Private collection information for Centrelink staff 277-51030000

Family Tax Benefit (FTB) instalment customer chooses to collect child support/ maintenance from the paying parent.

Does customer have a current child support assessment, court order or court registered agreement?

• Yes, go to Step 2
• No, customer needs to contact Child Support to get a child support assessment

From 1 July 2012, private collect customers are deemed under the Maintenance Income Test (MIT) as receiving their full child support entitlement.

Child Support transfer a weekly entitlement load to the Centrelink FAO system. Updates made as a result of the load can be viewed on the:

• Maintenance Child Details (MNCD) screen by 's'electing the child from the Maintenance Group Summary (MNGS) screen, or
• Maintenance Group Details (MNGD) screen by 's'electing the group from the MNGS screen

If a customer advises they:

• receive more than their Child Support assessment and the additional amount relates to arrears owed for a period prior to 1 July 2012. Record the actual amount they receive. If the additional amount does not relate to arrears owed for a period prior to 1 July 2012, do not record the amount
• are receiving spousal maintenance from the same paying parent and the amount is not included in the Child Support assessment. Record the amount received
• are discharging Child Support arrears, record the full amount received from the paying parent. The customer by discharging the arrears is taking responsibility for collecting the arrears. Child Support does not report the discharged arrears amount to Centrelink
• have requested Child Support collect arrears for a private collect period when changing collection methods. See Centrelink action when a Child Support collection customer is owed or receives child support arrears
• cannot privately collect the full the Child Support assessment. See Family Tax Benefit (FTB) customer not receiving full child support entitlement privately