Administering the Maintenance Action Test (MAT) and Maintenance Income Test (MIT) for Family Tax Benefit (FTB) 277-51000000

Services Australia Centrelink administers the:

• MAT to make sure customers receiving more than the base FTB Part A rate for a child do what they can to receive financial support from the parent of a child from a previous relationship
• MIT to determine a customer's FTB Part A rate, taking into account the child support income they and their partner receive
• MIT to determine a customer’s rate of ABSTUDY and Youth Allowance

The terms maintenance and child support are often used interchangeably and generally have the same meaning. Maintenance is a term used by the agency and includes child support as well as support for a partner from a previous relationship (spousal maintenance).

For the MAT, only action for child support for an FTB child is relevant. Action for spousal maintenance is not required, but spousal maintenance is assessable under the MIT.

Any maintenance income received by a customer or their partner is assessed under the MIT. A person who receives maintenance income has more available income, even if their rate of FTB Part A is reduced by the MIT.

A person may continue to receive child support until their child turns 18 years, or upon application until their child finishes secondary school in the year they turn 18. This is regardless of whether or not they continue to receive FTB.

Family assistance staff must not disclose personal information to Child Support other than as required or authorised by child support legislation or by consent of the customer. There are protocols for contact between Centrelink and Child Support.