Tax return, centrelink payments, taken to pay debt?

[Queen]

I have a debt with centrelink, and 'should' be getting some Family tax that we are owed, plus family supplement plus normal tax return, and I am wondering if this money will get taken to pay off my debt, or will I get it as normal?

Or who do I ring to find out if they will take it?

I do have a payment plan in place to pay back debt.

Thanks

[Thermolicious]

We under estimated DFs income by $9000 last year and they used our supplement to pay back over payments (we ended up losing $700 of the $1700 we were expecting) if our supplement hadnt of covered it they would of used DFs tax return as well. I just called family assistance to ask http://www.centrelink.gov.au/internet/internet.nsf/contact_us/index.htm :)

[little_froglette]

hey i had a debt but only for $150 and they did not take any of it, i got it as per normal and i had to arrange a payment plan with them. go on line to their website. it's easy to use.
ha, um, hope this helped.

[floodprincess]

Centrelink may take/keep some or all of any payments they owe you to pay back the debt, but since you have a payment plan in place this is unlikely.

But they won't take your tax return to cover it, you can give it to them, but they won't (and can't) take it without your consent.

[amandaw]

Mine was a current debt (ie underestimating income this financial year because I didn't actually factor me going back to work early) and they did take it out of my tax supplement (without 'asking', but I guess that's what it's there for)

I'd imagine that because you have a payment plan in place your current return will be 'safe'

[Alexander Beetle]

Centrelink may take/keep some or all of any payments they owe you to pay back the debt, but since you have a payment plan in place this is unlikely.

But they won't take your tax return to cover it, you can give it to them, but they won't (and can't) take it without your consent.

That isn't true. last year Centrelink took my whole tax return to pay back an old debt without informing me. I had just lost my job at the time and tried to recover the money but could not.

However, if you have a payment plan in place they most likely will not touch your money.