Skip to navigation Skip to content

Maintenance Action Test (MAT) for Family Tax Benefit (FTB) customers 277-51070000

Expand/Collapse all sectionsExpand all



Examples

A linked attachment is availableDeciding Maintenance Action (DMA) timeline examples

A linked attachment is availableExamples outlining the requirement to take reasonable action to obtain child support within 13 weeks (91 days)

Scenario - child turns 18 in the school holiday period between 2 school years

Table 1

Item

Description

1

Child's 18th birthday falls in the school holiday period in between 2 secondary school years

Jesse has a child support case in place for her daughter Belinda who:

  • completed Year 11 on 15 December 2021
  • turns 18 on 5 January 2022, and
  • will commence Year 12 on 2 February 2022

As Jesse has a child support case in place prior to Belinda’s 18th birthday, Jesse is required to extend the child support case in order to continue meeting the MAT.

Belinda turns 18 in the school holiday period between 2 school years:

  • if Jesse tried to apply to extend the case and had it refused, or
  • applied for an extension and had it rejected

This case must be referred to the Level 2 Policy Helpdesk for consideration.


Scenarios - fifth deciding maintenance action (DMA) event

Table 2

Item

Description

1

Customer who is residentially qualified arrives in Australia (the date of event is the date of arrival)

Jane is an Australian citizen who travels overseas. While overseas, Jane enters into a relationship with Rodney and gives birth to a child as a result of that relationship. Jane lives overseas with Rodney (partner) and their child for 4 years before separating from Rodney and returning to Australia, having been offered a job in Australia.

Rodney is residing in a country that has a reciprocal arrangement with Australia, which allows Jane to seek maintenance from Rodney. Jane decides not to pursue this. Jane also decides not to claim FTB straight away after returning to Australia, as the anticipated income is too high and Jane may not be eligible for a payment.

However, Jane's new employment contract is subsequently withdrawn and Jane then claims FTB 10 weeks after returning to Australia. As Jane has been able to apply for child support since returning to Australia, Jane's DMA period starts on the day Jane arrived in Australia. Jane has 3 weeks remaining to take reasonable action to obtain maintenance, without the rate being reduced to the base rate of FTB Part A.

2

Customer arrives in Australia and does not become residentially qualified for FTB Part A until a later date

Lynne-Michelle arrives in Australia on 1 January and lodges a claim for FTB. Lynne-Michelle is required to serve a Newly Arrived Residents Waiting Period for FTB Part A, but is granted FTB Part B immediately. Lynne-Michelle is then granted FTB Part A 12 months later.

Consideration should be given to manually providing Lynne-Michelle with a DMA period from the date Lynne-Michelle becomes eligible for FTB Part A. This is because even though Lynne-Michelle could have applied for child support when arriving in Australia, Lynne-Michelle may not have known to apply (or the consequences of not applying).

The Service Officer determines that Lynne-Michelle could not have reasonably been aware of the need to take maintenance action, and refers the case for PDE to be manually coded from the date Lynne-Michelle became entitled to FTB Part A.

3

The other parent moves to a reciprocal country (including Australia) after previously residing in a non-reciprocal country

The date of event is the date supplied by the customer or the date the agency becomes aware of the payer's change of residency, whichever is the earlier.

Scenario

Megan and Robert met and married in Russia. Megan gave birth 2 years later, but their relationship broke down shortly after the child was born.

Megan (who is an Australian citizen), returns to Australia to raise the child. As Russia is a non-reciprocal country, Megan was not required to pursue maintenance. (Megan was exempt from the MAT)

Six months later, Robert who has dual citizenship, decides to move to Australia. Robert advises Megan about moving to Australia on January 15.

Megan's is required to take maintenance action from 15 January as this is the date Robert moved to a reciprocal country. PDE is manually applied from this date.


Scenarios - different MAT outcomes for a child turning 18

Table 3

Maintenance action does not apply where the child is exempt from the FTB activity test. In these cases the C18 MAT pass code will be automatically applied from the later of:

  • the child's 18th birthday, or
  • the date the activity test exemption is granted

Scenario

Studying?

