mteb/FeedbackQARetrieval huggingface dataset:
COVID-19 early release of super
After you apply
It will take us up to four business days to process your application and send
your outcome letter to your myGov inbox. You may also receive an SMS
notification.
If you receive a notification from us and haven't applied to access your super
early, you need to call us or your fund as soon as possible.
If you have an Australian Prudential Regulation Authority (APRA) fund and
your application is approved, you do not need to contact us or your fund. Your
fund will make the payment to you without you needing to apply to them
directly.
The Australian Prudential Regulation Authority (APRA) have issued guidance to
super funds and expect payment to be made to members within five business days
once they have been notified by us. However, this time may increase where
funds need to contact you to clarify information. More information can be
found on APRA's websiteExternal Link.
If your fund is a state-administered fund, they need to follow the rules
of their trust deed to determine if they're allowed to release super due to
COVID-19. You will need to get confirmation from your fund, before you submit
an application, that they can release your super early and whether they
require a letter of approval (determination) from us.
If your fund is an SMSF , you will need to let them know that you have
received the letter of approval from us so they can make the payment to you.
COVID-19 early release of super
Submit an application
Applications for early release of superannuation are accepted through ATO
online services via myGov.
You can only submit one application for COVID-19 early release of super
in each financial year:

2019–20, between 20 April and 30 June 2020
2020–21, between 1 July and 24 September 2020 (Australian and New Zealand citizens and permanent residents only).

This is even if the total amount you request to be released, or the actual
amount released by your fund, is less than $10,000. For example, if you
request $8,000, you cannot make another application to request the additional
$2,000.
If you want to apply for COVID-19 early release of super in the 2020–21
financial year, you need to submit an application in that financial year, even
if you have submitted an application in 2019–20.
The application form on myGov will display all your superannuation accounts,
as reported to us by your funds. You can request the release of your super
from up to five super accounts. For example, if you want to receive a total of
$10,000 you can request $5,000 from one fund and a second $5,000 from another
fund. This must be done within one application form.
If you're a member of a self-managed super fund (SMSF) and your super account
is missing from your list of available funds in myGov, phone us on 13 10
20 and we'll help with your application.
COVID-19 early release of super
Before you apply
ATO-held super and rollovers
ATO-held super cannot be accessed directly from the ATO for a COVID-19 early
release. If you wish to access super money we currently hold for you, you will
need to transfer it to your super fund before you can apply for COVID-19 early
release of super.
You can transfer ATO-held super to an eligible fund in our online services
through myGov. You will need to wait for the transferred super to reach your
nominated fund before you apply for COVID-19 early release.
If you want to apply for COVID-19 early release and consolidate your super
into one fund, this cannot be done at the same time. You should either:

wait until the rollover to your super fund is complete before you apply for COVID-19 early release of super, or
wait until your application for COVID-19 early release of super has been approved and paid into your bank account, before you consolidate any accounts

See also:

Online services to create a myGov account and link it to the ATO.
Keeping track of your super to check your super balances.
ATO-held super
COVID-19 early release of super
Before you apply
Before you start the application process, you should:

set up your myGov accountExternal Link and link it to the ATO
have your Australian bank account information available – you will need this to complete your application and only Australian bank accounts are accepted
check your super balance – your actual account balance may be higher or lower than that shown in ATO online or in the early release application form.

There are four ways you can check your super balance:

Check your total superannuation balance in ATO online services. There will be an 'as at' or 'effective' date for the balance. In a lot of cases, it will be 30 June 2019 as funds are only required to report to us once a year. This means your account balance may have changed since it was last reported to us, and may be higher or lower than shown on ATO online or in the early release application form.
If you have access to your super fund's online member portal, you can log on and check your current account balance there. It might be a good time to establish a login to your fund portal if you haven’t already.
Check the last statement that your fund issued to you. This might be by paper or email.
Call your fund, but understand that they have had a large increase in members calling and there could be delays in having your call answered

