Vacation of principal home due to illness 102-03010050

This procedure covers how to assess the vacated home of a customer who is a homeowner and has left their home due to illness to enter a long term care situation only.

• For respite care, see Temporary change of address to an aged care home for respite care
• For permanent vacation of home not due to illness see, Permanent vacation of principal home
• For temporary vacation of home not due to respite care or entering a care situation, see Temporary vacation of principal home
• Sale of principal home
• If customer has moved to another home already owned by them, see Assessment and sale of real estate and time share asset
• For information about other issues when customers move to an aged care home, see Change of address to an aged care home
• If the customer has entered a Retirement Village or Supported Residential Service, which is assessed as a special residence and no longer owns their former home this procedure does not apply. See Assessment of entry contribution. Note: a customer may be receiving a substantial level of care within a retirement village and assessed as being in a care situation.
• For all other long term care situations, go to Step 2

Determine what evidence is required when customer and/or their partner have vacated their principal/ matrimonial home due to ill health.

• It is not intended that medical evidence is required for the majority of assessments. Has the customer either:
• had an ACAT assessment that indicates care is needed on an ongoing basis as shown by an RCA/CUR status on the record, or
• moved to a residential care facility with an aged care service conducted by an approved provider. For entry to an aged care home, check the customer’s or their partner’s RCA Institution Summary (RIS) screen for verification of entry. It can take up to four weeks for the information to be transferred to Services Australia. For a list of aged care services, see link in Resources page, or
• current care needs that indicate the customer cannot live in their principal home or the couple cannot live together in the matrimonial home. Note: Services Australia may already hold sufficient information following a claim for Carer Allowance or Carer Payment
• Yes to any of the above, no further verification is required to determine vacation of home due to illness. However, if the customer is a member of a couple, verification may be required to determine if they qualify for illness separated rate of payment. Go to Step 5
• No, go to Step 3

Is there sufficient other evidence to verify the customer has vacated their principal home due to illness? For example, supporting evidence from a treating doctor or relevant health professional that they have vacated their home due to ill health, and/or supporting evidence from their accommodation provider that they have moved there due to ill health.

Note: for a Supported Residential Service (SRS) or a retirement village a copy of the residential statement should be requested to confirm the level of care provided. This is to determine if the customer is an aged care resident, in residential care within the SRS or retirement village.

• Yes, go to Step 5
• No, go to Step 4

Request the customer provide:

• supporting evidence from a treating doctor or relevant health professional that they have vacated their home due to ill health, and/or
• supporting evidence from their accommodation provider that they have moved there due to ill health
• update any other changes as required, for example, change of address, bank accounts
• if the customer or their partner is not able to supply all the details required, update as many address details as possible, and request an Income and Assets Update (SA369). See Requesting information (CLK)
• record the details of action taken to date on a DOC

Procedure ends here until requested information is returned.

• Single, see Step 1 in Table 2
• Partnered, go to Step 6

A customer may be eligible to receive their income support payment at the single rate if they are Illness separated.

Where a member of a couple has permanently entered a Nursing home or other approved institution due to a severe and debilitating illness (such as Huntington’s disease or the advanced stages of Alzheimer’s disease) an assessment of living separately and apart may be appropriate. All circumstances including the customer’s financial circumstances should be considered when making a determination. See Assessment of circumstances for a couple separated due to illness.

A full life interest in a home gives the customer a financial interest in the property and security of tenure. A customer whose principal home is a life interest would be entitled to be considered a homeowner for a period of 2 years following a move into a care situation for income support purposes. There are some customers whose life interest only gives them a right to occupy the property.

Is the customer’s principal home a full life interest?

• Yes, go to Step 2
• No, go to Step 3

If the customer only has a right to accommodation for life:

• Customer is not entitled to rent out the house. No further asset exemption would apply

If the customer has a life interest in the income of the home:

• Customer would be able to rent out the home and receive the asset exemptions if they entered aged care prior to 1 January 2017.
  If the customer entered aged care on or after 1 January 2017, the net rental income from their former home is assessed as ordinary income, which may affect the customer’s rate of income support payments. The former principal home will be exempt from the assets test for 2 years after the customer vacates it to enter a care situation

If the customer only has the right to accommodation but the home is still rented out:

• The customer can qualify for the asset exemption if it is proven the rent goes directly to them. However, if the home is being rented by someone else (for example, a deceased estate) and the estate is passing the rent to the customer, then the asset exemption would not apply. A determination would need to be made about how to treat this income

Note: once the exemption period ends, an actuarial valuation from the Australian Government Actuary (AGA) would be required.

