Increasing Family Tax Benefit (FTB) Part A after action has been taken to obtain child support 277-51070120

Customer's Family Tax Benefit (FTB) Part A rate for a child has been reduced to the base rate due to failing to take reasonable action to obtain child support.

Child eligibility details can be checked on the Assessment Explanation (AXFTB) screen.

Initial action must be taken to obtain child support within the 13 week (91 day) for FTB Part A to continue to be paid at more than the base rate.

• For what is appropriate action, see Maintenance Action Test (MAT) for Family Tax Benefit (FTB) customers

If a customer lodges an application to extend a child support case for an 18 year old, they will pass the MAT until the application is determined.

The MAT will fail for the child if Child Support incorrectly cancels the case before making a determination.

If the customer fails the MAT for the child in full time study and advise Child Support is still assessing their extension:

• Tell the customer, their Centrelink record will be updated after Child Support makes a determination on their extension. Procedure ends here
• If the customer is in hardship due to the MAT failing, go to Step 3

Is the customer advising that they had an extension granted by Child Support for a child who has turned 18 years of age and in full time study, and the extension data has not been updated on the customer's Centrelink record?

These customers can be identified by:

• the customer contacts to query a reduction in their rate of FTB
• the child that is failing the MAT is 18 years and over
• that child is still in full time secondary study (FTSS), and
• the customer advises that they had an extension granted by Child Support
• Yes:
• create a Fast Note, select Auto Text, use Families > Enquiry > Maintenance Enquiry requesting an Education Data 'EDU' refresh
• Keywords: the 'Maintenance Enquiry' template automatically includes the relevant 'ACTCSU' keyword. If the request is urgent the 'URGENT' keyword must be manually added to the Fast Note
• Procedure ends here
• Child Support Unit (CSU) staff, go to Step 4
• No, go to Step 6

If a customer has been identified as having an extension recorded in Cuba, check whether:

• the customer is mutual, and
• the child support case is current but the extension data doesn't appear on the bottom line of the relevant child/ren's Maint Child Details Summary (MNCD) screen in the customer's record

Make sure the A18 extension has been recorded in the Customer Application List Window for the child support case in which the customer has the role of payee. Unless this is completed, the extension will not load onto the Centrelink system. Where the extension has been recorded on the incorrect customer role, refer to the Centrelink Liaison Unit (CLU) for correction. Do not refer to the Level 2 Policy Helpdesk.

To access the Customer Application List Window:

• go to Go in the Customer Window (front page on Cuba), and
• select Customer Application List from the menu (at the bottom of the list). If the customer has applied to have the child support case extended beyond the child's 18th birthday, the application will appear in this window as Request Type: OVER 18 APPLCTN

Review the A18 case details

Check the case number recorded in the Customer Application List Window, for Request Type: OVER 18 APPLCTN, is the case in which the customer has the role of payee. If:

• the application has been keyed against the case in which the customer has the role of payer, this will likely be the reason why the A18 extension has not loaded onto the Centrelink system
• information is missing (for example, the extension application has been recorded on the case where the customer has the role of payer), contact Child Support and request the matter be investigated along with making the appropriate updates in Cuba (for example, re-keyed the application on the case where the customer has the role of payee). This will then allow the case extension to load correctly onto the Centrelink system

Once the above has been completed, input an 'EDU' refresh on the CSA Data Refresh/Reload (MNRF) screen. Code the fields as follows:

• Refresh Type: 'EDU'
• Start Date: use the date 3 months prior to the child's 18th birthday
• Confirm: 'Y'
• Source: 'INT'
• Date of Receipt (DOR): use the date 3 months prior to the child's 18th birthday

The expected result for this refresh is the return of a 'CSACEDU' transaction in the next daily file from Child Support which will be loaded into the MNSS group within the X-files on the customer record.

