Social Security & Veterans' Entitlements

From the Centrelink or DVA letters the lawyer uploads, extract each decision, the provision named, the amount of any debt, the date of notice, and the review deadlines that apply to it: the 13-week arrears point, any 90-day or 28-day limit, the second-review deadline, or the VRB 12-month and 3-month dates.

The lawyer confirms each date against the letter and when it was received, decides which limit applies to the decision type, and diarises it.

Working with the lawyer, lay out the payment history and the client's actual earnings fortnight by fortnight from payslips and bank records, apply the rate rules the lawyer specifies, and show the difference between what was paid and what was payable in each fortnight.

The lawyer chooses the rate rules, recomputes each fortnight independently, checks no income has been averaged or apportioned without a legal basis, and decides whether a debt exists and in what amount.

From the file, extract the client's circumstances, the cause of the debt and any statements the client made to Centrelink into a table set against the waiver and write-off provisions the lawyer names. The tool does not write the advice.

The lawyer decides whether the debt arose from a knowing false statement, whether special circumstances other than financial hardship alone make waiver desirable, whether write-off is the better course, and writes the advice.

Working with the lawyer from the decision letter, the debt reconciliation or impairment table and the firm's template, draft the formal review request with the decision, the outcome sought, the grounds and the further evidence enclosed.

The lawyer settles the grounds, checks every fact against the records, asks for repayments to be paused where a debt is involved, and confirms the request is lodged in time to keep arrears.

Working with the lawyer from the medical reports, extract for each condition the diagnosis, treatment, whether it is said to be stabilised, and the functional findings, and set them against the descriptors of the Impairment Table the lawyer selects, with report and page references.

The lawyer decides which Tables apply by claim date, whether each condition is diagnosed, reasonably treated and stabilised, what rating each Table supports, and whether the 20-point and Program of Support rules are met.

Working with the lawyer from the ARO decision, the reconciliation or impairment table and the evidence, draft the facts with references and the contentions for the lawyer to settle.

The lawyer settles every contention, checks each fact and each authority against an independent source, and decides whether AI use must be disclosed.

The tool writes nothing into the statement or statutory declaration. It may produce a strictly tabular, source-tagged list of the records the client refers to and check the signed document against the forum's formal requirements.

The lawyer takes the client's account of their income, relationship, service or symptoms in the client's own words and confirms it reflects their own knowledge before it is signed.

Index the service records, ADF and civilian medical records and the DVA claim file the lawyer supplies, with date, author, document type, the condition each record concerns and page references.

The lawyer checks the index against the records, identifies gaps in service or medical history, and decides what further records to request.

Working with the lawyer, set out the factors in the Statement of Principles the lawyer identifies for the condition and, against each, the service and medical evidence from the indexed records with page references.

The lawyer decides the type of service and so which SoP and standard of proof applies, which factor is met, whether the most beneficial version of the SoP applies, and what further evidence is needed.

Working with the lawyer from the decision, the SoP table and the evidence, draft the application and the written reasons why the veteran disagrees with the decision, with the further evidence attached.

The lawyer settles the reasons, checks each reference to evidence and to the SoP, confirms which Act and time limit apply, and confirms the veteran approves the application.

From the claim history, service dates and earlier decisions, extract a dated table of every claim, the Act it was made under and any payments being received. The tool does not write the advice.

The lawyer decides which Act governs each claim under the VETS Act transition, what entitlements and review routes follow, how permanent impairment would be assessed under the MRCA, whether a lump-sum choice is in the veteran's interest, and when financial advice is needed.

Working with the lawyer from the Tribunal's first review decision and reasons, draft the second review application with the decision, the grounds and the outcome sought.

The lawyer decides whether a second review is worth pursuing on the reasons, settles the grounds, and confirms the application is lodged within 28 days of receiving the first review decision.

Working with the lawyer from the file chronology and the client's instructions, draft the extension of time application in the Tribunal's form, setting out the delay, its reasons and the merits in brief.

The lawyer checks each reason for delay against the records, settles the merits summary, and prepares for Centrelink opposing the application.

From the client's documents and instructions, extract the facts relevant to each of the five factors the Act uses to form an opinion about a relationship into a table with sources. The tool does not write the advice.

The lawyer decides whether the client is a member of a couple, whether they are living separately and apart, whether the s 24 special reason discretion could apply, and writes the advice.

Working with the lawyer from the debt notice, the client's income and expenses and the review status, draft the request to pause or change repayments with the grounds and supporting documents.

The lawyer confirms the ground relied on (a pending review, hardship, crisis or a declared disaster), checks the financial details against records, and confirms the client agrees to any repayment rate proposed.

Working with the lawyer from the impairment table map, draft the letter to the treating doctor or specialist listing the conditions, the questions the Impairment Tables and the diagnosed, treated and stabilised test require, and the records enclosed.

The lawyer settles the questions so they do not suggest answers, confirms which Tables apply by claim date, and confirms the client consents to the records being sent.

Working with the lawyer from DVA's decision and the medical evidence, set out each accepted condition, the impairment points and lifestyle rating DVA assigned, and the evidence bearing on each, with references.

The lawyer decides whether each rating is supported, whether conditions have stabilised, whether the combined rating and compensation were correctly derived, and whether to seek review.

From the VRB's correspondence and directions, extract each step (outreach, conferences, evidence deadlines and hearing dates) into a timeline with the source of each date.

The lawyer checks each date against the correspondence and plans the evidence to meet each step.

From the Board's decision and reasons and the evidence, extract the findings, the SoP factors decided and the evidence the Board relied on into a table. The tool does not write the advice.

The lawyer advises on the prospects in the Administrative Review Tribunal, the more formal and adversarial setting, the need for legal representation, costs and timing.