Family Assistance Guide Updates - 2000

27 November 2000
30 October 2000
29 September 2000
28 August 2000
31 July 2000

Family Assistance Guide Updates - 27 November 2000 (v1.06)

Topic No.	Topic Title	Details
1.1.P	Key terms beginning with the letter P	Added new topic 1.1.P.75
1.1.P.75	Payment Summary	Included a definition of payment summary (previously known as group certificate).
2.4.1	Eligibility for MAT	Added a link to 2.1.1.110 Death of a FTB Child.
3.2.8.20	Estimate following cancellation of income support payment	Deleted last paragraph of Income support payment cancelled. Deleted Changing FTB delivery method.
4.2	Claims for FTB	Clarified subsequent newborn children claims.
4.2.1	Summary of the FTB claim process	Added topic nos 4.2.1.10, 4.2.1.20, 4.2.1.30 Moved contents of 4.2.1 to 4.2.1.30
4.2.1.10 4.2.1.20 4.2.1.30	Claim lodgement Informal claim Claim initial assessment	Added new topics.
4.2.2.30	Specific requirements for a bereavement claim	Provided additional details that are required for a claim in substitution.
4.2.3.10	Restriction on determining FTB claims	Added text regarding what happens when the ATO has not responded to a TFN request within 28 days.
4.2.4.20	Claim Action 2 - Claim not complete	Added text about time frame allowed to provide supporting documentation for FTB claims.
4.2.4.100	Claim Action - ATO has not activated TFN request	Added text regarding what happens when the ATO has not responded to a TFN request within 28 days.
4.2.4.110	Claim Action 11 - ATO advises FAO no TFN	Amended explanation.
4.4.2.10	Change in Non-Income related Circumstances	Included examples of non income related changes in circumstances. Updated date of effect table.
4.4.2.20	Change in income related circumstances	Updated topic including date of effect table.
4.4.4	Reassessment of FTB - pension/benefit cancelled	Amended date of effect of variation.

Family Assistance Guide Updates - 30 October 2000 (v1.05)

Topic No.	Topic Title	Details
1.1.N.40	Notification period	Replaced Act Reference: FA(Admin Act) section 21 and section 35 with section 25 Obligation to notify.
2.1.1.30	Verification of Care Arrangements	Clarified methods of verifying care arrangements.
2.1.1.45	Establishing a Pattern of Care	Clarified that shared care percentage should reflect actual time in care
3.1.4.30	Rent Assistance	Updated the rates for Rent Assistance to reflect the new rates commencing from 20.09.00
3.1.6.50	Child Support Agreements	Clarified $60.00 buffer for new agreements.
3.2.3	Adjusted Fringe Benefits	Deleted 'extra superannuation contributions' from salary sacrificing and fringe benefits paragraph. Changed 'group certificate' to 'payment summary'.

Family Assistance Guide Updates - 29 September 2000 (v1.04)

Topic No.	Topic Title	Budget Initiative
2.2.1	FTB Eligibility Criteria for Individuals	From 1 September 2000 non resident visa holders can get FTB for periods when they travel overseas.

Topic No.	Topic Title	General improvement
1.1.E.10	Effective claim (FTB)	Include verification of birth and, where necessary, care arrangements amongst the requirements for an effective claim.
2.1.1	FTB Child	Add 2.1.1.15 Verification of child's date of birth
2.1.1.15	Verification of child's date of birth	New topic
2.1.2.10	Residence Requirements	Change references to 'qualify' for special benefit to 'satisfy the residence qualifications'.
3.1.10	Insert 3.1.10.40	Failure to lodge tax return
3.1.10.40	Failure to lodge tax return	Insertion of new topic
3.2.4	Target Foreign Income	Addition of Exchange rates as at 30 June 2000. (1 July 2000 is a Saturday and exchange rate unavailable)

Topic No.	Topic Title	Corrections
1.1.A	Key Terms beginning with the letter A	Add 1.1.A.140 Authorised Review Officer
1.1.A.140	Authorised Review Officer	New topic
3.1.5.30	Taking Reasonable Maintenance Action	The 28 day rule regarding taking reasonable maintenance action does not address change of care. The 28 day rule also applies to change of care.
3.2.3	Adjusted fringe benefits	Correction to formula for reportable fringe benefits.
4.1.1.20	Exemption from TFN requirements for FTB	Persons not usually required to obtain TFN for tax purposes not exempted for FTB
4.2.4.70	Claim Action 7 - Claim made too late	Add after each bereavement condition "and the claim is lodged after the end of the 2nd income year". Reformatted for consistency and to make conditions clearer.

