DATE OF ISSUE: 7 March 1997
MARCH 1997 ADVICE MAILOUT
Purpose of instruction |
This Departmental Instruction is to provide information about processing information for the March quarterly advices. |
MURRAY HARRISON
BRANCH HEAD
INCOME SUPPORT
Background
Introduction |
The department's quarterly advices facility has been designed to enhance communication between the Department and the veteran community. In general, quarterly advices are sent in January, March, June and September of each year. Advices are sent to income support pensioners. The size of the mailout is dependent on the issues (eg. Budget changes, pension indexation, etc) current at the time. |
A/L Events |
The March Quarterly Advice mailout will incorporate the following events for pay-day 27 March 1997:
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Processing sequence |
An advice is to be produced for:
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Obligations |
Obligations are to be suppressed for all advices produced. |
Income and Asset listings |
Full Income - Asset listings are to be produced only for clients who have either shares or managed investments listed. |
Production |
The reassessment processing run and advice production will be conducted on the weekend of 9/10 March 1997. No fortnightly run for deprived assets and Profit Fort will be done prior to the weekend quarterly advice run and will therefore not impact on the transactions generated for the quarterly advices run. The major reassessment program ("BAL") will be run to reassess cases affected by any of the events above. Detailed ADP processing requirements will be sent separately to State System Support Officers. |
Rules for Processing
Advices |
System support and advice contact officers in each state have been provided with copies of the advice mock up and variations paragraphs. |
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Payment processing |
The payment processing is scheduled from Friday evening 6 March till Sunday evening 8 March 1997. A processing timetable appears later in this instruction. |
Pensioners for Whom an advice will be generated
Affected clients |
A quarterly advice is to be produced:
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Continuation Advices |
For continuation advices, an explanation paragraph has been included to clarify the fact that the reassessment of deemed income equals the CPI increase and has resulted in no change to the rate of pension paid. Payboxes will not be included in these advices, except in cases where telephone allowance is payable, these advices will include a paybox. State offices have been supplied with the paragraph wording for these continuation cases. |
Client numbers |
The estimated number of advices for this run is approximately 75,000 |
Advice printing |
Two sites for quarterly advice printing will be used due to the size of this run. The data, which is to be supplied on cartridge for NSW and VIC will be printed at Leigh Mardon (Melbourne). The data for the rest (QLD, SA WA and TAS), which will be supplied on cartridge, will be printed at Lane Bros (Adelaide). |
Special register |
Special register and overseas advices will be supplied to the mailing houses on separate cartridges and forwarded to the relevant state office. |
Components for the mailout
Quarterly advice processing |
A quarterly advice will be produced for less than maximum rate service pensioners and less than maximum rate income support supplement pensioners affected by indexation. The range of paragraphs, the circumstances under which these will be applied and the paragraph wording have been supplied to state contact officers. |
Advices - General
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ADP Processing |
Detailed information regarding ADP Processing will be issued to State Systems Support Officers in a separate memorandum. The Systems Support Officers will be issuing a local processing timetable and should be consulted on any matter concerning ADP Processing. |
Timetable |
Key time frames of advices are summarised below. The first processing run will begin on the evening of Friday 7 March 1997. |
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Date
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Event
|
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Friday 7 Mar 1997 |
Cut off for pay period 45 (13 Mar 97) |
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Friday 7 Mar 1997 (p.m.) |
Day 1 processing for pay period 46 (27 Mar 97). Daily advices from this processing to be dispatched immediately. |
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Friday 7 Mar (pm) |
BAL re-assessment run. |
Sat. 8 Mar |
Quarterly Advices processing runs. |
Mon. 10 Mar until cut-off for pay 20 |
Examiner action on manual schedules for SP, ISS DP. & |
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Quarterly Advices progressively lodged with Australia Post from 13 Mar to 20 Mar. |
Daily Advices
Holding of Daily advices |
Cases processed in advance for day 1 of 27 March 1997 should have the daily advice dispatched prior to the quarterly advice being sent. Daily payment advices produced after the processing run on 8/9 March 1997 for pay period 20 (27 March 1997), should be held by State Offices until confirmation is received from the quarterly advices project officer in National Office to release such advices. This will ensure that pensioners who have pension variations processed for payday 27 March 1997 will receive their daily advice after the quarterly advice rather than in advance of it. |
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Manual cases |
