Why the fourth day goes backwards here
The added salary improves take-home pay, but 24 hours of care sit outside the 72-hour entitlement and the higher family income reduces the standard CCS rate from 76.5% to 74.1%.
Is a fourth day at work actually worth it?
A fourth workday helps when the extra income after estimated tax is greater than the added childcare gap. The result can go backwards when the extra session pushes care beyond subsidised hours, reduces the CCS percentage or costs more than the added take-home pay. Sometimes Thursday arrives carrying an invoice.
Compare three and four daysThis fourth day leaves the family $10.08 behind each week
After 3 days$117,091.20/yr
→After 4 days$116,567.28/yr
=Difference−$523.92/yr
One parent earns $60,000 full-time equivalent, their partner earns $120,000 and one child attends a 12-hour, $180 session for each workday. Moving from three to four days takes care from 72 to 96 hours a fortnight while the example has 72 subsidised hours.
The calculator covers the cash comparison
ParentMath estimates income tax, Medicare levy and childcare. It does not price commuting, meals, superannuation, leave, career progression or the non-financial reasons a family may choose to work.
Quick answers
Fourth-day questions
Can working an extra day leave a family worse off?
Yes. Added childcare and estimated tax can sometimes exceed the added take-home pay.
What should I include when comparing a fourth workday?
Start with after-tax income and childcare, then separately consider work costs, superannuation, leave, career progression and family preferences.
CCS settings checked 11 September 2026 against the Department of Education. Tax rates checked against the legislated 2026–27 resident rates. Example verified against calculator.mjs.