Assessing child support received for child disability expenses for Family Tax Benefit (FTB) 277-51120000

If the Child Support Unit (CSU within Centrelink) is directly notified by Child Support of an increase in the customer's child support assessment, specifically for child disability expenses, go to Step 3

If the customer notifies Centrelink of child support received for child disability expenses:

Is the amount in addition to their assessed amount from Child Support and specifically to expenses relating to the child's disability?

• Yes, scan any relevant documentation provided by the customer onto the record, for example 'Notice of Determination' from Child Support and send a Fast Note to the Child Support Unit.
  Create a Fast Note select Auto Text, use Families > Enquiry > Maintenance Enquiry. 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 for Families and Child Care (FCC) staff. When the Fast Note is ready to be actioned, CSU staff go to Step 2
• No, a referral to the CSU is not required. Record contact details on a DOC. Procedure ends here

For Child Support Unit (CSU) Smart Centre Processing staff only

Does the customer have a Child Support case which recognises/includes their child's disability expenses?

Note: CSU staff can confirm this in Cuba.

• Yes, go to Step 3
• No, go to Step 4

For Child Support Unit (CSU) Smart Centre Processing staff only

Have the details already been coded on the MNDE screen?

• Yes;
• but they have changed, go to Step 5
• and they remain the same, no further action is required. Procedure ends here.
• No, go to Step 5

For Child Support Unit (CSU) Smart Centre Processing staff only

The assessment for an exemption from child support income due to child disability expenses is rejected.

As child disability expenses have not been included in the Child Support assessment further action is required.

• Record rejection details in a DOC
• Make at least 2 genuine attempts to contact the customer to advise of the decision
• Send a Q999 letter to the customer advising of the outcome. See the Resources page for suggested wording.

Procedure ends here.

For Child Support Unit (CSU) Smart Centre Processing staff only

• Go to the Maintenance Entitlement Group Summary (MNGS) screen:
• key 'S' next to each child you want to code an exemption for and press [Enter]
• On the Maintenance Entitlement Child Details (MNCD) screen:
• if 1 child was selected on MNGS, key 'S' next to Disability Exemption: and press [Enter]
• if 2 or more children were selected, key 'A' next to Disability Exemption: and press [Enter]
• On the Disability Maintenance Expenditure exemption (MNDE) screen key:
• date the exemption starts in Event Date
• 'I' to insert information('C' if changing details or 'D' if deleting details)
• date the exemption ends in Event date
• 0.00 to remove the exemption on the date that it ends
• 'I' to insert information ('C' if changing details or 'D' if deleting details) Enter Source: and DOR: fields and press [Enter]
• If more than 1 child selected, complete details on each child's MNDE screen
• Record details on a DOC. Use Fast Note select Auto Text, use Families > Enquiry > Child Disability Exempt Maintenance
• Finalise activity on Assessment Results (AR) screen
• Send a Q999 letter to the customer. See the Resources page for further information

See example of recording a Disability Maintenance Expenditure Exemption.

Disability Maintenance Expenditure %

This is the amount paid to cover the child's disability expenses divided by the total maintenance income received for the child and then expressed as a percentage (x 100/1.)

Example1 (Single Child):

Where $30 per week is paid by the payer to cover Sarah's visits to a physiotherapist and the total amount of child support paid by the payer is $100 per week, then the Disability Maintenance Expenditure is 30/100 (as a percentage) = 30%.

Example 2 (Multiple Children):

A customer has 3 children. They have their child support assessment increased by $1,000 for 2 children in the case due to disability. Total current assessment is $3,000 pa

Calculation required:

$500 (1,000/2 - per child) / $1,000 (assessment for 1 child) x 100 = 50% for 1 child

Coding required:

50% Disability Maintenance Expenditure would need to be coded for each of the 2 children for whom the assessment was changed due to disability. This will disregard a total of $1,000 ($500 for each child) and customer's FTB will be assessed on $2,000 in total.