To minimise the number of daily advices to be held whilst quarterly advices are processed, it is suggested that only manual cases (and essential processing) should be processed for pay day 27 March 1997. General pensions processing should continue unabated but should be submitted for the subsequent pay day. |
Dispatch of Quarterly Advices
Advice lodgement |
The quarterly advices will be progressively lodged with Australia post by the mailing houses in Melbourne and Adelaide, during the period 15 March 1997 to 21 March 1997. As soon as state's advices have been lodged, the project officer will advise the appropriate state contact officer. |
Reprint of selected advices |
Any requests for reprints of individual quarterly advices should be referred to state office system support officers. |
Contacts |
The national office contacts for this quarterly advice run are as follows; Advice wording and paragraphs (Integrated Advices); Tracey Cunningham (06) 289 6398 A/L Cartridge and mailing house queries; Murray Chynoweth (06) 289 6799 Danielle Moloney (06) 289 6681 |
Insert |
The Australian War Memorial are including a one page A4 insert with this mailout. The insert is asking the veteran community to “Keep The Spirit Alive”, by becoming a Friend of the Memorial, making a donation or by leaving a bequest in their will. This insert includes a coupon listing member and/or subscriber costs which is to be completed and returned to the Australian War Memorial Foundation. |
Advice Mockups
Advice mockups |
Attached are mockups of the advice letters. Mock up 1: Single veteran, maximum rate SP, reduced rate RA, indexation, deeming changes, TA paid, no MIs/shares. Mock up 2: Pensioner couple, maximum rate SP, saved RA, indexation, deeming changes, saved RA update, TA paid, no MIs/shares. Mock up 3:...War Widow, reduced rate ISS, indexation, deeming changes, TA paid, global, has MIs/shares. Mock up 4:...Pensioner couple, reduced rate SP - reduction to nil, indexation, deeming changes, global, has shares, no other payment. |
Mock up 1
SINGLE VETERAN, MAX RATE SP, REDUCED RATE RA
INDEXATION, DEEMING CHANGES, TA PAID
NO MIs/SHARES
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Commonwealth Department of Veterans' Affairs |
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STATE OFFICE |
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AMP Place |
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10 Eagle Street |
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Brisbane QLD |
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Postal Address: |
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GPO Box 651 Brisbane QLD 4001 |
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Telephone: |
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Metropolitan residents: (07) 3223 8333 |
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Country residents: 1800 113304 |
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Interstate residents: 1800 777634 |
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Facsimile: (07) 3223 8585 |
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10 March 1997 |
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_ |
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YOUR FILE NUMBER IS QX321546 |
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I am writing to you about your pension payment from Veterans' Affairs.
Indexation of Pensions
Service pensions, income support supplement, disability pensions, rent assistance and rent thresholds have been increased in line with movements in the consumer price index (CPI). The new rates will apply from payday 27 March 1997.
Payment Details
The fortnightly rate of pension you will receive from 27 March 1997 is shown below.
Payments to SEYMOUR PLANET
TOTAL FORTNIGHTLY PAYMENT |
$408.20 |
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This is made up of :- |
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- Service pension |
347.80 |
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- Rent assistance |
55.00 |
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- Pharmaceutical allowance |
5.40 |
|||
Changes to Deeming Rules
In the 1996 Budget the Government announced changes to the current deeming rules. From 27 March 1997, the first $2000 (for single pensioners) or $4000 (for pensioner couples) held in financial institutions, previously assessed at the actual interest rate, will be deemed at the lower deeming interest rate, currently 4%.
Telephone Allowance
Telephone allowance will be paid on 27 March 1997, together with your new fortnightly rate of pension shown above. The rates of telephone allowance are:
- World War 1 - $42.50
- General Rate (single income support pensioners, war widow(er)s and recipients of certain rates of disability pension) - $15.40
- Married Rate - $7.70 each for service pensioner couples.
Your Right of Review
If you do not agree with this variation, you may apply to have it reviewed by a Service Pension Review Officer at this office. If you decide to apply you must do so within 3 months of being advised of this variation. A request for review must be in writing and set out your reasons for seeking this review.
Your Obligations
Your obligations have been explained to you in previous advices; these obligations still apply.
Changes You Have Already Told Us About
If you have told us recently about a change to your income and assets or your domestic situation, it may not have been processed before this letter was sent. When that change has been finalised, we will send you another letter providing details of your new pension assessment.
If you have any questions about any of the above matters, please contact the department at the address or telephone number shown at the top of this letter.
