Defence Force Income Support Allowance (DFISA) 108-03060000
DFISA screens
Table 1. These screens are viewable by network all staff on a 'read only' basis.
DFISA screens can only be updated by authorised staff from the DVA Clearance Team if it is necessary to code manual rates of DFISA due to system limitations.
A transmission containing the new DFISA details is sent to DVA whenever a DFISA screen is updated (both manually and automatically).
Item |
Description |
DFISA Summary (DFS) screen - Process Direct |
This screen displays a summary of the DFISA data calculated by Services Australia, which was transmitted to the Department of Veterans' Affairs (DVA) for payment. Go to the DFISA Summary (DFS) screen. The Display Details for DFISA table displays these fields:
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DFISA Summary (DFS) screen - Customer First and Customer Record |
This screen displays a summary of the DFISA data calculated by Services Australia, which is transmitted to the Department of Veterans' Affairs (DVA) for payment. The DFS screen displays the following fields:
From the DFS screen, it is possible to 'S'elect a date of effect line which will go to the DFISA Calculation Details (DFD) screen to give further information on the data transmitted for that date. There will be no dates of effect coded post 1 January 2022, as Adjusted Disability Pensions will not be included in the income test from that date. |
DFISA Calculation Details (DFD) screen - Customer First and Customer Record |
This screen displays the data used to determine the daily rate of DFISA. Some fields can be selected to go to the data used to calculate the figure. When the DFD screen is displayed, the Effective Period field will be unprotected. This allows the user to insert a new date and a new rate in the DFISA Manual Override $ field when a manual rate override is required. Only authorised staff from the DVA Clearance Team can update these fields. Note: DFISA rates cannot be keyed with effective periods from 1 January 2022 by any staff. All other information on this screen is 'read only'. Type DFD in the Nxt field to enter the screen. It can also be selected by typing ‘S’ next to any entry on the DFISA Calculation Summary (DFS) screen. The following fields will be shown separately for the customer and partner:
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DFISA Lump Sum (DFLS) screen - Customer First and Customer Record |
The DFLS screen includes DFISA customers’ payment details for:
The screen displays:
The system automatically calculates the DFISA lump sum amount and transmits this to DVA for payment. If the system is unable to calculate the lump sum, staff from the DVA Clearance Team have update access to the DFLS screen and can calculate and update the DFISA lump sum manually. |
How DFISA rates will display on DFS screen for reporting customers
Before 1 January 2022, DFISA payments for stimulus reporters were calculated and transmitted to DVA when the customer reports their income at the end of every entitlement period. DVA paid DFISA for the entitlement period retrospectively. This is to ensure the correct amount of DFISA was paid and to prevent overpayment.
A zero DFISA rate was then transmitted to DVA at the start of every entitlement period but was not visible on the DFISA Summary (DFS) screen. The DFS screen would show a provisional rate of DFISA, which is the rate that would apply if the customer did not report any income.
Table 2: This table describes an example of the details displayed on the DFISA Summary (DFS) screen for a reporting customer.
Item |
Description |
Screen shot (click for expanded image) |
1 |
A customer’s entitlement period end date and reporting date is 27 October 2017. The start date for this entitlement period is 14 October 2017. The system calculates and displays a provisional DFISA rate for the start of the entitlement period. This is the DFISA rate that would apply if the customer did not report any income. The provisional rate of DFISA will be visible on the DFS screen but it is not transmitted to DVA as the customer has not yet reported. |
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2 |
However, the system will send a zero rate to DVA for 14 October 2017. This will halt DVA DFISA payments until the customer reports at the end of the entitlement period. The zero rate of DFISA is not visible on the DFS screen, but it can be viewed by selecting the DFISAOUT-N trigger on the Transaction/Trigger List (TTL) screen, then viewing the ETT.TRN.DATA.TEXT field. Customer reports at the end of the entitlement period When the customer reports at the end of the entitlement period, the income test is applied and a new DFISA rate is calculated for the entire period. The new DFISA rate will be displayed on the DFS screen from the start of the entitlement period (DOE 14 October 2017), and the rate will be transmitted to DVA for payment. Once again, the DFS screen will display a provisional rate of DFISA for the start of the next entitlement period (that is, the rate that would apply if the customer did not report any income, in this case 24.1482). |
Screen shot of the DFISA Summary screen showing the provisional rate |
3 |
The system will send a zero rate of DFISA for the start of the next entitlement period (that is, 28 October 2017). The new DFISA rate and the zero rate can be viewed by selecting the DFISAOUT-N trigger on the Transaction/Trigger List (TTL) screen. |
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4 |
View the ETT.TRN.DATA.TEXT field. |
Calculation of Partner Excess income
Table 3.
These amounts may not be current. They are examples only. For current payments, see Rates and thresholds.
Calculating notional rent assistance
Table 4: This table provides an example of how to calculate a notional rate of Rent Assistance (RA) using the DVA disability income rent test.
These amounts may not be current. They are examples only. For current payments, see Rates and thresholds.
DFISA Lump Sum Bereavement Payment (LBP) calculation
Table 5: This table provides an example of how to manually calculate a DFISA LBP. These calculations were only completed by the DVA Clearance Team.
These amounts are not current. They are examples only. This information is for historical investigations only as DFISA LBP is no longer payable.
