C01/2003 REASSESSMENT OF COMSUPER AND DFRDB SUPERANNUATION PENSIONS - JANUARY 2003

Purpose of instruction

The purpose of this Departmental Instruction is to provide information about the January 2003 reassessment of Comsuper and DFRDB superannuation pensions.

Background

Comsuper and DFRDB superannuation pensions are adjusted bi-annually in January and July.  The CPI increase to be applied to the January 2003 adjustment is 1.4%

Processing date

Reassessment processing to reflect the January 2003 CPI increase to Comsuper and DFRDB superannuation pensions will be conducted on the weekend of 11-12 January 2003.

Effective date

The effective date of the reassessment will be 7 January 2003.

On pension payday 23 January 2003, pensioners will receive a full installment at the new assessed rate.

Advice letter target audience

A letter will be produced for Income Support pensioners in receipt of Commonwealth Superannuation and/or DFRDB and following the reassessment have a variation to their pension payment.  There will be approximately 20,000 advice letters produced nationally.

Printing and mailing of advice letters

The advice letters will be printed and mailed through the Department's bulk mailing house, Security Mailing Services (SMS) in Sydney.  All letters will be lodged with Australia Post by COB Friday, 17 January 2003.

Streamed advices requiring state office action

The following advices will be streamed and printed by IBMGSA, and sent via courier to each State Office for checking and despatch:

• special register - SA only
• overseas
• reductions to nil
• cases which result in multiple payment boxes (ie., Payment Information Attachment); and
• enclosure (treatment changes).

'Held' advices to be forced

As part of the batch processing run any advices in 'held' status will be forced to print.  Forced 'held' advices will print at each respective State Office's nominated printer.

Contacts

Advice issues - Pat Webb (02) 6289 6444.

Systems issues - Kevin Chapman (02) 6289 6749.