This document outlines what to do when a customer contacts to advise they wish to commute all or part of their asset-test exempt income stream due to extreme financial hardship. An application to commute should be made by the customer prior to commutation.
Actioning a customer request to commute an ATE income stream
This table describes the process for actioning a customer request to commute an asset test exempt (ATE) income stream due to extreme financial hardship.
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Step |
Action |
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1 |
Extreme financial hardship rules + Read more ...
The Social Security Act requires a customer who wishes to commute all or part of an asset-test exempt (ATE) income stream on the grounds of extreme financial hardship to make an application in writing to Centrelink for approval. Centrelink will assess whether the customer meets the extreme financial hardship rules.
The applications are processed by the Financial Industry and Network Support (FINS) Helpdesk.
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If the customer is asking for a letter from Centrelink to commute their ATE income stream due to extreme financial hardship, go to Step 2.
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If the customer is enquiring about their application already lodged to commute all or part of an ATE income stream under extreme financial hardship, go to Step 3.
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Is the customer advising they have commuted their ATE income stream and had prior approval, see Commutation of asset-test exempt (ATE) income streams Procedure ends here.
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If the customer is advising they have commuted their ATE income stream due to extreme financial hardship and did not obtain Centrelink approval first, see Commutation of asset-test exempt (ATE) income streams. Procedure ends here.
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If a response from FINS Helpdesk has been received as a result of the application being sent to them previously, go to Step 4.
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2 |
Letter from Centrelink + Read more ...
The customer is to:
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complete the form 'Application to be allowed to commute all or part of an asset-test exempt income stream because of extreme financial hardship', and
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supply any supporting evidence to verify their financial hardship and unavoidable expenditure
The Service Officer is to:
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Complete the form 'Referral and the recommendation application to be allowed to commute all or part of an asset-test exempt income stream because of extreme financial hardship'
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Upload the form and any supporting documents to the customer's record
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Submit a Level 2 Policy Helpdesk enquiry to notify FINS Helpdesk of intended commutation request
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Record details on a DOC.
See the Resources page for a copy of the forms.
The FINS Helpdesk will determine if the customer's proposed commutation meets extreme financial hardship rules and they have unavoidable expenditure.
Procedure ends here until the recommendation is returned from the FINS Helpdesk. When the recommendation is received, go to Step 4.
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3 |
Enquiring about application already lodged + Read more ...
When the customer is enquiring about the progress of their application:
Check the customer's record for a DOC regarding the application:
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If the FINS Helpdesk has made a decision, go to Step 4
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If there is no DOC on the customer's record with information on the application, follow up with the FINS Helpdesk as to the progress of the application and advise the customer
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Record details on a DOC
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Procedure ends here
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4 |
Response to application received from FINS Helpdesk + Read more ...
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Advise the customer of the outcome of their application to commute all or part of their ATE income stream due to extreme financial hardship by either:
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completing a Q999 letter in the customer's record using the instructions included in the response from the FINS Helpdesk, or
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contacting the customer via phone to advise of the outcome as well as sending a Q999
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Record details on a DOC
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For actioning the commutation, see Commutation of asset-test exempt (ATE) income streams
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