Item |
Description |
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DFISA Lump Sum Bereavement Payment historical information |
If a deceased customer or their partner were in receipt of DFISA payments, the surviving partner may be entitled to a DFISA Lump Sum Bereavement Payment (LBP) payment. The calculation for the actual LBP amount payable to the surviving partner is detailed in Calculation of a Lump Sum Bereavement Payment (LBP). A notional LBP calculation is done using the same formula as the actual BLS but using notional rate amounts for the Combined Member of a Couple Rate (CMCR) and the surviving partner’s New Rate (NR). These are the CMCR and NR amounts that would be payable if the Adjusted Disability Pension from DVA was not included in the income test, and the DVA disability income rent test was applied. The DFISA Lump Sum Bereavement Payment amount is obtained by subtracting the actual LBP from the notional LBP. Note: customers who are current on an ISP but receiving a zero rate (CZR) may also require a calculation of DFISA LBP. Both members of the couple paid by Services Australia The DFISA LBP will be calculated automatically and transmitted to DVA for payment. The amount can be viewed on the DFLS screen. Deceased customer paid by DVA, surviving partner paid by Services Australia The LBP and DFISA LBP must be calculated manually by the DVA Clearance Team and coded on the DLFS screen. The deceased customer’s final payment details must be obtained from DVA:
The deceased customer’s DVA details are combined with the surviving partner’s rate details to calculate both the actual LBP and notional LBP. Note: when calculating both actual and notional LBP, the Entitlement Period End Dates (EPED) from the DVA pay cycle are used. Deceased customer paid by Services Australia, surviving partner paid by DVA DVA Bereavement teams will contact the DVA Clearance Team to obtain the information required to calculate and pay LBP and DFISA LBP to the surviving partner. This information includes:
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Deceased customer paid by DVA, surviving partner paid by Services Australia |
Ian and Dianne are a pension couple who own their own home – Ian passed away on 28 November 2017.
Prior to death, Ian received a Service Pension from DVA at the maximum rate of $674.20 pf.
Prior to Ian’s death, Dianne received an Age Pension of $343.25 pf paid by Services Australia, and a Defence Force Income Support Allowance (DFISA) payment of $330.95 pf from DVA.
Dianne’s New Single Rate (NR) is $894.40. |
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Calculating the actual LBP (paid by Services Australia) |
The system can’t automatically calculate the LBP payment as Ian was a DVA customer. This must be calculated manually using the LBP formula: LBP = [(CMCR - NR) x 6] plus [(CMCR - NR) x NDEP/14] Combined Member of a Couple Rate (CMCR) = $674.20 + $343.25 = $1017.45 New Single Rate (NR) = $894.40 NDEP = 7 (Number of entitlement days from and including the date of death until and including the end of the entitlement period, in this case 28 November to 4 December). Calculation as follows: [(CMCR - NR) x 6] = $123.05 x 6 = $738.30 [(CMCR - NR) x NDEP/14] = $123.05 x 7/14 = $61.53 Actual LBP = $738.30 + $61.53 = $799.83 |
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Calculating the notional LBP |
The same formula is used to calculate the notional LBP. The rates used in the formula exclude any DVA DP (in this case TPI) from the income test. Notional LBP = [(Notional CMCR – Notional NR) x 6] plus [(Notional CMCR – Notional NR) x NDEP/14] Notional Combined Member of a Couple Rate (Notional CMCR) = $674.20 + $674.20 = $1348.40 Notional New Single Rate (NR) = $894.40 (no need to calculate a Notional NR for this example as Ian’s TPI no longer reduces Dianne’s Age Pension rate) NDEP = 7 Calculation as follows: [(Notional CMCR – NR) x 6] = $454.00 x 6 = $2724.00 [(Notional CMCR - NR) x NDEP/14] = $454.00 x 7/14 = $227.00 Notional LBP = $2724.00 + $227.00 = $2951.00 |
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Calculating the DFISA LBP |
DFISA LBP = Notional LBP minus Actual LBP DFISA LBP = $2951.00 – $799.83 = $2151.17 |
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Paying the LBP amounts |
The manually calculated actual LBP is paid via the OOP screen. See Calculation of a Lump Sum Bereavement Payment (LBP) for details The manually calculated DFISA LBP amount should be coded on the DFLS screen, which triggers an automatic transmission to DVA (who will pay the amount). A system issue may prevent the transmission from occurring – in this instance the DVA Clearance Team will advise DVA of the amount manually. |
Calculation of DFISA Pension Bonus (PBS)
Table 6
Item |
Description |
DFISA Pension Bonus (PBS) historical calculation |
The calculations were done automatically by the system in most circumstances. If a manual calculation was required, staff in the DVA Clearance Team took the following steps.
If the Pension Bonus calculation included the comparison of transitional rates and new rates, the DFISA Pension Bonus amount must be included in the rate comparison. The notional Pension Bonus (including top-up) amounts will be compared and the higher of the 2 paid |
Calculation of DFISA Pension Bonus Bereavement Payment (PBBP)
Table 7
Item |
Description |
DFISA Pension Bonus Bereavement Payment (PBBP) historical calculation |
PBBP could be paid to the surviving partner of a customer who dies before being able to claim the Pension Bonus. The combined income of the couple (excluding earnings and compensation) was used to calculate the actual PBBP amount. A notional PBBP is calculated by excluding the DVA Adjusted Disability Pension received by either the deceased customer or their surviving partner from the PBBP calculation. This calculation is performed automatically by recording the Adjusted Disability Pension amount in the Net DVA DP Payments field on the PBBIA screen. The DFISA PBBP amount is the difference between the actual PBBP amount and the notional PBBP amount and is displayed on the DFISA Lump Sum (DFLS) screen. When the DFISA PBBP calculation activity is completed, the amount is transmitted to DVA for payment. |