New Zealand Case Management - Withdrawals and Returns to NZIR from Child Support 277-08210000

Cases are identified for withdrawal by, or return to, Inland Revenue, New Zealand (NZIR) as a result of general case management or notification from NZIR.

A request to NZIR to withdraw an NZ 'In' Case occurs when:

• The case has no debt (general withdrawal). A case may be eligible for general withdrawal where the payer has paid their debt in full, there is no ongoing liability and/or international additional amounts. General withdrawals are identified through general case management. NZIR are required to review the case and either send a withdrawal request or send an Amended Certificate if they identify further child support debt is owed
• Whether a case is withdrawn or an Amended Certificate is sent is monitored by the Central Authority Team through the weekly general withdrawal spreadsheet response from NZIR

See Table 3 for more information

An NZ 'In' case is returned to NZ when:

• the payer cannot be located in Australia. Go to Step 2
• the child support debt has been deemed non collectable. Go to Step 3
• the payer is deceased. Go to Step 4
• payer is no longer habitually resident in Australia. Go to Step 5

A case may be returned to NZIR as non traceable where Child Support:

• is unable to locate a person and the case has remained open for a minimum of 6 months after registration, and
• a minimum of 3 unsuccessful customer location procedures have been conducted, see Customer location (tracing)
• information from NZIR has been requested to ensure all possible avenues for location have been explored

Go to Step 6.

A case may be returned to NZIR as Non Collectable where there has been:

• a current case registered for at least 12 months
• no successful contact with the payer for at least 12 months
• no payments received, for at least 12 months
• no employment declaration signed by the payer for at least 12 months
• advice that the customer will be incarcerated for longer than 12 months
• a request forwarded to NZIR for new information to assist with collection and a response has been received within the last calendar month
• a non-pursuit of debt submission approved

The criteria are identified through general case management by a Non Compliance Service Officer.

Go to Step 7.

A case is returned where the payer is deceased with no collection opportunity through the payer's estate.

If identified the payer is deceased, refer the case to the Deceased Customer Management (DCM) team see Customer Referral Guidelines (CRG) - Child Support.

If advised of a payer's death verbally, warm transfer the call to the DCM team. For assistance on how to do this, see Notification of death - Child support.

Procedure ends here. The International Central Authority (CA) team will proceed with the return once the DCM team confirm the payer is deceased and there is no collection opportunity through the estate.

See Table 2, Step 3.

If the payer has:

• departed Australia, and
• meets the requirements for referral for a residency decision

refer the case to the Specialist Residency team for a residency decision.

For further information, see Residency decisions for Child Support customers

Procedure ends here. The International CA team will proceed with the return if the Specialist Residency team determine the payer is no longer habitually resident in Australia.

See Table 2, Step 3.

Check that on 3 separate occasions, during the life of the case, the payer could not be located. Unsuccessful customer location activities include:

• during the pre-transmittal stage - check the payer's Individual Customer Details window notepad
• at the time the registration was received - check the payer's Client Residency window notepad, and
• any stage after registration - check the payer's Individual Customer Details window notepad

for documented evidence that the payer was unable to be located as per Customer location (tracing).

If 2 or less unsuccessful customer location procedures are found, the return process ends here. A customer location procedure must still to occur, see Customer location (tracing).

If 3 or more unsuccessful customer location procedures are found, request information from NZIR to assist with a further customer location procedure.

Create New Zealand Info Requested intray and ensure the following details have been included in the notepad:

• Last known address
• Last known phone number

Route the intray to:

• Region: INTERNATIONAL
• Office: INTERNATIONAL HOBART
• Stream/Team: MC S003 CENT AUTH TM 1
• Position: NZ INFO REQUEST

See Intray management Cuba Process Help.

The request will be sent to NZIR via the NZ weekly exchange (International Central Authority team).

New Zealand Info Requested intray will be routed back to the requesting service officer by the Central Authority Service Officer in order to monitor for a response from NZIR.