Does the customer have a granny flat interest or reside in a retirement village or SRS considered a special residence or a sale leaseback arrangement?

• Yes, go to Step 4
• No:
• Homeowners, see Step 3 in Table 3
• Non-homeowners, see Step 1 in Table 3

Granny flats, retirement village units, sale leaseback arrangements and some Supported Residential Service are referred to as special residences.

The home ownership status of a customer or their partner residing in a special residence doesn’t depend on who holds title to the premises. It is based on the amount of entry contribution paid. If more than the extra allowable amount was paid for their interest in a special residence then they are assessed as homeowners.

For customers vacating a retirement village, ongoing home ownership status depends on whether or not their entry contribution is refunded to them. Contact the Level 2 Policy Helpdesk for assessment on a case by case basis.

For a partnered customer vacating a special residence the Social Security Act section 1153 - 1157 defines the home ownership status of each member of the couple. For assistance in interpreting the Act, contact the Level 2 Policy Helpdesk.

• Customers assessed as homeowners, see Step 3 in Table 3
• Customers assessed as non-homeowners, see Step 1 in Table 3

The customer or their partner will continue to be assessed as a non-homeowner and the higher assets limit will apply.

• Update the customers new address details:
• Change address and the postal address if required
• The Accommodation (AC) screen for each member of the couple, if the customer is partnered. Complete relevant fields including:
  Address Type Used for RA Calc:
  Event Date:
  Accommodation details for:
  Home Ownership:
• If the customer has moved permanently into government funded aged care, update the Home Ownership: field code ‘GFN’ (Non-homeowner in Govt funded Aged Care)
• If the customer has entered a special residence, update the Home Ownership: field code ‘SRN’ (Special Residence Non-homeowner)
• Reissue the customers concession card to the new address
• Advise customer, partner or relevant third party about getting a nominee
• If the customer was previously living in a granny flat, see Step 9 in the Assessing deprivation and gifting table of Granny flat provisions
• If the customer or their partner were receiving Rent Assistance (RA) see Step 2 in Table 3
• If Carer Allowance (CA) or Carer Payment (CP) is being received for the customer, for relevant updates to carer’s record, see Care receiver permanently enters or temporarily/permanently leaves an institution
• Update any other changes to the customer’s circumstances including income and assets. For example, updating Household and Personal Effects recorded on the Other Assets (OAS) screen which are likely to have changed if the customer has left their home to enter permanent care

Note: if the customer or partner are not able to supply all the required details, update as many details as possible, issue an Income and Assets Update (SA369). See Requesting information (CLK).

If the customer was receiving RA for their former principal residence and:

• permanently entering an aged care facility:
• customers may continue to receive RA for 14 days after the date they permanently enter the aged care facility however
• if the customer is entering an approved/funded bed in an aged care facility, the customer is not eligible for RA. See Rent Assistance (RA) for care receivers
• is a member of a couple:
• the partner may be eligible for the separated due to ill health rate of RA, contact the Rent Assistance Help Desk by submitting a Level 2 Policy Helpdesk Enquiry for advice on how much RA is payable
• temporarily living away from the principal home for 14 days or longer to receive:
• specific medical treatment
• a substantial level of care (excluding respite)
• RA can only be paid for one residence, see Temporary Accommodation and Rent Assistance (RA)
• entering community based care, a retirement village, Supported Residential Service or a multi-purpose service facility:
• the customer may be eligible for RA, see Rent Assistance (RA) for care receivers

Procedure ends here.

In general, when a customer leaves their principal home and enters a care situation the home is exempt from the assets test for 2 years from the date the customer entered care. Once the 2 year exemption period has ended, the customer will be considered a non-homeowner and the house will be assessed as an asset.

Further exemptions are available in situations where a customer who entered aged care prior to 1 January 2017 rents their former principal home and are paying their accommodation charge or lump sum accommodation payment periodically. Note: if the customer entered aged care on or after 1 January 2017, any net rental income from their former principal home is assessed as ordinary income, which may affect the customer’s rate of income support payments. The Resources page contains scenarios on how to assess a customer’s assets.