In Customer First, create a manual review on the Review Registration (RVR) screen and complete the fields as follows:

• Service Reason: customer's payment type
• Review Reason: select most appropriate reason
• Due Date: 2 days from today's date
• Source: INT
• Date of Receipt: today's date
• Notes: 'CSA data refresh EDU completed. Check if extension data has loaded as per OB 277-51070120.'
• Keywords: CSUREV
• Workgroup: leave blank
• Position: leave blank
• Transfer to Region: leave blank

The review will mature on the Due Date coded in the RVR activity. Workload Management will allocate the review for manual action.

Where the refresh is successful, the following fields for the child on the MNCD screen will have been updated:

• Maintenance Action:
• Extsn Sts: and
• Extsn end date:

Note: check which date 'CAM' (Child Support assessment made)/'CCC' (Child Support has commenced payments) has loaded from as it may have only updated from the date of the refresh.

Where this is the case, on the child's Maintenance Action Input (MNMA) screen, override the 'F18' code from the child's 18th birthday with 'APP' (applied for Child Support assessment)/'MWP' (Manual workaround pass).

Take the activity to the Activity Results (AR) screen, then go to the Maintenance Action Result (MNMR) screen. The 'CAM'/'CCC' code should appear as continuous (pre/post the 18th birthday).

Where this coding is:

• successful, no more action is required. Procedure ends here
• unsuccessful, refer the record through mySupport for further investigation. Include the following details:
• ‘Child support extension granted but not updated on customer record’
• child name
• child CRN
• application date for Child Support extension
• CRN of parent who applied for extension
• confirmation that the extension has been approved in Cuba
• other relevant information

Is the customer in hardship and/or the refresh has not been successful and the record needs to be referred through mySupport? The Resources page contains a link to mySupport.

• Yes, go to Step 5
• No, procedure ends here

The maintenance action code of 'MED' (manual workaround pass) can be coded on the relevant child's Maintenance Action Input (MNMA) screen from the child's 18th birthday. This is to ensure the customer continues to receive more than the base rate of FTB Part A where it is deemed reasonable maintenance action was taken.

Note: MED can only be coded where approval has been obtained from the Level 2 Policy Helpdesk. Prior to referral to the Level 2 Policy Helpdesk it must be confirmed that the application has been keyed against the case in which the customer has the role of payee. This must be advised in the referral to the helpdesk. See the Resources page for a link to the Level 2 Policy Helpdesk.

Care needs to be taken in checking maintenance income, as where:

• the child has had a child/case end applied, the coding of 'MED' alone will not assess maintenance income for the child, therefore the child's maintenance income may need to be coded as voluntary
• a child/case end has not been received and the child is still active in the case (in the Centrelink system), the maintenance income for the child will continue to be applied

As the appropriate MAT code will not overwrite 'MED', the record needs to be reviewed regularly until the 'CSACEDU' transaction is received, at which point the 'MED' code must be removed. This can be completed by:

• coding 'APP'/'MWP' on the MNMA screen
• navigating to the AR screen
• navigate to the MNMR screen to confirm that 'CAM'/'CCC' has overridden the 'MED' code)

Note: in some circumstances, a screen/warning edit may prevent the coding of 'MED'. Where this occurs, and the customer is in hardship, the record should be referred through mySupport as urgent. The Resources page contains a link to mySupport.

Customer (or current partner) takes action to obtain child support or applies for an exemption from seeking child support. For what is appropriate action, see Maintenance Action Test (MAT) for Family Tax Benefit (FTB) customers.

If the customer is applying for a child support assessment or has already applied for assessment/ collection but Child Support has not yet confirmed details via the FAO system, see Applications for child support assessment through Centrelink. Procedure ends here.

If the customer needs to apply for Child Support collection, see Applying for Child Support collection and effect on Family Tax Benefit (FTB).

Update Maintenance Action Test (MAT) codes for child to reflect what action has been taken. The date of event to record is the actual date they satisfied the maintenance action test (for example, the date they applied for a child support assessment).

If an exemption from seeking child support is granted from a social worker this may be backdated in certain circumstances.

If customer is entitled, system will pay more than base rate FTB Part A for child from date of event recorded.

Record details on a DOC.