Notification of the response will be received via the original New Zealand Info Requested intray and email within 15 working days. See the Payer Collection window notepad for response details.

If no response received, go to Step 8.

If response is received, go to Step 9.

If all criteria has been met as noted in step 3 above, the case may be suitable to be returned to NZIR as Non Collectable. Prior to returning the case, a request for new information, which may assist with collection, must be made to NZIR.

Create a New Zealand Info Requested intray and paste the following text in the intray notepad:

'This customer is Payer in case that can potentially be returned to NZ as Non Collectable. NZ update required.'

Ensure the following details have been included:

• Last Known Address
• Last Known Phone Number

Route the intray to:

• Region: INTERNATIONAL
• Office: INTERNATIONAL HOBART
• Stream/Team: MC S003 CENT AUTH TM 1
• Position: NZ INFO REQUEST

The request will be sent to NZ via the Potential Returns spreadsheet on the NZ weekly exchange (International Central Authority team).

New Zealand Info Requested intray will be routed back to the requesting service officer by the Central Authority Service Officer in order to monitor for a response from NZIR.

Notification of the response will be received via the original New Zealand Info Requested intray and email, within 15 working days. See the Payer Collection window notepad for response details.

If no response received, go to Step 8.

If response is received, go to Step 10.

If the New Zealand Info Requested intray has not been received with a response within 15 working days:

Service Officer in the Child Support Smart Centre (Hobart)

• access the Hobart shared drive, and check the 'Potential Returns' spreadsheet (for location see New Zealand Case Management - Exchange of Information from Inland Revenue, New Zealand (NZIR) to Child Support Daily required tasks

Service Officer outside the Child Support Smart Centre (Hobart)

• check the New Zealand Info Requested intray or the customer's Payer Collection Window for a notepad
• if there is no access to the Hobart shared drive or no note in Cuba, email International NZ Administration Team
• If there is still no response, escalate a follow up request to Team Leader who will contact CA Team Leader via email for follow up.

If the payer is non traceable, go to Step 9.

If the debt is non collectable, go to Step 10.

If a response is received with information to assist customer location, proceed with finalising customer location as per Customer location (tracing).

If a response is received to advise there is no new information:

• create a new document, see Customer records Cuba process help, to note the unsuccessful customer location procedure has not assisted with customer location
• See Table 3, Step 4

If the debt is paid in full, go to Table 2.

As part of the Customer Location process, if there is a collection outcome but debt still remains that is, payment arrangement, Centrelink deductions, employer withholding or employer withholding arrears, see Customer Management Approach (CMA) for Child Support customers. Returns process procedure ends here.

If a response is received with information to assist collection, proceed with negotiating debt repayment and action all collection options including any information provided by NZ. See Debt repayment.

If a response is received with no new information to assist with collection, see Table 2, Step 5. This must be done within 1 calendar month of the NZ response date.

If the debt is paid in full, see Table 2, Step 2 this would be sent to NZ as a request to send a withdrawal.

A request is sent to Inland Revenue, New Zealand (NZIR) to request a withdrawal where the case has no debt and no ongoing (general withdrawal). Go to Step 2.

Create a New Zealand Withdrawal Request intray and enter the withdrawal request on the intray.

Route the intray to:

• Region: INTERNATIONAL
• Office: INTERNATIONAL HOBART
• Stream/Team: MC S005 NZPROJECT TM 1
• Position: Z-Auto Requests NZ

Note: ensure the date of the last payment is added. Double check spreadsheet

The 'Final Payment to appear on which monthly payment schedule to NZ' is completed by the Central Authority Team.

NZIR will respond to the request within 15 working days to notify Child Support via the 'Weekly Exchange' that:

• a withdrawal will be sent, or
• an amended certificate is required – payer's details have been updated and the liability has changed

If an amended certificate is received and as a result the debt is:

• increased, negotiate Debt repayment, or
• decreased creating an overpayment or excess cash, discuss how it will be managed

For more information, see Child Support overpayments and other payee debt or Excess cash on a Child Support customer's account.

