Family Tax Benefit (FTB) Part B quarantine and the reconciliation process 007-11010060

If the customer wishes to advise or update details, or to check that details were notified in time, see Recording return to work details and explaining eligibility for Family Tax Benefit (FTB) Part B quarantine.

Has the customer’s Family Tax Benefit (FTB) been reconciled for the year in which the return to work occurred?

Check the FAO Reconciliation and Claim Summary (FRCS) screen.

• Yes, go to Step 2
• No, the customer’s eligibility for the FTB Part B quarantine will be assessed when reconciliation occurs. If necessary, advise the customer why FTB reconciliation is pending. Procedure ends here

As part of the reconciliation process, the system will determine the customer’s eligibility for the FTB Part B quarantine.

Go to the FTB (B) Quarantine (FTBQ) screen to view the result:

• in Process Direct:
• On the FAO Reconciliation & Claim Summary (FRCS) screen, select the appropriate reconciliation/lump sum claim result and use the navigation link to go to the FTB Calculation Result (FACRF) screen
• On the FACRF screen, select the relevant period and use the navigation link to go to the FTB Calculation Period Assessment Part A (FCPAA) screen
• On the FCPAA screen, select the Income table and use the navigation link to go to the Part B Quarantine (FTBQ) screen
• in Customer First:
• On the FAO Reconciliation and Claim Summary (FRCS) screen, 'S'elect a reconciliation/ lump sum claim finalised or completed line
• On the FTB Calculation Result (FACRF) screen, 'S'elect a calculation /assessment period to view more details for the period on the FTB Calculation Period Assessment (FCPA) screen
• The customer's eligibility for the FTB Part B quarantine will be displayed on the FCPA screen for each period during the financial year. If the customer was eligible for the period, 'Quarantined' will display next to the FTB(B) Secondary Earner: field on the FCPA screen
• On the FCPA screen, 'S'elect the FTB(B) Secondary Earner: field to view more details on the customer's eligibility for the FTB Part B quarantine on the FTB(B) Quarantine (FTBQ) screen

Was the customer eligible for the FTB Part B quarantine?

• Yes, reconciliation will pay the maximum rate of FTB Part B for the Part B quarantine period. The customer's reconciliation letter can be viewed on the History Summary (HS) screen or through the Customer Archive Retrieval (CAR) system. Procedure ends here
• No, go to Step 3

The reason is displayed on the FTBQ screen.

Their reconciliation letter will also state the reason. The letter can be viewed on the HS screen or through the CAR system.

• In Process Direct, the FTB return to work details (FRWD) screen displays return to work details recorded for the customer, partner and ex-partners
• In Customer First,
• the FTB Return to Work Summary (FRWS) screen displays return to work details recorded for the customer, partner and ex-partners
• 'S'elect the relevant line to view details on the FTB Return to Work Details (FRWD) screen

Why are the return to work criteria not satisfied?

• If verification of the return to work is required or the customer needs to nominate in writing a return to work of less than 10 hours per week, advise the customer what they need to provide so that their eligibility for the Family Tax Benefit (FTB) Part B quarantine period can be assessed. Record details on a Note/DOC

When provided, go to Step 10

• If the original notification date is after the financial year following the one in which the return to work occurred, the quarantine will not apply for the FTB instalment claim. If the dates on the FRWD screen are not correct,
• for Process Direct, go to Step 8
• for Customer First, go to Step 9
• Return to work for Child: field is No/N. If it is not the person's first return to work since caring for the child, go to Step 4
• If the customer did not have an eligible Part B quarantine child in their care, go to Step 5
• If the lower income earner received employment income throughout the Part B quarantine period, go to Step 6
• If the person who returned to work is not the lower income earner, go to Step 7
• If the customer/partner returned to work on 1 July of the financial year, the maximum rate of FTB Part B can only be paid for the period of the financial year before the return to work. Procedure ends here

The return to work must be the customer’s first since the most recent child came into care.