Effect on FTB

MAT code and Date of Event (DOV)

Turned 18 - extension granted

Completing full-time secondary study in the year the child turns 18 (study completion date is after their 18th birthday)

MAT is passed from 18th birthday until the date they are no longer considered to be in full-time secondary study for FTB purposes. (The References page contains a link to the Family Assistance Guide, 1.1.S.27 for a definition of a secondary school child.)

  • CCC (Child Support has commenced payments - MAT met) or CAM (Child Support assessment made - MAT met) continues until case extension end date
  • C18 (child 18 - MAT met) from end of case extension date to the end of the calendar year in which the child turns 18 (or 28 days after the course end date if the end date is before November)

Turned 18 - extension granted

Continuing or returning to full-time secondary study in the year the child turns 19

as above

  • CCC or CAM continues until case extension end date
  • C18 (child 18 - MAT met) from end of case extension date to the end of the calendar year in which the child turns 19 (or 28 days after the course end date if the end date is before November)

Turned 18 - extension rejected

Completing full-time secondary study in the year the child turns 18

Base rate of FTB Part A is paid from 18th birthday until the end of the calendar year in which the child turns 18. The rate increases from 1 January of the calendar year in which the child turns 19.

  • R18 (child 18 - extension of Child Support assessment rejected - MAT not met) on the day the child turns 18
  • C18 (child 18 - MAT met) from 1 January of the calendar year the child turns 19 as MAT no longer applies from this date. C18 applies until end of the calendar year (or 28 days after the course end date if the end date is before November)

Exception: where a child turns 18 after they have completed full-time secondary study but they are still considered to be in the extended course end date period for FTB purposes the MAT code will be set as C18 (MAT met) from the date the child turns 18 until the end of the calendar year (or 28 days after the course end date if the end date is before November). This is because they are not actually continuing 'education beyond their 18th birthday' and are therefore unable to seek an extension of their child support assessment.

Turned 18 - extension rejected

Continuing or returning to full-time secondary study in the year the child turns 19

as above

  • R18 (child 18 - extension of Child Support assessment rejected - MAT not met) on the day the child turns 18
  • C18 (child 18 - MAT met) applied from 1 January of the calendar year the child turns 19. C18 then applies until the end of the calendar year in which the child turns 19 (or 28 days after the course end date if the end date is before November). C18 is automatically applied as MAT is no longer applicable

Exception: where a child turns 18 in December and Child Support has not extended the case, MAT code C18 will apply from the 18th birthday. This is because MAT requirements cease after the last day of secondary school for the year in which the child turns 18 and in most cases the child will have already ceased study for the year by the time they turn 18.

Turned 18 - has not applied for an extension

Completing full-time secondary study in the year the child turns 18

Base rate of FTB Part A is paid from 18th birthday until the end of the calendar year the child turns 18. The rate increases from 1 January of the calendar year in which the child turns 19.

  • F18 (child 18 - MAT not met) on the day the child turns 18
  • C18 (child 18 - MAT met) applied from 1 January of the calendar year the child turns 19 as MAT no longer applies.

Exception: where a child turns 18 in December and Child Support has not extended the case, MAT code C18 will apply from the 18th birthday. This is because MAT requirements cease after the last day of secondary school for the year in which the child turns 18 and in most cases the child will have already ceased study for the year by the time they turn 18.

Turned 18 - Full-time secondary study completed before child turned 18. Therefore unable to extend the child support assessment

Full-time secondary study already completed when the child turns 18

MAT is passed from their 18th birthday until the date they are no longer considered to be in full-time secondary study for FTB purposes. (The References page contains a link to the Family Assistance Guide, 1.1.S.27 for a definition of a secondary school child.)