When the withdrawal is finalised the Central Authority Team will send notification to the Service Officer and they will be unlocked from the case. For details, see Table 3, Step 8. Procedure ends here.

A notification of a returned case is sent to Inland Revenue, New Zealand where the:

• payer is non traceable, go to Step 4
• debt has been deemed non collectable, go to Step 5
• payer is deceased, go to Step 6
• payer is no longer habitually resident in Australia, go to Step 7

If the case meets all the criteria for Non Traceable, outlined in Table 1, Step 6 and the response for new information from NZIR has not provided any new information, the case is deemed suitable to return as Non Traceable.

Create a Potential Return NZ Tracing intray and document the following:

• IRD
• CSID
• Customer Name
• DOB
• Date Referred to Child Support – must be more than 6 months
• Dates of 3 unsuccessful customer location procedures

Route the intray to:

• Region: INTERNATIONAL
• Office: INTERNATIONAL HOBART
• Stream/Team: MC S003 CENT AUTH TM 1
• Position: NZ INFO REQUEST

Save the notepad from the Potential Return NZ Tracing intray into the Case Screen with the title – Potential Return NZ Tracing.

If the Potential Return meets the criteria, Procedure ends here the Service Officer. The International Central Authority (CA) team will proceed with the Withdrawal of the case and return to NZIR.

The Central Authority (CA) Service Officer will

• check the details to ensure all criteria have been met to deem the case Non Traceable
• process the withdrawal, and
• advise NZIR of the Return by completing the Non Traceable tab in the 'Returns to NZ' spreadsheet

See Table 3, Step 1 (Central Authority Service Officer).

If the case meets all the criteria for Non Collectable, outlined in Table 1, Step 7 and the response for new information from NZIR has not provided any new information, the case is deemed suitable to return as Non Collectable.

Create Potential Return NZ UnColl'ble Intray and paste the completed Submission for New Zealand (NZ) case to be returned to New Zealand Inland Revenue Child Support (NZIR) - Maintenance debt is non-collectable macro into the intray.

Route the intray to:

• Region: INTERNATIONAL
• Office: INTERNATIONAL HOBART
• Stream/Team: MC S003 CENT AUTH TM 1
• Position: NZ INFO REQUEST

Save the notepad from the Potential Return NZ UnColl'ble intray into the Case Screen with the title – Potential Return NZ UnColl'ble.

If the Potential Return meets the criteria, procedure ends here for the ICS Service Officer. The International Central Authority (CA) team will proceed with the Withdrawal of the case and return to NZ.

The Central Authority (CA) Service Officer will:

• check the details to ensure all criteria have been met to deem the debt Non Collectable
• process the withdrawal
• advise NZIR of the Return by completing the Non Collectable tab in the 'Returns to NZ' spreadsheet

See Table 3, Step 1.

If the DCM Service Officer confirms the payer is deceased with no collection opportunity from the estate as per Testacy searches and collection options when someone has died, the case is deemed suitable to Return Customer Deceased.

Create Return to NZ – Customer Deceased intray with the following information, as requested by NZIR:

• IRD
• CSID
• Customer Name
• DOB
• Date Referred to Services Australia
• Date of Death
• Proof of Death Document
• The testacy search completed

Route the intray to:

• Region: INTERNATIONAL
• Office: INTERNATIONAL HOBART
• Stream/Team: MC S003 CENT AUTH TM 1
• Position: NZ INFO REQUEST

Save the notepad from the Return to NZ - Customer Deceased intray into the Case Screen with the title - Return to NZ - Customer Deceased.

If the Return meets the criteria, procedure ends here for the DCM Service Officer. If the Customer Deceased Return has all required details, the International Central Authority (CA) team will proceed with the Withdrawal of the case and return to NZ.