Verification is required if the customer:

• has entered an aged care home
• is a single homeowner
• is seeking an exemption based upon renting the former principal home and paying an accommodation charge (or a lump sum accommodation payment via periodic payments)

Request the customer provide a copy of accommodation payment agreement and proof of rental income received from their principal home (this could include lease, rent receipt or statutory declaration).

Further information can be provided to the customer about these exemptions, but the property should not be coded until verification has been provided.

To assess if the customer is eligible to have their former principal home exempted from the income and assets test and any rental income received exempted from the income and assets test, ascertain what type of care situation they have entered, and what date the customer first entered aged care.

• For customers entering high level (nursing home) care in an aged care home, go to Step 4
• For customers entering low level (hostel) care in an approved aged care home, go to Step 6
• For customers in Permanent Residential Care assessed as a post 1 July 2014 resident go to Step 5
• For customers entering other types of care situations, see Step 1 in Table 4

For customers who entered aged care:

• before 1 January 2017, the resident’s former principal home is exempt from the income and asset test. The exemption may be for 2 years, 5 years or indefinitely depending on the customer’s circumstances
• on or after 1 January 2017, any net rental income from their former principal home is assessed as ordinary income, which may affect the customer’s rate of income support payments. The Resources page contains scenarios on how to assess a customer’s assets

Is the customer single or partnered?

• Single, go to Step 5
• Partnered, if the customer’s partner is still residing in the principal home it is exempt from the assets test regardless if any accommodation bond or charge is paid. The former principal home remains exempt while the partner lives there. If the partner vacates the home at a later date, the reason the partner vacates the former principal home determines its treatment under the assets test after it was vacated. See the Resources page for the advantages of having the principal home and rental income exemption and more information on partner living in the home.
• Partner is not in the principal home, go to Step 5
• Partner remains in the principal home, see Step 5 of Table 4

Customer entered care before 1 July 2004

• Liable for an accommodation charge - the home is exempt from the assets test for 2 years from the date the customer entered care, however, when the customer is paying or accruing a liability to pay an accommodation charge and they are receiving rent from their former principal home it is exempt from the assets test and the rental income is exempt from the income test for a maximum of 5 years for customers who first entered residential care before 1 July 2004

Explanation: an accommodation charge can only be levied for a total of 5 years for pre 1 July 2004 residents, even if the resident moves to another aged care home. For these customers an automatic review will be set up to mature before the 5 year exemption expires.

• No accommodation charge - the customer is entitled to have their former principal home exempt from the asset test for 2 years as it was vacated due the customer’s care needs. Any rental income is assessable

Customer entered care for the first time on or after 1 July 2004

Liable for an accommodation charge or contribution - the home is exempt from the assets test for 2 years from the date the customer entered care, however, when the customer is paying or accruing a liability to pay an accommodation charge enters care for the first time:

• between 1 July 2004 and prior to 1 January 2017 and is renting out the former principal home, the former principal home is exempt from the assets test and the rental income is exempt from the income test for the whole period that the customer is a high level aged care resident
• on or after 1 January 2017, the net rental income from their former home is assessed as ordinary income, which may affect the customer’s rate of income support payments

Paid an accommodation bond either before or after 1 July 2005, or paid a Refundable Accommodation Deposit (RAD) or Refundable Accommodation Contribution (RAC) on or after 1 July 2014

• The home is exempt from the assets test for 2 years from the date the customer entered care, however, if an accommodation bond or RAD is paid by periodic instalments or a combination of a lump sum and periodic instalments and the former principal home is being rented out:
• for customers who entered aged care prior to 1 January 2017, an indefinite exemption applies from 1 July 2005 while the periodic payments are being made. The rental income is exempt
• for customers who entered aged care on or after 1 January 2017, the net rental income from their former home is assessed as ordinary income, which may affect the customer’s rate of income support payments

No accommodation charge, accommodation contribution, accommodation bond, or RAD is paid

• The customer is entitled to have their former principal home exempt from the assets test for 2 years as it was vacated due to customers care needs. Any rental income is assessable

Note: for a 5 year or indefinite exemption from the assets and income test the former home being rented must be the one that was vacated to enter a care situation prior to 1 January 2017. There is no requirement for the rental income to be at the market rate.

