Do I need a budget to use Steady?

No. Steady connects to your NZ bank accounts through Akahu and automatically tracks what's coming in and going out, so you can see your money clearly without setting up a budget first. You can add budgets later if you want stricter category limits.

Which NZ banks does Steady support?

Steady connects to all major New Zealand banks including ANZ, ASB, BNZ, Kiwibank, Westpac, TSB, The Co-operative Bank, SBS, and Heartland. The connection is through Akahu — NZ's regulated open banking provider.

Steady has a free tier with automatic tracking, one bank connection, and basic insights. Steady Plus ($8.99/month or $89/year) unlocks unlimited bank connections, forecasting, unlimited AI queries, and advanced analytics. New accounts get a 14-day Plus trial.

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Guides26 July 20268 min read

Working for Families 2026: Who Qualifies & How Much You Get

Working for Families explained for 2026 — who's eligible, the main tax credits, roughly how much you could get, and how to claim. Plain-English, no IRD jargon.

Working for Families NZ — warm illustration of a family and a helping hand

Know your Safe to Spend every week

Steady connects your bank and tracks it all automatically — no spreadsheets. Join the waitlist for early access.

Kia ora. Working for Families is one of the most valuable — and most under-claimed — supports in NZ. Plenty of families who qualify never apply because the IRD language is off-putting. Here's who's eligible and how much you could get, in plain English.

The short version

Working for Families (WFF) is a set of tax credits for families with dependent children.
You can qualify even if you're working — it's not just for beneficiaries.
How much depends on your family income, number of kids, and their ages. It's worth checking even if you think you earn too much.

The main tax credits

Credit	Who it's for
Family Tax Credit	Most families with dependent children, based on income
In-Work Tax Credit	Families in paid work (meeting the hours test)
Best Start	Payment for each child in their first years
Minimum Family Tax Credit	Tops up low-income working families to a guaranteed level

The exact amounts and income thresholds are set by IRD and adjusted over time — always check the current figures on the IRD website or with a calculator.

Steady tip: A WFF payment is extra income landing in your account — the trick is directing it on purpose rather than letting it disappear into everyday spending. Steady shows it clearly and helps you decide where it should go. Join the waitlist for early access.

Who qualifies

You generally need to:

Be the principal carer of a dependent child (under 18, or 18 and still at school).
Be a NZ tax resident.
Meet the income and (for the in-work credit) work-hours tests.

Higher earners often assume they won't qualify and don't check — but the thresholds are more generous than people expect, especially with more children. It costs nothing to run the numbers.

How to claim

Register through IRD (myIR) — you can apply for WFF and have payments made weekly, fortnightly, or as a lump sum after year-end.
If you get a lump sum, treat it like the tax refund it partly resembles: put it toward debt, your emergency fund, or a goal.

The bottom line

Working for Families can be worth thousands a year, and you can qualify while working. If you've got dependent children, check your eligibility with IRD — even if you think you earn too much. Then put the money to work on purpose.

This is general information — check current eligibility and amounts with IRD.

Steady tip: Steady treats support payments as income and shows how they lift your safe-to-spend, so extra help actually moves you forward. Join the waitlist.

Written by Sam Wilson

Founder, Steady

Sam is a New Zealand founder building Steady — a personal finance app designed for Kiwis, integrated with every major NZ bank via Akahu. He writes about money, bank integrations, and what actually works for everyday New Zealanders.More about Sam