Yours sincerely
Gary Collins
Deputy Commissioner as
Delegate of the Secretary
Mock up 2
PENSIONER COUPLE , MAX RATE SP, SAVED RA
INDEXATION, DEEMING CHANGES, SAVED RA UPDATE, TA PAID
NO MIs/SHARES
|
Commonwealth Department of Veterans' Affairs |
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STATE OFFICE |
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AMP Place |
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10 Eagle Street |
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Brisbane QLD |
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Postal Address: |
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GREGORY PRINCE |
GPO Box 651 Brisbane QLD 4001 |
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DEBORAH PRINCE |
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VILLA 43/21 MONTE CARLO WAY |
Telephone: |
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MONAK NSW 2738 |
Metropolitan residents: (07) 3223 8333 |
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Country residents: 1800 113304 |
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Interstate residents: 1800 777634 |
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Facsimile: (07) 3223 8585 |
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10 March 1997 |
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_ |
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YOUR FILE NUMBER IS QX463215 |
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Dear Mr and Mrs Prince
I am writing to you about your pension payment from Veterans' Affairs.
Indexation of Pensions
Service pensions, income support supplement, disability pensions, rent assistance and rent thresholds have been increased in line with movements in the consumer price index (CPI). The new rates will apply from payday 27 March 1997.
Payment Details
The fortnightly rate of pension you will receive from 27 March 1997 is shown below.
Payments to GREGORY PRINCE and DEBORAH PRINCE
TOTAL FORTNIGHTLY PAYMENT |
$514.54 |
$297.10 |
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This is made up of :- |
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- Disability pension |
217.44 |
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- Service pension |
290.10 |
290.10 |
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- Rent assistance |
4.30 |
4.30 |
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- Pharmaceutical allowance |
2.70 |
2.70 |
||
Changes to Deeming Rules
In the 1996 Budget the Government announced changes to the current deeming rules. From 27 March 1997, the first $2000 (for single pensioners) or $4000 (for pensioner couples) held in financial institutions, previously assessed at the actual interest rate, will be deemed at the lower deeming interest rate, currently 4%.
Saved Rent Assistance
Since 28 March 1996, the value of CPI increases for income support pensions have been offset against the amount of rent assistance paid to those pensioners who receive rent assistance at a higher rate than their entitlement would be under current legislation, because of savings provisions implemented over past budgets. This will continue until such time as the rate of payment under current legislation is reached.
The value of the CPI increase for 27 March 1997 has been offset to further reduce the higher rate of rent assistance you have been receiving. The amount of your rent assistance has been reduced to $4.30 each. Further CPI increases will be offset against this amount until your rent assistance is reduced to your correct entitlement.
Telephone Allowance
Telephone allowance will be paid on 27 March 1997, together with your new fortnightly rate of pension shown above. The rates of telephone allowance are:
- World War 1 - $42.50
- General Rate (single income support pensioners, war widow(er)s and recipients of certain rates of disability pension) - $15.40
- Married Rate - $7.70 each for service pensioner couples.
Your Right of Review
If you do not agree with this variation, you may apply to have it reviewed by a Service Pension Review Officer at this office. If you decide to apply you must do so within 3 months of being advised of this variation. A request for review must be in writing and set out your reasons for seeking this review.
Your Obligations
Your obligations have been explained to you in previous advices; these obligations still apply.
Changes You Have Already Told Us About
If you have told us recently about a change to your income and assets or your domestic situation, it may not have been processed before this letter was sent. When that change has been finalised, we will send you another letter providing details of your new pension assessment.
If you have any questions about any of the above matters, please contact the department at the address or telephone number shown at the top of this letter.
Yours sincerely
Gary Collins
Deputy Commissioner as
Delegate of the Secretary
Mock up 3
WAR WIDOW, REDUCED RATE ISS
INDEXATION, DEEMING CHANGES, TA PAID, GLOBAL
HAS MIs/SHARES
|
Commonwealth Department of Veterans' Affairs |
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STATE OFFICE |
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AMP Place |
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10 Eagle Street |
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Brisbane QLD |
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Postal Address: |
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ROSE LONDON |
GPO Box 651 Brisbane QLD 4001 |
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28 PHANTOM PLACE |
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WEST END QLD 4101 |
Telephone: |
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Metropolitan residents: (07) 3223 8333 |
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Country residents: 1800 113304 |
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Interstate residents: 1800 777634 |
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Facsimile: (07) 3223 8585 |
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10 March 1997 |
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_ |
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YOUR FILE NUMBER IS QX213564 |
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Dear Mrs London
I am writing to you about your pension payment from Veterans' Affairs.
