386,525 combined family income. Reviewed each year on 1 July.

Superannuation Contribution

From 1 July 2025, an extra payment to your super fund is made on your PPL if your child is born/adopted after this date.

Partnered Claim

PPL can be split/shared between eligible partners if both satisfy the work and income tests. Each claims for their taken days.

§ Pair it with

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Find other government schemes and payments you may be eligible for.

How to use

01Enter your child's expected birth or adoption date (YYYY-MM-DD)
02Indicate if you are a single parent or applying with a partner
03Confirm if you meet the Work Test and Income Test for eligibility
04Enter how many days of parental leave you plan to take (max 130)
05If partnered, indicate if your partner will take a share of leave
06Check your estimated total leave days and payment, including new super guarantee (if eligible)

Key info

Up to 130 days Paid Parental Leave (PPL) at $200.98/day before tax (2026-27 rate, for births/adoptions from 1 July 2026)
Single parents can claim the full 130 days
Income cap is $186,487 individual (2026–27), or $386,525 combined family income
Work test: 10 of the 13 months before birth, and 330 hours total, with breaks <12 weeks
Superannuation (12%) contributed for births/adoptions from 1 July 2025
PPL is taxable and counts as income for some other government benefits
20 of the 130 days are reserved exclusively for the other parent and can't be transferred

Pro tips

Consider the tax impact: PPL is taxed as income and may affect Family Tax Benefit, Child Care Subsidy, etc.
If sharing leave with a partner, plan distribution to maximise both parents’ entitlements as allowed by law.
Superannuation payments start only for births/adoptions from 1 July 2025—claim accordingly.
Apply for PPL as early as 3 months before birth, but not later than 52 weeks after.

Avoid these

Forgetting PPL is taxable—plan for reduced take-home pay during leave
Assuming PPL covers both parents for the maximum days (only if both are eligible and share days)
Missing application/claim window (must claim within 52 weeks of birth/adoption)
Overlooking super: only births/adoptions from 1 July 2025 are eligible for the new super payments

Disclaimer: Estimates only. Interest rates, fees and policies change frequently. Always verify with lenders directly. General information, not personal financial advice.

Last updated · August 2026