  • C18 (child 18 - MAT met) from 18th birthday until end of the calendar year (or 28 days after the course end date if the end date is before November). C18 is automatically applied as there is no MAT requirement once the child has turned 18. This is because they are not actually continuing 'education beyond their 18th birthday' and are therefore unable to seek an extension of their child support assessment

Turned 18 - has not applied for an extension

Continuing or returning to full-time secondary study in the year the child turns 19

Base rate of FTB Part A is paid from 18th birthday until the end of the calendar year the child turns 18. The rate increases from 1 January of the calendar year in which the child turns 19

  • F18 (child 18 - MAT not met) on the day the child turns 18.
  • C18 (child 18 - MAT met) will then be applied from the 1 January of the calendar year the child turns 19 as MAT no longer applies. C18 applies until end of the calendar year in which the child turns 19 (or 28 days after the course end date if the end date is before November)

Exception: where a child turns 18 in December and Child Support has not extended the case, MAT code C18 will apply from the 18th birthday. This is because MAT requirements cease after the last day of secondary school for the year in which the child turns 18 and in most cases the child will have already ceased study for the year by the time they turn 18.

Deciding maintenance action (DMA) period commences within 13 weeks of child turning 18 - no current Child Support assessment

Completing full-time secondary study in the year the child turns 18

MAT is passed from the DMA event until the date they are no longer in full-time secondary study for FTB purposes. (The References page contains a link to the Family Assistance Guide, 1.1.S.27 for a definition of a secondary school child.)

  • DMA (deciding maintenance action - MAT met) from the DMA event
  • C18 (child 18 - MAT met) from date child turns 18 until end of calendar year (or 28 days after the course end date if the end date is before November)

DMA period commences within 13 weeks of child turning 18 - no current Child Support assessment

Continuing or returning to full-time secondary study in the year the child turns 19

as above

  • DMA (deciding maintenance action - MAT met) from the DMA event
  • C18 (child 18 - MAT met) from date child turns 18 until end of the calendar year in which the child turns 19 (or 28 days after the course end date if the end date is before November)

DMA period commences within 13 weeks of child turning 18 - Child Support case started, no extension sought before child turns 18

Completing full-time secondary study in the year the child turns 18

Base rate of FTB Part A is paid from 18th birthday until study is completed. The rate increases from the last day of secondary school +1

  • CCC (Child Support has commenced payments - MAT met) or CAM (Child Support assessment made - MAT met) from date assessment made
  • F18 (child 18 - MAT not met) from date child turns 18
  • C18 (child 18 - MAT met) from last day of secondary school +1 and continues until the end of the calendar year (or 28 days after the course end date if the end date is before November)

DMA period commences within 13 weeks of child turning 18 - Child Support case started, no extension sought before child turns 18

Continuing or returning to full-time secondary study in the year the child turns 19

Base rate of FTB Part A is paid from 18th birthday until study is completed. The rate increases from the last day of secondary school +1

  • CCC (Child Support has commenced payments - MAT met) or CAM (Child Support assessment made - MAT met) from date assessment made
  • F18 (child 18 - MAT not met) from date child turns 18
  • C18 (child 18 - MAT met) from last day of secondary school +1 and continues until the end of the calendar year in which the child turns 19 (or 28 days after the course end date if the end date is before November)

MAT exemption/MAT pass is in place prior to their 18th birthday

Continuing in full-time secondary study

MAT continues to pass until completion date of full-time secondary study

  • The following MAT (exempt) codes continue to apply after the child turns 18:
    BVC, BVP, IMP, LPD, OSC, OSN, OSR, OSS, PCP, PMC, PMI, PMV, PNK, PRP, VIO and XCC
  • Where a child is not a biological child, the existing MAT code (APX, FCX, IVF, NBP or OCX) will continue until the end of the year in which the child turns 18
  • The following automatic MAT exemptions and MAT passes continue beyond the child's 18th birthday until the end of the calendar year :
    BLI, CHD, CCR, L35, LCC, PPW and PNF

The C18 MAT code will then be produced from 1 January for all of the above codes. Note: where the child has a MAT code of LPD and is therefore in a deceased payer group, when C18 is applied from 1 January, the group will remain as a deceased payer group.

  • The following automatic Child Support case/child ends that result in a MAT Pass will also continue beyond the child's 18th birthday:
    ALE, CDE, DVE, L3E, PNW, PNX and RHH
  • The remaining manual MAT passes (APP, CAC, COL, CNO, CRR, MWP, MXD, MXR, PNC and SCO) will result in C18 being produced from the child's 18th birthday

Services Australia website

Child support

Contact details

Child Support

Child Support Program Branch

Families Override Contacts

Level 2 Policy Helpdesk