Check that the Child Customer Reference Number (CRN) shown is that of the child most recently in care. If not, for Process Direct, go to Step 8 and for Customer First, go to Step 9 to correct details.

If the customer has already benefited from a Family Tax Benefit (FTB) Part B quarantine period, they would not be eligible again following another return to work unless another child has entered their care.

If there are multiple lower income earners and there is a return to work recorded for more than one lower income earner, only one person's return to work in relation to a child will attract the FTB Part B quarantine. This will be the FTB Part B quarantine period that begins first. The other periods are ineligible and are recorded as not the first return to work.

Have return to work details been correctly assessed and coded on the FRWD screen?

• Yes, the customer is not eligible for the FTB Part B quarantine period. Procedure ends here
• No, for
• Process Direct, go to Step 8
• Customer First, go to Step 9

The customer must have an eligible Part B quarantine child in care at some point during the Part B quarantine period.

If the child is a precluded child, the reason will be displayed:

• in Process Direct on the FTBQ screen
• in Customer First on the Precluded Child NQS (FYQPNQS) screen

If the most recent child in care is not an eligible Part B quarantine child (for example, because the child was an eligible Part B quarantine child for a previous carer), does the customer have another eligible quarantine child?

• Yes, code that child's Customer Reference Number (CRN) on the FRWD screen
• for Process Direct, go to Step 8
• for Customer First, go to Step 9
• No, the customer is not eligible for the Part B quarantine. Procedure ends here

The lower income earner received employment related income throughout the Part B quarantine period.

This will most commonly occur where the customer receives passive employment income.

Check that the passive employment income details have been correctly assessed and coded on the FRWD screen.

Are details on the FRWD screen correct?

• Yes, the customer is not eligible for the Part B quarantine. Procedure ends here
• No,
• for Process Direct, go to Step 8
• for Customer First, go to Step 9

The income details used to finalise reconciliation are also used to determine who the lower income earner is.

That is:

• adequate income, or
• their original income estimate for the relevant financial year

If the person who returned to work was not the lower income earner on either their adequate income or their original estimate, the customer is not eligible for the quarantine.

Procedure ends here.

For help with coding, see Recording return to work details and explaining eligibility for Family Tax Benefit (FTB) Part B quarantine.

• If verification of the return to work has been provided select 'Yes' in the Verification indicator field and select a valid code from drop down options in Verification code field
• If return to work criteria are met select 'Yes' in Satisfies return to work criteria field
• Select Save
• Select Assess and record details in a finalisation Note to trigger re-reconciliation of FTB
• If eligible, the customer’s FTB Part B is paid at the maximum rate for the Part B quarantine period. The results will display on the FCCR and FTBQ screens

Has the system correctly assessed the customer’s eligibility to the quarantine period?

• Yes, advise the customer. Procedure ends here
• No, go to Step 10

For help with coding, see Recording return to work details and explaining eligibility for Family Tax Benefit (FTB) Part B quarantine.

If verification of the return to work has been provided, code 'Y' in Verification: field and enter description code to show how details were verified.

If return to work criteria are met, code 'Y' in the Satisfies RTW Criteria: field.

Finalise activity on the Assessment Result (AR) screen to trigger re-reconciliation of FTB.

If eligible, the customer’s FTB Part B is paid at the maximum rate for the Part B quarantine period. The results will be displayed on the FCPA and FTBQ screens.

Has the system correctly assessed the customer’s eligibility to the quarantine period?

• Yes, advise the customer and record details on a DOC. Procedure ends here
• No, go to Step 10

Overriding the assessment should only be done in limited circumstances, and only where the customer's eligibility has been confirmed.

To override an FTB Part B quarantine assessment, go to the FTB Quarantine Override (FTBQO) screen. The customer can be made eligible or ineligible for the Part B quarantine for a particular period. The details recorded on this screen will override all other information on the customer's record.

When recording details on this screen, the start and end dates must reflect the actual period/s to be quarantined. Do not include any period/s where the customer was not entitled due to passive employment income.