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Helping customers obtain a Tax File Number (TFN) for family assistance 007-07010030

This document outlines how to help customers or their partners obtain a Tax File Number (TFN) to meet requirements for Family Tax Benefit (FTB) and Stillborn Baby Payment (SBP).

Assisting customers or their partners to obtain a TFN

Step	Action
1	Lodging a TFN application or enquiry form + Read more ... Customers and/or partners must provide or obtain a Tax File Number (TFN) when: a family assistance claim is lodged, or a Family Tax Benefit (FTB) current customer becomes partnered, the partner's TFN must be provided Is the customer lodging a TFN application or enquiry form for themselves or their partner? Yes, go to Step 4 No, go to Step 2
2	TFN advice or permission + Read more ... Is the customer advising their or their partner's TFN or giving permission to reuse the TFN previously advised? Yes, see Provision of Tax File Number (TFN) for family assistance and Paid Parental Leave scheme payments. Procedure ends here No, customers who do not have their or their partner's TFN or who cannot access their or their partner's TFN can authorise Centrelink to request the TFN details from the Australian Taxation Office (ATO). Go to Step 3
3	Issue form + Read more ... $\\INTERNAL.DEPT.LOCAL\Shared\NAT\SERDELEXCEL\WORKPRODIMP\Operation Blueprint Migration\RDT Release Icons\32w\icon-face-to-face.png$ Note: for newly arrived refugees and Temporary Protection Visa (TPV) holder refugees, see Obtaining a TFN for newly arrived refugee. Procedure ends here. Advise customers attending a service centre, unable to provide their TFN (as it is unknown), to use the Access Centre Front of House (FoH) phone to contact the ATO. The ATO Personal Tax Enquiries line can assist with obtaining their TFN over the phone. The TFN can then be provided to Services Australia in writing. Issue the appropriate ATO form for the customer/partner to complete: Tax file number - application or enquiry for an individual (NAT1432) Tax file number - application or enquiry for an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander (NAT1589), or Tax file number - application or enquiry for individuals living outside Australia (NAT2628). This form is also applicable for non-residents of Australia for taxation purposes who are in Australia and have become partnered to a current FTB customer Identity Confirmation documents for TFNs Advise the customer if Identity documentation has not previously been provided, original Identity documents must be sighted when the TFN application is lodged. Acceptable Identity documents for TFNs are listed on the above forms. Record issue of form on a DOC. Where a customer is claiming FTB in substitution for a deceased person without a TFN, refer the case to the Families and Childcare Level 2 Policy Helpdesk via the online enquiry form. The Resources page contains a link to the form. The Level 2 Policy Helpdesk will determine if an override needs to be coded on the FTB TFN Compliance Override (FYTFNCO) screen. Once approval is received from the Families and Childcare Level 2 Policy Helpdesk, forward it to the zone/cluster Families override contacts. Go to Step 9.
4	TFN application or enquiry form lodged + Read more ... $\\INTERNAL.DEPT.LOCAL\Shared\NAT\SERDELEXCEL\WORKPRODIMP\Operation Blueprint Migration\RDT Release Icons\32w\icon-face-to-face.png$ Is the customer in hardship and affected by these extreme or urgent circumstances: immediate financial needs associated with the birth of a baby (under 6 months old) or a child coming into care unanticipated financial needs such as medical costs or costs associated with an emergency, or a community disaster where the local community is affected by an emergency such as a flood, bushfire or pandemic Does the customer meet the above criteria? Yes, see Obtaining a Tax File Number (TFN) override for family assistance customers experiencing an urgent or extreme circumstance. Procedure ends here No, normal processing of TFN application applies. Go to Step 5
5	TFN application or enquiry lodged - extreme or urgent circumstance criteria not met + Read more ... $\\INTERNAL.DEPT.LOCAL\Shared\NAT\SERDELEXCEL\WORKPRODIMP\Operation Blueprint Migration\RDT Release Icons\32w\icon-face-to-face.png$ Check TFN proof of identify documents have been provided if required. These need to be sighted, scanned and returned Write on the top of the form 'FTB/ customer' so the ATO will give it priority (only for customers eligible for family assistance). For Temporary Protection Visa (TPV) holder refugees and customers in extreme financial hardship, add the words 'FTB Urgent Complete the OFFICE USE ONLY section Record the Identity documentation details in the OFFICE USE ONLY section of the NAT1432 or NAT1589. For further information about ATO Identity Confirmation codes, see Requesting a Tax File Number (TFN) If not sufficient Identity Confirmation, in the 'Notes' section, document the customer has insufficient Identity Confirmation. Include any details to assist with the ATO accepting the form, for example 'Customer homeless'. Copy any 'Non ATO acceptable' documents supplied by the customer and attach to the NAT1432 or NAT1589. Confirm correct customer details are recorded and advise the customer the ATO may be in contact to discuss the application Date stamp the form The Service Officer is to print and sign their name on the form Include the Customer Reference Number (CRN) in the Office Use Only (OUO) block For help, see Requesting TFNs Ensure the TFN application form is completed correctly and in full. Ensure form is completed in a black or blue pen, and is legible If a customer selected 'Yes' to authorise the ATO to provide Centrelink their TFN, check the customer has included their CRN in the application Form must be checked by a Team Leader or Manager (APS 5 or above) to ensure details are correct and complete before posting to the ATO. Incomplete