It is important to note that we are not financial advisors and we do not provide such financial advice. However, we do understand the Centrelink Age Pension claim process and we do provide advice on that claim process.
The best way to describe how we can assist you, is to provide examples of our range of services. So lets have a look at a sample of queries:
“Am I eligible for the Age Pension?”
Many queries regarding eligibility require disclosing individuals income and assets ‘over the web’. We are conscious of that. However one of the benefits is that you are not disclosing your actual name, address, phone number etc. So we provide generic advice based on what has been provided. We also offer our Centrelink Age Pension calculator to assist in many of the basic queries. In many cases the results may be as simple as:
- "You appear to be well under the income and assets tests so you should apply."
- "You are close to the thresholds and you should seek advice from a financial advisor, your accountant, or make a booking with a Centrelink Financial Service Officer." The latter being a free service.
- "You should ring Centrelink International service, in your country, to seek clarification."
- "From the information you provided we predict your pension to be $217 pf."
“I am having trouble filling in the claim forms.”
The claim process needs to accommodate the full range of situations for all those applying for the Age Pension. In some cases the requirement includes up to 15 separate types of claim documents and several hundred questions.
However, in many cases a claim may be as simple as 2 claim forms - the claim and declaration of income and assets - and less than 40 questions. We often provide basic advice on which claim form, how to answer certain questions or provide a sample claim form page as to how to answer a particular scenario.
In most cases we try and accommodate these queries as simply as possible as a ‘free service’. The more complex queries we invite people to make a donation to support our work. Typically donations are around $50; although some have been more generous in accordance with the complexity and benefit gained.
“Could you fill in the claim forms for me?”
In this situation our steps are:
- Download electronic versions of the various claim forms that apply to your situation
- Complete the claim forms in an electronic version - usually as a PDF.
- Email the completed claim forms back to you for your approval and printing.
Then you can go to Centrelink and submit.
Usually ‘clients’ using this option simply make a donation based on what they can afford or believe to be the value of the service. Typically donations range from $40 to $100.
“I don’t want to go to or talk to Centrelink, I want you to.”
We can complete the claim forms, sign the claim on your behalf, go to Centrelink and submit those claims, answer any Centrelink queries etc. To do that we need to be assigned as a correspondence nominee - for more details on nominee assignment refer http://www.humanservices.gov.au/customer/enablers/someone-to-deal-with-us-on-your-behalf
Once again many ‘clients’ using this option use the donation option. The more complex claims have initiated donations up to $300; with some donations more generous.
In some cases ‘clients’ have requested a tax invoice.
“I want you to claim on my behalf, but I am concerned about confidentiality and providing sensitive material.”
Our preference is that where possible you do not provide any sensitive material to us. For example when claiming the Age Pension you may be required to provide ‘proof of identity’ documents such as a passport.
In these situations we would be submitting the claim with a statement indicating that the ‘client’ will be providing these details in person at a local Centrelink office. So once the claim has been submitted you would go to a Centrelink office and simply show the Centrelink staff your passport and they would record the details. The passport does not ‘leaver your hands’. Claim details need not be discussed with Centrelink. Centrelink allows 13 weeks to provide such ‘proof of identity’.
Your bank account details for receiving the Age Pension payments, may also be details we recommend not being provided to a third party. Again these private details can be submitted when showing your passport. You have 14 days to supply requested supporting claim documents to Centrelink. That is, once the claim has been submitted Centrelink may request additional/missing documents. In the case of the above bank statement - and we are unable to provide that document - you will need to do so within 14 days of the request. If you do so then your age pension payment will always be back dated to the ‘intention to claim’ date.
“I am sick of all these letters from Centrelink. Can you respond on my behalf?”
Centrelink routinely requires you to update account and situation details. You may now be living overseas and want a local agency to respond on your behalf, sign declarations etc.
There are some types of Centrelink correspondence that are not practical to be handled by a third party. For example the fortnightly declaration of income from employment. If Centrelink has deemed that you are not receiving a ‘fixed’ wage, then they may require you to report fortnightly. This may require ringing Centrelink fortnightly or we may suggest other forms of submitting such declarations.
“I have been rejected for the age pension and don’t understand why.”
Sometimes a statement provided to Centrelink can be misinterpreted. For example, a divorce settlement payment has been treated as a gift and the pension claim rejected.
These issues can be complex and before we can assist, it is more than likely we need to be assigned as a correspondence nominee - refer above. This enables us to obtain any correspondence between you and Centrelink, obtain Centrelink ‘file notes’ and discuss the case with Centrelink.
In more complex cases it may require us to act on your behalf in any appeals process.
In the basic query situation maximum effort will be made to handle the situation under the ‘donation’ scenario. The more complex situation, we may suggest a fixed quote be prepared