If your fund is a state-administered fund, or you're a member of an exempt
public sector super scheme (EPSSS), you will need to confirm whether they're
allowed to release super due to COVID-19, before you submit an application.
COVID-19 early release of super
Submit an application
Current super balance
We encourage you to check your fund's online portal to confirm your current
accurate balance. Your current super balance may be lower or higher than what
is shown in the application form. The amount shown in the form is the amount
last reported to us and your fund does not need to report your current balance
to us.
You can apply for an amount higher than the balance shown in the application
form (up to $10,000), provided your current balance is sufficient. This
includes if a 'nil' amount is showing in the application form. For example, if
you've confirmed your fund balance is $8,000, but the amount showing in ATO
online is $0.00 you can still apply for a release up to $8,000.
If you apply for an amount greater than your current balance, your fund will
release the amount currently available (up to $10,000). For example, if you
request $8,000, but your current balance is only $7500 your fund will release
$7500.
COVID-19 early release of super
Eligibility
Eligibility:

Citizens and permanent residents of Australia and New Zealand
Temporary residents
Assessing your eligibility

Citizens and permanent residents of Australia and New Zealand
To be eligible for early release of super, a citizen or permanent resident of
Australia and New Zealand must be in one of the following circumstances:

You are unemployed.
You are eligible to receive one of the following 
jobseeker payment
youth allowance for jobseekers (unless you are undertaking full-time study or are a new apprentice)
parenting payment (which includes the single and partnered payments)
special benefit
farm household allowance.


On or after 1 January 2020 either 
you were made redundant
your working hours were reduced by 20% or more (including to zero)
you were a sole trader and your business was suspended or there was a reduction in turnover of 20% or more.



Temporary residents
To be eligible for early release of super in 2019–20, temporary residents must
be in one of the following circumstances:

You hold a student visa that you have held for 12 months or more and you are unable to meet immediate living expenses.
You are a temporary skilled work visa holder and still employed but unable to meet immediate living expenses.
You are a temporary resident visa holder (excluding student or skilled worker visas) and you cannot meet immediate living expenses.

Assessing your eligibility
You do not need to attach evidence to support your application. However, you
should keep records and documents to confirm your eligibility as we may ask
you for this information.
It is important that you assess your eligibility accurately. We are
administering this measure on behalf of all Australians and will manage the
eligibility criteria with strict guidelines to ensure we can support those
financially affected by COVID-19. There are penalties for making false and
misleading statements.
You can't access your super early for a dependant. If your dependant is
financially affected by COVD-19, they must apply themselves.
You can only submit one application for COVID-19 early release of super per
financial year. You are still able to apply for COVID-19 early release of
super if you have previously accessed your super early in other circumstances.
COVID-19 early release of super
Submit an application
Application tips
To make the application process as smooth as possible, please check all your
information is correct before you submit your application, including:

your contact details
the amount you request – your current balance through your fund’s online portal to ensure your request is based on the latest available balance.
your Australian bank account details – only Australian bank accounts are accepted.

You can only submit one application for COVID-19 early release of super per
financial year.
You can't access your super early for a dependant. If your dependant is
financially affected by COVD-19, they must apply themselves.
An application can't be withdrawn or cancelled once it has been submitted. If
you no longer want the release of your super, you will need to contact your
fund. If the bank account you provided on your application form is incorrect,
contact your super fund urgently to correct it.
If you notice another error in your application after you have submitted it,
you need to contact us as soon as possible to see if we can fix the error.
Next step:

Apply nowExternal Link
COVID-19 early release of super
Be aware of scams and schemes
Early access of your super is a free government service to help and
support you during the impacts of COVID-19. Be aware of scams and schemes
asking you to pay to release your super.
We’re concerned about scams or schemes where people:

impersonate the ATO, or a trusted organisation like your super fund, to steal your money or personal identifying information
approach you and charge you for services that are free, like gaining early access to your superannuation.

If you receive a phone call, text message or email offering to help you
release your super early, do not :

provide your personal information
click on any links (we never include hyperlinks to a login page)
share your myGov login details with anyone, under any circumstances, including your tax agent.

You can phone us on 1800 008 540 to confirm if a contact you received is
genuine.
Stolen or misused identity
If you are concerned that someone has accessed your super without your
permission, you should check:

your myGov and ATO Online account and make sure your contact details are still correct
your superannuation account to make sure that your account details are also correct, and that there have been no unauthorised transactions.

