---
title: "Advise on a member of a couple decision"
url: "https://ailawframework.com/practice/social-security-and-veterans-entitlements/advise-on-a-member-of-a-couple-decision"
type: "task"
site: "AI Law Framework"
id: "A56-P20261018-3"
practice_area: "Social Security & Veterans' Entitlements"
tier: "red"
lawyer_review: "required"
last_reviewed: "2026-10-22"
---

# Advise on a member of a couple decision

> 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.

Canonical page: https://ailawframework.com/practice/social-security-and-veterans-entitlements/advise-on-a-member-of-a-couple-decision  
Last reviewed: 2026-10-22

Site index for agents: https://ailawframework.com/llms.txt

## Key facts

| Fact | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Practice area | [Social Security & Veterans' Entitlements](https://ailawframework.com/practice/social-security-and-veterans-entitlements.md) |
| Human involvement | Red: Lawyer writes; AI may check, clarify or collect data |
| How AI is used | 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. |
| What the lawyer must review | 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. |
| Written for / versions | 1 jurisdiction versions below |

## Checking plan

**Lawyer-led judgement**

The lawyer makes the substantive assessment. Any permitted AI assistance remains supporting work with its own checks.

- What the AI does: 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.
- What the lawyer does: 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.
- Who reviews: Responsible lawyer with competence in the matter
- Basis: Practical workflow informed by the linked primary sources; the traffic light and working checks are editorial guidance, not a court classification.
- Why: The level reflects what the work is, the consequence of an error, and how much of the output the lawyer must independently re-derive.
- Restriction: The lawyer makes the substantive assessment. Any permitted AI assistance remains supporting work with its own checks.

## Checks the lawyer makes

1. Check each fact in the table against its source and mark facts resting only on the client's account.
2. Confirm the advice addresses all five factors rather than one or two.
3. Consider family violence and safety before advising on contact with the other person or their records.
4. Where s 24 is raised, confirm the circumstances are unusual enough and that other avenues have been explored.

## Notes

- These are suggested working checks. Confirm the required checking with the responsible lawyer before work starts; the checking approach does not establish permission to use AI.

## Sources

- [Guide to Social Security Law 1.1.M.120: Member of a couple](https://guides.dss.gov.au/social-security-guide/1/1/m/120) (checked 2026-10-18)
- [Guide to Social Security Law 2.2.5.40: Discretion to treat a person as not a member of a couple (s 24)](https://guides.dss.gov.au/social-security-guide/2/2/5/40) (checked 2026-10-18)

## Forms and precedents for this task

| Form or precedent | Kind | AI level | Summary |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| [Member of a couple: factors worksheet](https://ailawframework.com/precedents/social-security-and-veterans-entitlements/member-of-a-couple-factors-worksheet.md) | Checklist | Yellow | A worksheet of the five factors in Social Security Guide topic 2.2.5.30, used to gather documents before anyone forms an opinion about whether two people are a couple. |

Signed-in accounts can read the full text of each one.

## Jurisdiction versions

| Jurisdiction | Level |
| --- | --- |
| [United States](https://ailawframework.com/practice/social-security-and-veterans-entitlements/advise-on-a-member-of-a-couple-decision/united-states.md) | Red |

*Practice guidance for planning and review. Confirm current primary sources and the requirements of the actual matter. This is general information, not legal advice.*