Indexation of Pensions
Service pensions, income support supplement, disability pensions, rent assistance and rent thresholds have been increased in line with movements in the consumer price index (CPI). The new rates will apply from payday 27 March 1997.
Payment Details
The fortnightly rate of pension you will receive from 27 March 1997 is shown below.
Payments to ROSE LONDON
TOTAL FORTNIGHTLY PAYMENT |
$475.20 |
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This is made up of :- |
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- War widows pension |
371.80 |
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- Income support supplement |
98.00 |
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- Pharmaceutical allowance |
5.40 |
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Changes to Deeming Rules
In the 1996 Budget the Government announced changes to the current deeming rules. From 27 March 1997, the first $2000 (for single pensioners) or $4000 (for pensioner couples) held in financial institutions, previously assessed at the actual interest rate, will be deemed at the lower deeming interest rate, currently 4%.
Reassessment of Financial Assets
The asset values of listed shares and unit-based managed investment products have been reassessed. Details of your investments are listed in the attachment.
Telephone Allowance
Telephone allowance will be paid on 27 March 1997, together with your new fortnightly rate of pension shown above. The rates of telephone allowance are:
- World War 1 - $42.50
- General Rate (single income support pensioners, war widow(er)s and recipients of certain rates of disability pension) - $15.40
- Married Rate - $7.70 each for service pensioner couples.
Your Right of Review
If you do not agree with this variation, you may apply to have it reviewed by a Service Pension Review Officer at this office. If you decide to apply you must do so within 3 months of being advised of this variation. A request for review must be in writing and set out your reasons for seeking this review.
Your Obligations
Your obligations have been explained to you in previous advices; these obligations still apply.
Changes You Have Already Told Us About
If you have told us recently about a change to your income and assets or your domestic situation, it may not have been processed before this letter was sent. When that change has been finalised, we will send you another letter providing details of your new pension assessment.
If you have any questions about any of the above matters, please contact the department at the address or telephone number shown at the top of this letter.
Yours sincerely
Gary Collins
Deputy Commissioner as
Delegate of the Secretary
INCOME AND ASSETS USED TO ASSESS YOUR PAYMENT
(Information current as at 10 March 1997)
The following is a complete list of your income and assets held by the Department. If any details are incorrect or have been omitted you should notify the Department.
Savings and Cheque Accounts
Description |
Account Number |
Asset Amount |
Commonwealth Bank |
500333 |
$1,500.00 |
National Australia Bank |
20-678-3459 |
$3,500.00 |
Heritage Building Society |
11157S1 |
$2,250.00 |
IMPORTANT We understand that balances in savings type accounts may fluctuate regularly.
Money Loaned
Description |
Type |
Asset Amount |
QLD Treasury |
Bond |
$10,000.00 |
Suncorp |
Debenture |
$15,000.00 |
Listed Securities and Unlisted Public Securities
Description |
No. of Shares |
Asset Amount |
NATIONAL AUST. BANK - $1.00 ORDINARY FULLY PAID |
1000 |
$15,670.00 |
COMMONWEALTH BANK - $2.00 ORDINARY FULLY PAID |
750 |
$9,412.50 |
COLES MYER LIMITED - 50C ORDINARY FULLY PAID |
1500 |
$7,530.00 |
Managed Investments
Description |
No. of Units |
Asset Amount |
IOOF AUSTRALIA - V - CAPITAL GUARANTEED ACCUMULATOR |
N/A |
$17,345.00 |
|
BT FINANCIAL SERVICES - N - HI-YIELD TRUST |
12,000 |
$12,000.00 |
|
BT FINANCIAL SERVICES - N - LIFETIME TRUST - MONTHLY INCOME |
11,620 |
$13,653.50 |
Note: Income from financial assets is deemed.
Total Financial Assets
FINANCIAL ASSETS VALUE |
INTEREST RATE |
INCOME PER FORTNIGHT |
$30,000.00 |
4% |
$46.15 |
$77,861.00 |
6% |
$179.67 |
$107,861.00 |
$225.82 |
Other Income and Assets
The following income and assets are those which do not have extended deeming applied to them but are still used to determine your rate of pension.
Home Assets
- Market value of household contents - $10,000.00
Miscellaneous Assets
- Car - 1994 Ford Laser with a net market value of $15,500.00
Total of Income and Assets
The total of your fortnightly income as listed above is $225.82. The total of all your assets listed above is $133,361.00.