Family Assistance Guide Updates - 28 August 2000 (v1.03)

Topic No.	Budget Initiative
1.1.N.40	Change Centrelink to FAO
2.1.1.10	FTB for child living away from home.
3.1	Add new topic 3.1.11 Advance payment of FTB Part A to list
3.1.11	New topic Advance payment of FTB Part A
3.1.5.40	Change custodial parent to resident parent
3.1.5.90	Change custodial parent to resident parent
3.1.6	Change custodial parent to resident parent
3.2.7	Change custodial parent to resident parent
3.2.8.10	Change Centrelink to Family Assistance Office
3.2.8.20	Change Centrelink to Family Assistance Office (where refers to FTB paid as a lump sum)
7.1.2	FTB advance debts

Topic No.	General Improvement
1.1.A.15	Included example for calculation.
1.1.C.27	Under CCB claim for approved care lump sum - Add 'if required to lodge' after '… lodged their Tax Return with the ATO and before 'for their entitlement to be calculated'.
1.1.F.55	Update references to include FA Guide 3.1.11
1.1.N.40	Include information about FTB notification periods
1.1.R.50	Included example for calculation.
2.1.1.30	Verification of care arrangements - Add "Documentation to prove care arrangements is to be sighted for instalment claimants only."
3.1.7.13	Included information about assessment of capitalised maintenance when payer is deceased.
3.1.10.10	Add text in heading "is required to lodge and" after Partner and before "does not lodge a tax return"
3.2.8.30	Add in words "or after" before "that financial year, either in writing etc"
4.1.1.10	Providing a TFN - Says 'Their partner …MUST provide their TFN statement on the approved form which must be given with the claim form - add "for instalment claims and past period claims"
4.1.2	Customer directing payment to a third party - Add "for instalment claims"
4.2.2.20	change tax instalments to withholding replace TIDs with withholding 1st sentence - Add 'instalment' to a past period claim Replace EDF with Withholding declaration and 3rd para - delete tax instalment deduction - replace with reduced withholding minor changes to claimant or claimant's partner receiving income support
4.2.4.80	Replace TIDs with withholding
4.3.1	Payment options table 3rd column - delete 'or' before ATO can pay FTB Add before 'reduced'; 'with the option of' and add after 'reduced' withholding Delete 'tax instalments' Under delivery by ATO - change the first dot point to read 'lump sum at the end of the tax year with or after the claimant lodges their tax return' and the second dot point to read ' With the option of reduced withholding during the income year in anticipation of the end of year lump sum FTB entitlement'
4.3.6	Summary 2nd para - add ' for instalment claimaints'. Where payment made to a nominee add "instalment". 2nd para add Relevant form appointing a nominee add for direct payments.
4.3.8	Choice of delivery options change to read - The claimant can choose to: - have a lump sum paid after their tax return has been assessed by the ATO - with the option to reduce the amounts withheld from payments made to them by a payer during the year in anticipation of their end of year FTB entitlement
4.3.9.10	Clarifying which "Act" is being referred to in third dot point. rewrite of topic
4.3.9.20	rewrite of topic
4.4.5.40	Change claimant and customer to "instalment claimant and instalment customer"
4.4.6	Amend the first para first line "claims" to singular "claim". Correct grammar in last paragraph
4.4.8	Change customers to instalment customers
4.5.1	Add 'by instalments' after 'The claim can be made with a claim for FTB'
4.6.1	Approved care lump sum - add in words after lodging "their and their partner's tax return, if required to lodge" 2nd para - The FAO cannot conduct this reconciliation etc - add "and their partners" tax return.
5.2.2	1st dot point Replace $7553.34 with correct threshold. Replace with "exceeds cut-out amount (1.1.C.80)" Add Policy Reference 1.1.C.80 Cut-out amount (FTB)
5.3.2	2nd dot point add - "where a tax return is required to be lodged" Amend words in 2nd sentence from "application" to "tax return"