Does the resident meet the eligibility criteria to have their former principal home exempt from the assets test?

• Yes, see Step 1 in Table 4
• No, and there is:
• rental income being received - if the customer is receiving rental income from the former home, update change of address and any other details required. Issue Module R - Real estate details. See Step 7 in Table 4
• no rental income, see Step 8 in Table 4

The resident’s former principal home is exempt from the assets test if:

• One of the following is met:
• if the customer has not paid an accommodation bond at all, or the accommodation bond has been paid in full or there is a liability to pay in full (that is, there are no periodic payments involved) and it is less than 2 years since the resident entered care, a 2 year exemption applies, see Step 3 in Table 4, or
• If accommodation bond is paid by periodic instalments or a combination of a lump sum and periodic instalments, and the former home is not rented, a 2 year exemption applies, see Step 3 in Table 4, or
• the customer is partnered and the partner remains in their former principal home, the former home is exempt from the assets test indefinitely whilst partner lives there. If the partner is in the home, see Step 5 in Table 4
• Or all of the following conditions apply:
• If accommodation bond is paid by periodic instalments or a combination of a lump sum and periodic instalments, and
• Customer entered aged care prior to 1 January 2017 and receives rental income from their principal home (there is no requirement for rent to be at the market rate) an indefinite exemption applies while the periodic payments are being made and rental income is being received
• The rental income received from the principal home is exempt from the income test

Does the resident meet the eligibility criteria to have their former principal home exempt from the assets test?

• Yes, go to Step 5
• No, and there is:
• rental income being received - if the customer is receiving rental income from the former home, update change of address and any other details required, issue Module R - Real estate details, see Step 7 in Table 4
• no rental income, see Step 8 of Table 4

Is the customer able to supply verification of entry into low level care, accommodation bond, and proof of rental income for former principal home if it is rented out?

• Yes, see Step 1 of Table 4
• No, and the customer is not able to supply all the details required:
• Update as many address details as possible, issue them with an Income and Assets Update (SA369), and code a follow up review for 14 days
• Request any other documents needed
• Update the change of address and the postal address (if required) (for each member of the couple, if customer is partnered)
• Reissue appropriate concession card
• Advise the customer/third party about getting a nominee
• Record details and action taken on a DOC and finalise activity via the Assessment Results (AR) screen

Procedure ends here.

Is the customer entitled to:

• an exemption because their partner is still residing in the principal home. Note: this has priority over other exemptions, go to Step 5
• a 2 year exemption, go to Step 2
• a 5 year exemption, go to Step 6
• an indefinite exemption, for example, where the customer entered aged care prior to 1 January 2017 and is liable for an accommodation charge or accommodation bond is being paid by periodic instalments or a combination of a lump sum and periodic instalments, go to Step 6

Partnered Customers, home occupied by one party

Home ownership status is derived from when the last party resides in the principal home.

If the partner is still living in principal home, go to Step 5.

The Resources page has for more information on the partner living in the home.

Single customers and partnered customers when both customer and partner have vacated

The customer’s former principal home is exempt from the assets test for 2 years from the date it was vacated by the customer to enter a care situation.

Homeownership status

All customers not residing in a Special Residence who have vacated their former principal home due to care needs continue to be assessed as homeowners during the 2 year period that their former principal home is exempt from the assets test.

• Customers residing in a Special Residence due to care needs who pay more than the Extra Allowable Amount are assessed as homeowners during the 2 year period that their former principal home is exempt from the assets test
• Customers residing in a Special Residence due to care needs who pay less than the Extra Allowable Amount are assessed as non-homeowners, are eligible for Rent Assistance and also have their former principal home exempt for up to 2 years

Customer may be eligible for Rent Assistance during this period. For more information, see Rent Assistance (RA) for care receivers. Payability of Rent Assistance for customers residing in a special residence is determined by the Extra Allowable Amount (EAA).

Note: if the customer advises retrospectively that they have vacated their home, for example they vacated more than 2 years ago, refer to the Home Vacation Review team for urgent assessment. Create an open Work Item using Fast Note. Select Fast Note > Auto Text use Assessments and Reviews > Income and assets:

• Action required - Home vacation review
• Contact required - Home vacation review

See Vacation of home reviews for more details.