Mock up 4
PENSIONER COUPLE, REDUCED RATE SP - REDUCTION TO NIL
INDEXATION, DEEMING CHANGES, GLOBAL
HAS SHARES
NO OTHER PAYMENT
|
Commonwealth Department of Veterans' Affairs |
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STATE OFFICE |
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AMP Place |
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10 Eagle Street |
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Brisbane QLD |
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Postal Address: |
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DANIEL MORGAN |
GPO Box 651 Brisbane QLD 4001 |
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ELIZABETH MORGAN |
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27 PARIS CLOSE |
Telephone: |
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LYONS ACT 2606 |
Metropolitan residents: (07) 3223 8333 |
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Country residents: 1800 113304 |
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Interstate residents: 1800 777634 |
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Facsimile: (07) 3223 8585 |
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10 March 1997 |
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_ |
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YOUR FILE NUMBER IS QX564213 |
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Dear Mr and Mrs Morgan
I am writing to you about your pension payment from Veterans' Affairs.
Indexation of Pensions
Service pensions, income support supplement, disability pensions, rent assistance and rent thresholds have been increased in line with movements in the consumer price index (CPI). The new rates will apply from payday 27 March 1997.
Payment Details
Your income support pension has been reduced to the Nil rate because your income and/or assets exceed the limits that allow for payment of the pension. This change to your fortnightly rate of pension applies from 27 March 1997.
Changes to Deeming Rules
In the 1996 Budget the Government announced changes to the current deeming rules. From 27 March 1997, the first $2000 (for single pensioners) or $4000 (for pensioner couples) held in financial institutions, previously assessed at the actual interest rate, will be deemed at the lower deeming interest rate, currently 4%.
Reassessment of Financial Assets
The asset values of listed shares and unit-based managed investment products have been reassessed. Details of your investments are listed in the attachment.
Fringe Benefits
As you are no longer eligible for an income support pension, you no longer qualify for fringe benefits. You should return your Pensioner Concession Card to this office.
Your Right of Review
If you do not agree with this variation, you may apply to have it reviewed by a Service Pension Review Officer at this office. If you decide to apply you must do so within 3 months of being advised of this variation. A request for review must be in writing and set out your reasons for seeking this review.
Changes You Have Already Told Us About
If you have told us recently about a change to your income and assets or your domestic situation, it may not have been processed before this letter was sent. When that change has been finalised, we will send you another letter providing details of your new pension assessment.
Your Right to Re-Apply
You may re-apply to have your income support pension restored at any time if your income and/or assets fall below the limits that would allow for payment of the pension..
If you have any questions about any of the above matters, please contact the department at the address or telephone number shown at the top of this letter.
Yours sincerely
Gary Collins
Deputy Commissioner as
Delegate of the Secretary
INCOME AND ASSETS USED TO ASSESS YOUR PAYMENT
(Information current as at 10 March 1997)
The following is a complete list of your income and assets held by the Department. If any details are incorrect or have been omitted you should notify the Department.
Savings and Cheque Accounts
Description |
Account Number |
Asset Amount |
National Australia Bank |
51-365-9722 |
$7,350.00 |
National Australia Bank |
31-278-6303 |
$3,500.00 |
Westpac Bank |
590361 |
$6,325.00 |
IMPORTANT We understand that balances in savings type accounts may fluctuate regularly.
Term Deposits and Other Accounts
Description |
Account Number |
Asset Amount |
National Australia Bank |
70-654-3218 |
$20,000.00 |
National Australia Bank |
70-654-3220 |
$25,000.00 |
Listed Securities and Unlisted Public Securities
Description |
No. of Shares |
Asset Amount |
NATIONAL AUST. BANK - $1.00 ORDINARY FULLY PAID |
8500 |
$133,195.00 |
COMMONWEALTH BANK - $2.00 ORDINARY FULLY PAID |
2750 |
$34,512.50 |
Note: Income from financial assets is deemed.
Total Financial Assets
FINANCIAL ASSETS VALUE |
INTEREST RATE |
INCOME PER FORTNIGHT |
$50,000.00 |
4% |
$76.92 |
$179,882.50 |
6% |
$415.11 |
$229,882.50 |
$492.03 |
Other Income and Assets
The following income and assets are those which do not have extended deeming applied to them but are still used to determine your rate of pension.
Home Assets
- Market value of household contents - $15,000.00
Miscellaneous Assets
- Car - 1995 Mazda 626 with a net market value of $27,500.00
Direct Income
National Aust. Bank superannuation - $871.44 per fortnight
Total of Income and Assets
The total of your fortnightly income as listed above is $1,363.47. The total of all your assets listed above is $272,382.50.