Topic No.	Corrections
2.1.1.10	FTB for member of a couple not qualified for independent YA
2.1.2.10	Update the visa category holders that are eligible for FTB
3.2.5	Table - Loss from real estate - should be 'rental property'
4.2.3.10	Add in Table - 2nd condition, Explanation "where a tax return is required to be lodged"
4.2.4	Replace TIDs with withholding
4.2.4.90	Replace TIDs with withholding
5.2.1.10	In the first example, change last sentence to read: However, a customer claiming a reduction in withholding will need to complete a fresh Withholding declaration to account for their new FTB rate. Under General circumstances delete TIDs and replace with "reduction in withholding"
5.2.1.20	Last para before Act reference - delete 'eligibility' and replace with 'rate' replace 'tax instalment deductions' with 'withholding'
5.2.1.30	Replace TIDs with withholding
7.1.1	2nd sentence - amend words in brackets to read: 'of the customer and/or any consenting person'
8.1.1.20	Choice of delivery method 2nd dot point - add at the end of the sentence 'with the option to reduce withholding.' Transition to FTB Part B 1st para - Add 'If there is shared care of a child the rate is based on the child who gives the highest rate, not necessarily the youngest'.
8.1.1.40	FTA customers who have reduced their TIDs 1st dot point - replace 'employment declaration' with 'withholding declaration', 'employer' with 'payer' and 'their TIDs' with 'the amounts withheld from payments made to them'. FTA customers who change delivery method 2nd para - add 'If there is shared care of a child the rate is based on the child who gives the highest rate, not necessarily the youngest.'

Family Assistance Guide Updates - 31 July 2000 (v1.02)

Topic No.	Budget Initiative
1.1.A	Inclusion of topic 1.1.A.15
1.1.A.15	New topic Actual assessment method
1.1.D	Inclusion of topic 1.1.D.100
1.1.D.100	New topic Disbursement method (FTB)
1.1.E	Inclusion of topic 1.1.E.35
1.1.E.35	New topic Entitlement method (FTB)
1.1.M	Inclusion of topics 1.1.M.21, 1.1.M.22 and 1.1.M.25
1.1.M.21	New topic Maintenance income free area (FTB)
1.1.M.22	New topic Maintenance liability
1.1.M.25	New topic Maximum rate (FTB)
1.1.N	Added key term 1.1.N.31 Non-resident parent (FTB)
1.1.P	Inclusion of topic 1.1.P.122
1.1.P.122	New topic Primary earner (FTB)
1.1.R	Inclusion of topic 1.1.R.25 and 1.1.R.50
1.1.R.25	New topic Relevant Period (FTB)
1.1.R.50	New topic Routine assessment method (FTB)
1.1.S	Inclusion of topic 1.1.S.25
1.1.S.25	New topic Secondary earner (FTB)
1.1.V	Inclusion of 1.1.V.20
1.1.V.20	New topic Voluntary maintenance
2.4.1	Major revision - clarification and correction
2.6.1	Amend Act reference from SSAct section 41 to FAAct section 41(2)
3.1.1.50	Amend Act reference from SSAct section 1210-A1 to Int(Agree)Act section 13
6.1, 6.2	Rewrite due to ANTS (FARM) Bill amendments
8.1.8	Amend Act reference from SSAct section 1240 and section 1247to SS(Admin)Act section 129 and section 142
2.1.1.70	Topic applicable for a dependent child not just FTB child
2.1.1.90	Topic applicable for a dependent child not just FTB child
2.1.1.100	Topic applicable for a dependent child not just FTB child

Topic No.	General Improvement
1.1.A.20	Added explanation for deductible child maintenance expenditure
1.1.C.60	Minor update to include reference to resident parent
1.1.H.10	Clarification to definition of Higher income free area (FTB)
1.1.I.40	Clarification to definition of Income free area (FTB)
1.1.N.30	Include reference to a non-resident parent
2.1.1.10	Inclusion of information about FTB customer imprisoned or confined.
2.1.1.30	Explanation added - Verification required only for instalment customers
2.1.1.40	Minor clarification to exception for members of a couple.
2.1.1.40	Clarification regarding separated couples claiming for a past period
3.1	Inclusion of table showing where rate information is located. Disclaimer regarding currency of rates used in examples.
3.1.2	Extra paragraph clarifying shared care. Act reference added.
3.1.4	threshold changed to rent threshold
3.1.5	Rewrite of topic to include Maintenance and child support and Child Support Scheme
3.1.7	Rewrite of topic to include Maintenance income received by members of a couple and Maintenance for more than one child.
3.1.9.20	Minor change in example

Topic No.	Corrections
1.1.C.80	Remove cut out amount from 1 July and insert policy reference link to 3.1.1.20 current rates.
1.2.1	Reference to TIDs changed to 'tax withholding' at ATO request
2.1.1.110	ATO claimants do not need to provide evidence of child's death for past period claim.
2.1.1.80	Remove reference to multiple of 5% i.e. percentage rounded to nearest whole percent.
2.2.2	Remove reference to funeral costs Additional paragraph - ATO claimants do not need to provide evidence of death for claim for a past period
3.1.5.60	Amend reference 'blind customers' to 'customers who are blind'

ACRONYM LIST
MIFA	Maintenance income free area