Provide any further information to the customer and tell them to supply the required verification. Procedure ends here.

Has the customer entered a retirement village or special residence where the Entry Contribution is lower than the Extra Allowable Amount (EAA)?

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

Verification provided: code exemption as part of the change of address workflow for 2 year exemption.

• Update the change of address and the postal address (if required) by running the Change in Contact Details workflow (for each member of the couple, if customer is partnered)
• When the Accommodation (AC) screen appears, complete the required fields for the change of address (for each member of the couple, if customer is partnered) including Address Type Used for RA Calc: field, the Event Date: field, Accommodation details for: and Home Ownership: fields. Note: for the Home Ownership: field, if the customer:
• has moved into government funded aged care, use the code ‘GFH’ (Homeowner in Govt funded aged care)
• has moved into a special residence, code ‘SRH’ (Special Residence Homeowner)
• is or will be receiving a substantial level of care in a private residence for at least 14 consecutive days, for example with family, use the code ‘LHO’ (Homeowner lives elsewhere)
• If the customer is single, or their partner has already left the principal home:
• complete the Date Home Vacated: field
• complete the Reason Home Vacated: field
• ‘INH’ for (high or low level care nursing home or hostel resident), or ‘ONH’ for neither hostel nor nursing home resident
• coding of the Date Home Vacated: field on the Accommodation (AC) screen will create an automatic review 98 weeks from the date the principal home was vacated to enter the care situation. This is required in order to review the customer’s circumstances, and to change their status from homeowner to non-homeowner - at which point the house will be assessed as an asset
• Reissue appropriate concession card
• Advise customer/third party about getting a nominee
• Discuss the assessment of accommodation bonds
• For information about other issues when a customer moves to an aged care home, see Change of address to an aged care home

Is the customer receiving rental income from the principal home?

• Yes, go to Step 7
• No, go to Step 9

Verification provided: Code exemption as part of the change of address workflow for 2 year exemption.

• Update the change of address and the postal address (if required) by running the Change in Contact Details workflow (for each member of the couple, if customer is partnered)
• When the Accommodation (AC) screen appears, complete the required fields for the change of address (for each member of the couple, if customer is partnered)
• This will include Address Type Used for RA Calc: field, the Event Date: field, Accommodation details for: and Home Ownership: fields. Note: use code SRN - Non homeowner Lives in Special Residence in the Home Ownership: field if the customer has moved into a special residence
• For Retirement Village residents code the type of rent as ‘MNT’
• 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: 98 weeks from the date the principal home was vacated to enter the care situation
• Source: INT
• Date of Receipt: today's date
• Notes: 'Principal home vacated to enter care situation xx/xx/xxxx. Review customer's circumstances and return to OB 102-03010050 to action.'
• Keywords: VOH
• 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
• Reissue appropriate concession card
• Advise customer/third party about getting a nominee
• Discuss the assessment of accommodation bonds

Is the customer receiving rental income from the principal home?

• Yes, go to Step 7
• No, procedure ends here

The former principal home remains an exempt asset and both the aged care resident and their partner continue to be assessed as homeowners.

The Resources page contains scenarios on how to assess a partnered customer’s assets where a customer has entered aged care on or after 1 January 2017.

• Update the change of address and the postal address (if required) (for the customer) by running the Change in Contact Details workflow. Note: the Date Home Vacated: and Reason Home Vacated: fields on the AC screen are not coded for a member of a homeowner couple if one member of the couple is still living at home
• Reissue appropriate concession card
• Advise customer/third party about getting a nominee

Procedure ends here.

Provide any further information to the customer and tell them to supply the required verification. Procedure ends here.

When verification is provided; code the Accommodation (AC) screen (for each member of a couple if customer is partnered).

Complete relevant fields as necessary. This will include Address Type Used for RA Calc:, Event Date:, Accommodation details for: and Home Ownership: fields. Note: if the customer has moved into government funded aged care, use the code ‘GFH’ (Homeowner in Govt funded aged care) in the Home Ownership: field.