The CA Service Officer will:

• check the details to ensure all details have been provided to return the case as Customer Deceased
• process the withdrawal
• advise NZIR of the Return by completing the 'Customer Deceased' tab in the 'Returns to NZ' spreadsheet

See Table 3, Step 1 (Central Authority Service Officer).

If the Residency Service Officer confirms the payer is no longer habitually resident of Australia as per Residency decisions for Child Support customers, the case is deemed suitable to Return Customer No Longer Habitual Resident.

Create a Return to NZ – No Longer Hab Res intray with the following information, as requested by NZIR:

• IRD
• CSID
• Customer Name
• DOB
• Date Referred to Services Australia
• Date of Departure
• Country Departed to (If known)
• Last Known Contact Address and Phone Number
• Date of Residency Decision
• Reason for return if it is less than 6 months

Route the intray to:

• Region: INTERNATIONAL
• Office: INTERNATIONAL HOBART
• Stream/Team: MC S003 CENT AUTH TM 1
• Position: NZ INFO REQUEST

Save the notepad from the Return to NZ – No Longer Hab Res intray into the Case Screen with the title – 'Return to NZ – No Longer Hab Res'.

If the Return meets the criteria, procedure ends here for the Residency Service Officer. If the Customer No Longer Hab Res Return has all required details, the International Central Authority (CA) team will proceed with the Withdrawal of the case and return to NZIR.

The CA Service Officer will:

• check the details to ensure all details have been provided to return the case as Customer No Longer Hab Res
• will process the withdrawal
• advise NZIR of the Return by completing the 'No Longer Hab Res' tab on the 'Returns to NZ' spreadsheet

See Table 3, Step 1 (Central Authority Service Officer).

On receipt of any of the 4 Return intrays, the Central Authority (CA) Service Officer must check the required information has been completed.

All intrays require the following common information is complete:

• IRD
• CSID
• Customer Name
• DOB
• Date referred to Services Australia - must be more than 6 months

Additional information that must be completed for specific intrays are:

• Potential Non Traceable Return intray
• Dates of 3 unsuccessful customer location procedures
• Potential UnColl'ble Return intray
• Potential Non Collectable response date is within the last 3 months
• Non Collectable macro completed
• NPOD recorded date
• Return to NZ – Customer Deceased intray
• Date of Death
• Proof of Death Document
• Return to NZ –No Longer Hab Res intray
• Date of Departure
• Country Departed to (If known)
• Last Known Contact Address and Phone Number
• Date of Residency Decision

If these details have not been provided or are incorrect, route the intray back to the Service Officer. Advise the case is not suitable to return to NZ as Non Traceable, Non Collectable, Customer Deceased or Customer No Longer Habitually Resident (depending on the intray type), stating which criteria it did not meet.

If all details have been completed correctly proceed with closing (Withdrawing) the case.

Go to Step 3

Check the Payer Collection window to determine the Departure Prohibition Order (DPO) status of the case. If the case is subject to a DPO and the case is returned to NZIR, create a General Follow Up intray to notify the DPO Service Officer to revoke the DPO.

Check the Case/Registration window to determine the status of the case and registration.

Go to Step 4 if the case status and registration are recorded as 'Ended with Arrears' and 'Ended'.

Go to Step 5 if the case status and registration are recorded as 'Active' and 'Accepted'.

Complete the following in order:

• discharge arrears by amount. Select the reason End – Pye Elect, see Collecting Child Support payments privately and/or discharging arrears
• end any NZ 10% and 2% penalty amounts, see International penalties Cuba Process Help
• run eligibility and check the registration status has changed from 'Ended' to 'Closed', see Eligibility Cuba Process Help
• end special recovery conditions, see Tax Refund Intercept Process (TRIP) Cuba Process Help
• delete any letters that have generated to the payer and payee as a result of this process, see Letter Cuba Process Help
• check the Payer Account Summary window and refund any excess cash, see Excess cash on a Child Support customer's account. Do not request a new refund if there is a pending refund request
• remit late payment penalties (see Penalties Cuba Process Help), follow Child Support late penalties and estimate penalties
• delete any Penalty Only Debt intrays, see Intray management Cuba Process Help

Go to Step 6.

