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Budget 2005-06 > What's New What's Different > Assistance for Families

Family Assistance - A Negotiated Payment Option to Reduce Overpayments

What's New?

The Australian Government will build on the More Choice for Families Initiative by allowing families to negotiate a new rate of ongoing Family Tax Benefit payment when they inform Centrelink of a change in their income estimate during the year.

Currently, when families increase their income estimate during the year they are offered the choice of adjusting their ongoing payments by an amount that would, where possible, completely avoid an overpayment. While the Family Assistance Office will continue to strongly encourage families to avoid any potential overpayment by choosing a full adjustment, customers who choose not to do so will be able to negotiate a smaller adjustment.

Background

The More Choice for Families initiative announced by the Australian Government in September 2002 gave families more choice and flexibility about how their family assistance is paid and enables them to match their payment arrangements more closely to their family circumstances.

Implementation

1 July 2006.