referrals will be returned to the originating Service Officer Before posting, scan the completed application form onto the customer's record Send original application to the ATO TFN processing address (on the form) Record details on a DOC In Customer First, create a manual review on the Review Registration (RVR) screen and complete the fields as follows: Service Reason: FTB Review Reason: TAF (Tax File Number) Due Date: 28 days from today's date, allow extra time for mail delivery Source: INT Date of Receipt: today's date Notes: 'Application for TFN posted to ATO xx/xx/xxxx. Check if TFN has recorded or further follow up is required. Refer to OB 007-07010030.' Keywords: FTBTFN 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 If an FTB customer's partner has lodged a NAT2628, it is required to be sent, with their Identity documentation, to the ATO. Note: if Identity documents are not provided, do not accept the TFN application - issue a manual Q555 to the customer/partner and advise the customer/partner to lodge their application directly with the ATO. See Creating an Online Advice (OLA), including within an existing activity For current FTB customers who have become partnered and have sent an application for their partner's TFN, if the system is not allowing 28 days from the date of advice to provide the partner TFN (for example the record is cancelling 'NTP'), refer the case to the Families and Childcare Level 2 Policy Helpdesk via the online enquiry form. The Resources page contains a link to the form. The Level 2 Policy Helpdesk will determine if an override needs to be coded on the FTB TFN Compliance Override (FYTFNCO) screen once approval has been received from the Families and Childcare Level 2 Policy Helpdesk, forward it to the zone/cluster Families override contacts for coding of the FTB TFN compliance override screen, go to Step 9 Tell the customer of the timeframe they have from when their claim was lodged/date they are requested to provide their or their partner's TFN. They should contact Centrelink as soon as they receive it from the ATO. Do not process the FTB or Stillborn Baby Payment (SBP) claim at this stage. The ATO will advise the outcome within 28 days.
6	Outcome of ATO TFN decision + Read more ... $\\INTERNAL.DEPT.LOCAL\Shared\NAT\SERDELEXCEL\WORKPRODIMP\Operation Blueprint Migration\RDT Release Icons\32w\icon-face-to-face.png$ if the customer does not advise the TFN within the required timeframe after the date the claim was lodged, or for FTB current customer, within required timeframe of request, either verbally or in writing Contact the customer and advise them to contact the ATO to confirm if a TFN has been allocated to them. Advise the customer to visit the ATO website for more information. If the ATO or the customer has provided a TFN, record details and assess family assistance. See Provision of a TFN for family assistance. Procedure ends here If a NAT1432 or NAT1589 has been returned to Centrelink by the ATO due to insufficient Identity Confirmation, go to Step 7 If the ATO cannot provide a TFN to the customer, go to Step 8
7	NAT1432 or NAT1589 returned by ATO - insufficient Identity Confirmation + Read more ... $\\INTERNAL.DEPT.LOCAL\Shared\NAT\SERDELEXCEL\WORKPRODIMP\Operation Blueprint Migration\RDT Release Icons\32w\icon-face-to-face.png$ It is not possible for FTB purposes to code an extension of the 28 day period to provide a TFN. In these circumstances the FTB claim is NEF (not an effective claim). See Not effective, rejection, or withdrawal of claim for Family Tax Benefit or Stillborn Baby Payment. If the TFN requested is for a partner of a current customer, the payment will normally be cancelled and restored when a TFN is provided Contact the customer by phone to advise they must provide acceptable Identity documents for TFNs to the Centrelink Service Centre to continue their claim or have FTB restored. Do not return the TFN application or covering letter to the customer to complete. However, a new NAT1432 or NAT1589 may be included if considered appropriate If the customer cannot be contacted by phone, send a Q777 via the Request Documents Q777 guided procedure to the customer asking them to provide the Identity documents to Centrelink
8	ATO advises TFN not available or application rejected or withdrawn + Read more ... $\\INTERNAL.DEPT.LOCAL\Shared\NAT\SERDELEXCEL\WORKPRODIMP\Operation Blueprint Migration\RDT Release Icons\32w\icon-face-to-face.png$ New claim Advise customer FTB/SBP claim cannot be assessed because the TFN has not been provided, they must reclaim An auto advice will be sent by the system for this reason The FTB/SBP claim is not effective. See Not effective, rejection, or withdrawal of claim for Family Tax Benefit or Stillborn Baby Payment Record details on a DOC FTB current Advise the customer FTB will be cancelled fail to reply to correspondence (FRC) effective DPT+1 because the partner's TFN has not been provided. See Cancellation of Family Tax Benefit (FTB) Record details on a DOC If the customer is able to provide partner TFN details before the end of the financial year, FTB can be restored. See Restoration of Family Tax Benefit (FTB). Procedure ends here.
9	Families override contact + Read more ... Note: the FYTFNCO screen can only be coded by Families override contacts. The FYTFNCO screen allows an override to be coded to change the automatic determination of the FTB TFN Compliance process. On the FYTFNCO screen: Update the Person the override is to apply to Update the Override Type option with code of: COM - Compliant or NON - Non compliant Enter Start Date - record the date the override is to commence. This date may be the date of claim or relationship start date or another date relevant to the customer circumstances Enter End Date - if the override is to apply on an ongoing basis, no end date is required. If the override is to apply for a specific period, code end date relevant to the period Record details on a DOC.