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Actioning an undetermined debt on the Debt Management and Information System (DMIS) 107-04010040

Before starting this process, staff must read the Operational Message.

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This document outlines how to take the correct action on a new debt activity. This can include raising the debt, finalising no debt, or a waiver. This process is used for debt raising under Social Security Act 1991, Student Assistance Act 1973 and A New Tax System (Family Assistance) (Administration) Act 1999, section 70, Debts due to the Commonwealth (excluding Child Care Subsidy (CCS) and Additional Child Care Subsidy (ACCS).

Access requirements to action debt activities

Debt Staff have the required system access to perform debt related functions, such as running the Debt Script.

Non-Debt Staff required to perform a debt related action need the appropriate security access. See the Resources page of General debt raising information.

Debt action

DMIS registers an undetermined debt (debt activity) through:

  • a reassessment from the host system, or
  • a link between DMIS and another system such as the Integrated Review System (IRS)

Investigate the undetermined debt to check:

  • if the customer received payments in excess of their entitlement, and
  • there is a legally recoverable debt

Use the Debt Action script to record the details and outcome of the debt.

A separate procedure applies for debts managed in Process Direct.

Manually add a debt record to DMIS if the system did not create one.

Clean screen policy

Action all debts on a customer record at the same time. This clean screen policy must be adhered to where possible, see the Resources page.

Duplicate payment debts

A duplicate payment debt can occur when:

  • a customer contacts advising they have not received their payment and requests a replacement payment. If the original payment is not returned, a duplicate debt is generated for the reissued payment, or
  • arrears are paid to the customer for the same amount and period they have already been paid

The References page contains links to Accountable Authority Instructions (AAI).

The Resources page contains a list of debt reason codes, examples of correct debt amalgamation and suggested responses to scenarios under the clean screen policy. It also contains examples of how legally payable arrears to be used to offset debts are calculated as well as a duplicate payment.

Debt identification

Child Care Subsidy (CCS) debts

Debt investigation

Workload Management (WLM) updates for Payment Assurance Operations Division - Compliance and Debt staff

Waiving Centrelink debts

Create a new debt record manually on the Debt Management and Information System (DMIS)

Recovery Fee applied to debts resulting from incorrect declaration of income

General information on Manual Follow-up (MFU) tax activities

Raising and attribution of Service Update debts

Debt tools

Debt ownership

Using the correct date of effect when raising debts

Finalising Registrar-General's Office Interventions (RGO)

Using ADEX to explain a system generated debt

Reversal of waivers

Debt raising support for customers