Complete the following in order:

• end the ongoing maintenance for all active children of the case by updating the To Date field with the day before processing in the Periodic Amounts window. Select the reason Additional Info. See Agreements Cuba Process Help. Repeat this process for each active child
• run eligibility and check the registration status has changed to 'Ended' and the case status displays as 'End Lia Calc Du'
• delete any letters that have generated to the payer and payee as a result of this process
• check if the payer has any other active Australian domestic cases. Check existing manual formula modifications are accurate and end, update or start (see Agreements Cuba Process Help) where appropriate as per New Zealand 'In' case management - Registrations between NZIR and Child Support - Receiving and Registering case
• run eligibility
• delete any letters that have generated as a result of this process
• if the case is ongoing, discharge arrears by period. Enter the 1st day of the current month in From Date. Enter the day before withdrawal is processed in To Date. Select the reason End – Pye Elect.
  Note: if EW or posting other than monthly is in place, then it may not be the 1st of the current month that is entered, Check the postings date of the last liability which is reflected in the Payer Maintenance Liability window. Discharge by period from the day after the last postings date, until the day before the withdrawal is processed.
• if the case is not ongoing, discharge arrears by amount. Select the reason End – Pye Elect. See Collecting Child Support payments privately and/or discharging arrears
• end any NZ 10% and 2% penalty amounts
• remit any late payment penalties, follow Child Support late penalties and estimate penalties
• delete any Penalty Only Debt intrays
• check the Payer Account Summary window and refund any excess cash, see Excess cash on a Child Support customer's account. Do not request a new refund if there is a pending refund request.

Go to Step 6.

Document the actions on the Case/Registration window. See Documenting Child Support information.

Subject: Case Returned to NZIR (Non Traceable, Non Collectable, Customer Deceased or Customer no Longer Habitually Resident)

Text: Case Returned to NZIR.

Include the following information if relevant:

• type of Return – Non Traceable, Non Collectable, Customer Deceased or Customer No Longer Habitually Resident
• arrears discharged, including discharge by period details if the case status was 'Ended with Arrears'
• late payment penalty (LPP) remission details
• estimate penalty remission details
• refund keyed or approved
• formula modification adjustments on other active cases (if case status was 'Active')
• 10% and 2% penalties have been ended as of dd/mm/yyyy

If the payer does not have any other active cases:

• auto-unlock the payer to Stream/Team: MC A000 INTMCS
• send an email to the Customer Manager advising of this

If the payer has other active cases finalise the issues as per Customer Management Approach (CMA) for Child Support prior to unlocking.

Go to Step 8.

The 'Returns to NZ' spreadsheet is located in G:Int/NZ.

The following common information is required for the tab being completed:

• IRD
• CSID
• Surname, including salutation (Mr, Mrs, Ms etc.)
• Name
• DOB
• Date referred to Services Australia
• Date Withdrawn
• Maintenance Debt discharged $$ this figure should include liability plus 10% penalty

Additional information required for specific tabs is:

• Non Traceable tab
• Dates of customer location 1, 2 and 3
• Non Collectable tab
• Potential Non Collectable Response Date
• Legal Team Referral - this must be NO
• Non Pursuit of Debt Actioned - this must be YES
• Customer Deceased tab
• Date of Death
• Proof of Death Document
• Comments (from Deceased Customer Management Team)
• No Longer Habitually Resident tab
• Date of Departure
• Country Departed to if known
• Last Known Contact Address
• Last Known Phone or Email
• Date of Residency Decision
• Comments