Family Assistance Legislation Amendment (Extension of Time Limits) Act 2004

Administered by Department of Social Services

Legislation au C2004A01268 In force Act

Legislation content

 

 

 

 

 

 

Family Assistance Legislation Amendment (Extension of Time Limits) Act 2004

 

No. 33, 2004

 

 

 

 

 

An Act to extend time limits in relation to family tax benefit and child care benefit, and for related purposes

 

 

Contents

1 Short title

2 Commencement

3 Schedule(s)

Schedule 1—Extension of time limits relating to family tax benefit and child care benefit

Part 1—Amendment of the A New Tax System (Family Assistance) (Administration) Act 1999

Part 2—Amendment of the Income Tax Assessment Act 1997

 

 

 

Family Assistance Legislation Amendment (Extension of Time Limits) Act 2004

No. 33, 2004

 

 

 

An Act to extend time limits in relation to family tax benefit and child care benefit, and for related purposes

[Assented to 20 April 2004]

The Parliament of Australia enacts:

1  Short title

  This Act may be cited as the Family Assistance Legislation Amendment (Extension of Time Limits) Act 2004.

2  Commencement

  This Act commences on the day on which it receives the Royal Assent.

3  Schedule(s)

  Each Act that is specified in a Schedule to this Act is amended or repealed as set out in the applicable items in the Schedule concerned, and any other item in a Schedule to this Act has effect according to its terms.


Schedule 1—Extension of time limits relating to family tax benefit and child care benefit

Part 1—Amendment of the A New Tax System (Family Assistance) (Administration) Act 1999

1  Paragraph 10(2)(b)

Omit “next income year”, substitute “2 income years immediately following that income year”.

2  Subsection 28(3)

Repeal the subsection, substitute:

Consequence where income tax returns are later lodged

 (3) If:

 (a) after the Secretary varies the determination under subsection (2), an assessment is made under the Income Tax Assessment Act 1936 for the cancellation income year for everyone (the taxpayers involved):

 (i) who was required to lodge an income tax return as mentioned in subparagraph (1)(b)(iii); and

 (ii) in respect of whom an assessment had not been made before the determination was varied; and

 (b) the Secretary is satisfied that the claimant was eligible for an amount (the recalculated amount) of family tax benefit for the cancellation days;

the Secretary must again vary the determination so that it has the effect that, for the cancellation days, the claimant is entitled to be paid:

 (c) if income tax returns for the cancellation year for the taxpayers involved were lodged with the Commissioner of Taxation during the income year that began 2 years after the beginning of the cancellation income year—the recalculated amount; or

 (d) in any other case—the lesser of:

 (i) the recalculated amount; and

 (ii) the amount that the claimant was entitled to be paid before the variation under subsection (2) was made.

3  Paragraph 49J(2)(b)

Omit “following income year”, substitute “2 income years immediately following that income year”.

4  Paragraph 154A(3)(b)

Omit “2 years”, substitute “3 years”.

5  Subsection 154A(4)

Omit “2 years”, substitute “3 years”.

6  Application of this Part

(1) The amendment made by item 1 applies to a claim for payment of family tax benefit made either before or after the commencement of this Part, if the claim is for a past period that falls wholly within the income year beginning on 1 July 2001 or any later income year.

(2) The amendment made by item 2 applies in respect of cancellation days occurring in the income year beginning on 1 July 2001 or any later income year.

(3) The amendment made by item 3 applies to a claim for payment of child care benefit made either before or after the commencement of this Part, if the claim is for a past period that falls wholly within the income year beginning on 1 July 2001 or any later income year.

(4) The amendment made by item 4 applies to a determination of taxable income made on or after 1 July 2003 (including after the commencement of this item).

(5) The amendment made by item 5 applies to tax file numbers provided either before or after the commencement of this Part to the Commissioner in respect of the income year beginning on 1 July 2001 or any later income year.


Part 2—Amendment of the Income Tax Assessment Act 1997

7  Paragraph 257(b)

Before “you”, insert “if the claim is for a period in an income year other than the 20012002 income year—”.

8  At the end of section 257

Add:

 ; and (c) if the claim is for a period in the 20012002 income year:

 (i) you lodge the claim in the 20022003 income year with an officer of the Australian Taxation Office (within the meaning of that Act) for determination by such an officer; or

 (ii) you lodge the claim in the 20032004 income year with an officer of the Commonwealth Services Delivery Agency (within the meaning of the Commonwealth Services Delivery Agency Act 1997) for determination by that officer.

