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Raising ABSTUDY debts 107-09120050

For ABSTUDY Smart Centre Processing and Compliance staff only.

This document outlines information on raising ABSTUDY debts where the payment of the benefit was made to a parent/guardian or institution.

ABSTUDY debts

Step	Action
1	Determining debt action + Read more ... If the debt relates to ABSTUDY fares or Away from Base, see Raising Fares Allowance (FAA) debts. Is the ABSTUDY debt $50 or more? Yes: go to Step 2 Note: if the debt relates to employment income and income apportionment before 7 December 2020, do not raise the debt. Warm transfer the customer to the CLKDebtIncomeApportionment line using iWS Softphone. Procedure ends here No: finalise the activity less than $50 (LTF) waiver will apply automatically procedure ends here
2	Determine if the debt activity is actionable + Read more ... Check if the debt meets any of the following ABSTUDY debt raising criteria: the debt shell was created less than 3 years ago (regardless of the entitlement period it relates to) and the debt amount is more than $200, or the customer/organisation asks for the debt to be raised Does the debt activity meet either of the above criteria? Yes, go to Step 3 No, do not action the debt activity: escalate the work item via Workload Management > Workload Management – Technical Support > Technical Assistance > WLM Technical Assistance form. Note: When completing this form, in the ‘Programme’ field: select ‘Working Age’ and in the ‘Sub Programme’ field: select ‘ABSTUDY’.
3	Debt waiver + Read more ... Check the debt amount to ensure it is correct. See Calculating Centrelink entitlements and gathering information when investigating debts if requiring assistance. Consider whether the debt is subject to waiver action. Is it appropriate to waive the debt? Yes, see Waiving Centrelink debts. Procedure ends here No, go to Step 4
4	Determine who is the payee/debtor + Read more ... Where a student has multiple payees, the system will calculate the period of entitlement, the overpayment and generate a debt shell for the responsible debtor/s. Check the Payment Summary (PS) screen for details of the relevant payments for which the student did not qualify. Select the relevant payment(s). The system will navigate to the Payment Details (PD) screen. The name and address of the payee is in the To field. The payee may be the student, the parent/guardian or the institution. Raise the debt against the payee's record.
5	DMN/NDB activity + Read more ... Check the Activity List (AL) screen for a DMN/NDB activity in the student's, parent's/guardian's and institution's (if applicable) records. Note: a payee is a person/institution/parent/guardian/applicant who received payments. The payee is usually the person who is responsible for repaying any debts the customer has incurred (for example, the debtor). The debtor for student payments could be the student, their parent/guardian/applicant or the institution at which the student resides/attends. Is the debt shell on the payee's record? Yes: contact the customer, see Debt raising support for customers go to Step 6 No, finalise the debt shell on the incorrect record using the Debt Action Script in Customer Record. If the Script is unavailable, 'S'elect the 'DMN/NDB' activity from the Activity List (AL) screen. The Modify/Assess Debt (OPMA) screen will display. A number of fields will have already defaulted to this screen. Continue to code the screen: Calculated Amount $ field, key '0.00' FND Reason field, key the appropriate code, i.e. if it is a third party debt on a customer's record, key 'TPD' for third party debt Addntl Reference No field, key the Customer Reference Number (CRN) of the student/parent/guardian press [Enter] to Finalise the Assessment Finalisation (OPAF) screen and record details of the decision in a DOC in that record. See Online Document Recording (ODR) manually create a new debt shell for the payee. Go to Step 7
6	Debt Action script + Read more ... Use the Raise a debt guided procedure in Customer First or Debt Action script in Customer Record to raise the debt. Note: if necessary, adjust the text of the Account Payable to suit the student's circumstances. Is the guided procedure/script working? Yes, follow the prompts. Go to Step 8 No, follow the manual procedure. Go to Step 7
7	Manual procedure to raise the debt + Read more ... Manually raise the debt by: actioning an undetermined debt on the Debt Management and Information System (DMIS). Complete the following fields on the Modify/Assess Debt (OPMA) screen with the specified codes: Reason field, key the reason for the debt Section of Act field, key '39' (for Section 39 of the Student Assistance Act 1973) complete other details as required press [Enter] send the account payable letter to the customer finalise the activity and note the Debt ID record details of the decision on a DOC, including the Debt ID number in the summary line. Minimum DOC standard requirements for debts are on the Getting it Right DOC Minimum Standards page
8	Storage of debt information + Read more ... Sometimes, the raising of debts uses system calculations. DOCs must contain all details of any related activities or other adjustments taken into account in calculating the debt. There is no need to place paper copies of the calculations on file. However, if using paper documents as evidence to support the debt, they must be scanned on the record. See the Resources page of Storing scanned documents. Note: mark any documents placed on file in relation to a debt 'Overpayment - Do Not Destroy'.