• Reason Home Vacated: code as either:
• ‘EX5’ (in Nursing Home, Home exempt for 5 years) is no longer available for use as to be eligible the customer had to have entered aged care prior to 1 July 2004
• ‘EXP’ (in aged care, paying periodic bond instalments indefinitely) if entry to aged care was prior to 1 January 2017, or
• ‘EXA’ (in aged care, paying accommodation charge indefinitely) if entry to aged care was prior to 1 January 2017
• Note: EXP cannot be coded with a date of event earlier than 1 July 2005. EXA cannot be coded with a date of event earlier than 1 July 2004. EX5 applies to customers who entered aged care permanently before 1 July 2004 and can also apply to customers who are transferring from one home to another after 1 July 2004. A cross edit will prompt coding of the former principal home on the Real Estate/Business Identifying (REBI) screen
• Date Home Vacated: code as the date of admission of the customer

Is rental income received from former principal home?

• Yes, go to Step 7
• No, go to Step 9

Code details of the former principal home on the Real Estate/Business Identifying (REBI) screen regardless if the customer is entitled to an exemption or not.

• On REBI, code Real Estate/Business Type: field with the appropriate code:
• for indefinite accommodation charge and entry to aged care was prior to 1 January 2017, code ‘EXA’
• for paying periodic accommodation bond and entry to aged care was prior to 1 January 2017, code ‘EXP’
• for 2 year exemption and entry to aged care was on or after 1 January 2017, code ‘EXE’
• if home is not exempt, code the appropriate real estate type using help field if required, for example, ‘?’

Using the correct codes above will ensure the income and asset values will not be used in the customer’s assessment if an exemption applies.

• Code Principal Home field ‘No’ and Authority to Inspect field ‘Yes’ or ‘No’
• Code the Address: and Suburb/PC: fields in the usual manner

For help with coding the other fields, see Assessment and sale of real estate and timeshare asset and Assessing income from real estate and timeshare or use help ‘?’ option.

Press [Enter] to be taken to the Real Estate (RE) screen.

Complete the following fields on RE screen:

• Event Date: code appropriate event date. Note: date of event for:
• EXP (in aged care prior to 1 January 2017, paying periodic bond instalments indefinitely) cannot be prior to 1 July 2005
• EXA (in aged care prior to 1 January 2017, paying accommodation charge indefinitely) cannot be prior to 1 July 2004
• EXE (in aged care on or after 1 January 2017, paying accommodation charge indefinitely) cannot be prior to 1 January 2017
• % Income Owned: code as the percentage owned by the customer, for example, 100% if sole owner
• %Asset owned: code as the percentage owned by the customer, eg.100% if sole owner
• Current Market Value: code as ‘1’ or the amount nominated by the customer if given
• Gross income: code gross income
• Asset Valn Source: code as ‘CLI’
• Allowable Income Dedns$ pa: the allowable deductions from the gross income, not including the interest paid for loans or mortgages. Details are usually obtained from the rental property schedule of the business, a personal ITR or a profit and loss type statement

If the customer has paid an accommodation bond, ensure the Exempt Income & Assets (EXIA) screen is coded. Coding the Date of Event: field as 1 July 2005 for existing customers or the date bond was paid if after 1 July 2005 (if customer has transferred to another aged care home, keep original date) and Exempt Accommodation Bond Amt $: amount of bond paid. For assistance, see Aged care accommodation payments.

• Update any other changes to the customer’s circumstances including income and assets. For example, updating Household and Personal Effects recorded on the Other Assets (OAS) screen which are likely to have changed if the customer has left their home to enter permanent care
• If Carer Allowance (CA) or Carer Payment (CP) is being received for the customer, for relevant updates to carer’s record, see Care receiver permanently enters or temporarily/permanently leaves an institution
• Issue a request for information for any documentation or forms, for example, a MOD R issued to customers not entitled to an exemption or an SA369 when full accommodation details are not known
• Record details on a DOC
• Finalise activity via the Assessment Results (AR) screen

When the 2 year exemption period ends:

• the customer is considered a non-homeowner
• the house is assessed as an asset, and
• A Mod R must be completed

Until a valuation is obtained, the assessment should be based on the customer's estimate of the value of their former home, plus any other real estate owned.

Unless the delegate considers it warranted, a valuation should only be obtained when total assets, including the customer's estimate of real estate value, are within $20,000 of the allowable assets limit.

Note: overpayments are only raised as debts if a customer has deliberately misrepresented the value of the asset.