9  Application

The amendments made by this Part apply to fees or commission incurred, and in relation to advice provided, either before or after the commencement of this Part.

 

 

[Minister’s second reading speech made in—

House of Representatives on 10 September 2003

Senate on 17 September 2003]

(137/03)

 

Overview

The Family Assistance Legislation Amendment (Extension of Time Limits) Act 2004 was enacted by the Parliament of Australia to extend the time limits for certain claims related to family tax benefits and child care benefits. This Act aims to provide more flexibility and support to families by allowing them to claim benefits for a longer period after the relevant income year. The legislation addresses the gap in the existing laws by amending the A New Tax System (Family Assistance) (Administration) Act 1999 and the Income Tax Assessment Act 1997 to extend the time limits for claims, ensuring that families are not disadvantaged if they miss the original deadlines. The policy objective behind this Act is to provide greater assistance and flexibility to families, helping them to access the benefits they are entitled to more easily. The Family Assistance Legislation Amendment (Extension of Time Limits) Act 2004 provides amendments to extend the time limits for claims related to family tax benefits and child care benefits, allowing families more time to claim benefits after the relevant income year. This Act was enacted by the Parliament of Australia with the intent to support families by removing potential barriers to accessing benefits and ensuring that they can claim entitlements within a reasonable timeframe. By amending the A New Tax System (Family Assistance) (Administration) Act 1999 and the Income Tax Assessment Act 1997, this legislation aims to streamline the process and provide clearer guidelines for families seeking to claim their benefits.

Scope and Application

The Family Assistance Legislation Amendment (Extension of Time Limits) Act 2004 extends the time limits for claims and payments related to family tax benefit and child care benefit. This Act applies to individuals, families, and entities involved in the administration and receipt of family assistance benefits within Australia, specifically amending the A New Tax System (Family Assistance) (Administration) Act 1999 and the Income Tax Assessment Act 1997. The amendments include extending the time for lodging claims and making determinations, providing flexibility for taxpayers to rectify errors and claim entitlements within a broader timeframe. The Act commenced on the day it received Royal Assent and applies to claims made or events occurring from the income year beginning on 1 July 2001 onwards. While the Act provides extended time limits, it does not include specific exclusions or exemptions and operates under the general provisions of the primary Acts it amends. The Act’s reach is national, affecting all claimants and administrators of family assistance benefits across Australia.

Key Provisions

The Family Assistance Legislation Amendment (Extension of Time Limits) Act 2004 (sections 1 to 9) primarily seeks to extend the time limits for the administration of family tax benefits and child care benefits. Specifically, it amends the A New Tax System (Family Assistance) (Administration) Act 1999 to extend the period for which family tax benefits can be paid from the next income year to the two income years immediately following that income year (section 1). Similarly, it extends the time frame for the payment of child care benefits (section 3). The Act also revises the conditions under which assessments can be made if income tax returns are lodged late, extending the time frame to two years after the beginning of the cancellation income year (section 2). Additionally, it extends the period for determining taxable income from two years to three years (sections 4 and 5). The Act imposes several obligations on claimants and the Secretary. Claimants must ensure that they lodge their claims within the extended time frames specified in the Act. The Secretary, on the other hand, must vary determinations to reflect the extended periods and ensure that claimants are correctly assessed for their entitlements. For example, if income tax returns for the cancellation year are lodged within the specified period, the Secretary must recalculate the family tax benefit accordingly (section 2). The Act also mandates that claims for family tax benefits and child care benefits be made within the extended periods, whether before or after the commencement of the Act (sections 1(2), 3(3), 4(2), and 5(2)). Failure to comply with the provisions of the Act may lead to civil or administrative consequences. For instance, if claimants do not lodge their claims within the extended time frames, they may be ineligible for the benefits they are claiming. Similarly, the Secretary may not be required to recalculate benefits if the conditions specified in the Act are not met. The Act does not explicitly outline criminal penalties, but non-compliance with the specified time limits and conditions could result in the denial of benefits or other administrative actions taken by the Secretary.

Legal classification tags

Area of Law
Taxation Law
Family Law
Instrument
Act
Concepts
Commencement Provisions
Reporting & Disclosure Obligations
Repeal & Amendment
Transitional Provisions

Interactions

Authorises

All Versions

Sourced from the Federal Register of Legislation at 26 August 2026. For the latest information on Australian Government law please go to https://www.legislation.gov.au.