If you think that someone has stolen or misused your identity, contact:

your super fund immediately if you identify unauthorised transactions or updates to your account, and
our Client Identity Support Centre on 1800 467 033 (between 8.00am and 6.00pm, Monday-Friday) to help you establish your tax identity.

See also:

Illegal early release of super
Protecting your information
Your identity security - get help
Verify or report a scam
COVID-19 early release of super
Implications of accessing your super early
Accessing your super early will affect your super balance and may affect your
future retirement income.
Withdrawing superannuation may also affect your:

income protection insurance
life / total permanent disability insurance cover

Insurance may not be available on accounts that have a low balance.
You should consider whether you need to seek financial advice before
submitting your application for early release of super. Services Australia’s
Financial Information Service OfficersExternal
Link can give you free, confidential financial information
See also:

Keeping track of your super
Inactive low balance super accounts
COVID-19 accessing your superExternal Link – MoneySmart
COVID-19: Cyber security tips when working from home
Cyber security tips
Use a Virtual Private Network (VPN)
Here are nine things you can do in your new working environment to protect
your work and your household’s cyber security.
Virtual Private Network (VPN) connections are a popular method to connect
portable devices to a work network. VPNs secure your web browsing and remote
network access.
Sometimes organisations specify that you use a VPN on work devices. If this is
the case, you should familiarise yourself with your organisation’s VPN
requirements, policies and procedures.
For more information on VPNs see advice from the Canadian Centre for Cyber
Security:

Using Virtual Private Networks.
COVID-19: Cyber security tips when working from home
Cyber security tips
Use strong and unique passphrases
Here are nine things you can do in your new working environment to protect
your work and your household’s cyber security.
Passwords are passé! Strong passphrases are your first line of defence.
Enable a strong and unique passphrase on portable devices such as laptops,
mobile phones and tablets.
Use a different passphrase for each website and app, particularly those that
store your credit card details or personal information. To use the same
username (such as an email address) and passphrase for multiple accounts means
that if one is compromised, they are all at risk.
For more ACSC information, see 'Passphrases' in the:

Small Business Cyber Security Guide.
COVID-19: Cyber security tips when working from home
Cyber security tips
Update your software and operating systems
Here are nine things you can do in your new working environment to protect
your work and your household’s cyber security.
It is important to allow automatic updates on your devices and systems like
your computers, laptops, tablets and mobile phones. Often, software updates
(for operating systems and applications, for example) are developed to address
security issues. Updates also often include new security features that protect
your data and device.
For more ACSC information on updating operating systems and software, see:

Step-by-Step Guide – Turning on Automatic Updates (For Windows 10)
Step-by-Step Guide – Turning on Automatic Updates (For iMac & Macbook, and iPhone & iPad).
COVID-19: Cyber security tips when working from home
Cyber security tips
Avoid using portable storage devices
Here are nine things you can do in your new working environment to protect
your work and your household’s cyber security.
When transporting work from the office or shop to home, portable storage
devices like USB drives and cards are easily misplaced and, if access isn’t
properly controlled, can harm your computer systems with malware.
If possible, transfer files in more secure ways, such as your organisation's
cloud storage or collaboration solutions. When using USBs and external drives,
make sure they are protected with encryption and passphrases.
For more ACSC information on portable storage cyber security, see:

Quick Wins for Your Portable Devices.
COVID-19: Cyber security tips when working from home
Cyber security tips
Use trusted sources for information
Here are nine things you can do in your new working environment to protect
your work and your household’s cyber security.
Cybercriminals and other malicious actors use popular and trending topics such
as COVID-19 to spread disinformation or scam people. Impersonating, cloning or
creating websites to look genuine is one way to do this (see 'Beware of scams'
above). Producing and sharing false information on social media is another.
Be sure to only use trusted and verified information from government and
research institution’s websites. Think critically about the sources of
information that you use, and balance all evidence before believing what
people share.
For the latest COVID-19 information, see:

Australian Government COVID-19 website.
COVID-19: Cyber security tips when working from home
Cyber security tips
Secure your devices when not in use
Here are nine things you can do in your new working environment to protect
your work and your household’s cyber security.
It’s much easier to access your information if other people have access to
your devices. Do not leave your device unattended and lock your computer when
not in use, even if it's only for a short period of time.
You should also carefully consider who has access to your devices. Don’t lend
laptops to children or other members of the household using your work profile
or account. They could unintentionally share or delete important information,
or introduce malicious software to your device.
If you do share your computers or devices with family or your household, have
separate profiles so that each person logs in with a unique username and
passphrase.
For more ACSC information on good cyber security behaviours, see:

Stay Smart Online - Protecting Your Computer From Online Threats.
COVID-19: Cyber security tips when working from home
Cyber security tips
Implement multi-factor authentication
Here are nine things you can do in your new working environment to protect
your work and your household’s cyber security.
Multi-factor authentication is one of the most effective controls you can
implement to prevent unauthorised access to computers, applications and online
services. Using multiple layers of authentication makes it much harder to
access your systems. Criminals might manage to steal one type of proof of
identity (for example, your PIN) but it is very difficult to steal the correct
combination of several proofs for any given account.
Multi-factor authentication can use a combination of:

something the user knows (a passphrase, PIN or an answer to a secret question)
something the user physically possesses (such as a card, token or security key)
something the user inherently possesses (such as a fingerprint or retina pattern).

If your device supports biometric identification (such as a fingerprint scan)
it provides an additional level of security, as well as a convenient way to
unlock the device after you have logged in with your passphrase.
For more ACSC information on how to implement multi-factor authentication for
specific services, see:

Step-by-Step Guides – Turning on Two-Factor Authentication
Stay Smart Online – Two-Factor Authentication.
COVID-19: Cyber security tips when working from home
Cyber security tips
Use trusted Wi-Fi
Here are nine things you can do in your new working environment to protect
your work and your household’s cyber security.
Using free wireless internet may be tempting; it can also put your information
at risk. Free Wi-Fi by its very nature is insecure and can expose your
browsing activity to cybercriminals. Cybercriminals have also been known to
set up rogue Wi-Fi hotspots with names that look legitimate and can intercept
communications, steal your banking credentials, account passwords, and other
valuable information.
Use trusted connections when working from home, such as your home internet or
mobile internet service from your telecommunications provider.
For more ACSC information on the steps you can take to secure your Wi-Fi, see:

Stay Smart Online - Wi-Fi and Internet Connections.
COVID-19: Cyber security tips when working from home
Cyber security tips
Beware of scams
Here are nine things you can do in your new working environment to protect
your work and your household’s cyber security.
Cybercriminals see a crisis as an opportunity. Major change brings disruption,
and businesses transitioning to working from home arrangements can be an
attractive target.
Be aware that the COVID-19 pandemic will be used by cybercriminals to try to
scam people out of their money, data and to gain access to systems. While
working from home you should:

Exercise critical thinking and vigilance when you receive phone calls, messages and emails.
Exercise caution in opening messages, attachments, or clicking on links from unknown senders.
Be wary of any requests for personal details, passwords or bank details, particularly if the message conveys a sense of urgency.
If in any doubt of the communicator's identity, delay any immediate action. Re-establish communication later using contact methods that you have sourced yourself.

For more ACSC information on how to identify and protect yourself from scams
see:

Threat Update: COVID-19 Malicious Cyber Activity
Detecting Socially Engineered Messages.
Citizenship
Citizenship ceremonies
Due to the Coronavirus pandemic, in-person citizenship ceremonies have been
placed on hold.
To continue to enable conferees to become Australian citizens, the Department
is undertaking online ceremonies through video link as an alternative to
traditional in-person ceremonies. These online ceremonies will continue to be
offered as a temporary replacement to traditional in-person ceremonies until
the social distancing restrictions necessitated by the COVID-19 pandemic ease.
These ceremonies will be with the presiding officer and generally a single
conferee, or a household group if they reside at the same location. Ceremonies
performed via video link include integrity measures, such as confirming
identity.
The Department is contacting conferees with full details of the process. There
is no need to contact the Department or your local council about your
ceremony.
In-person citizenship ceremonies will re-commence when it is safe to do so.
Generally, conferees have 12 months from their notice of approval to attend a
ceremony and make the pledge of commitment, however, during the COVID-19
period, citizenship approval will not be cancelled if a conferee cannot attend
a ceremony within this 12 month period.
For more information, see the Minister’s statement on Australian citizenship
processing
Cleaning to prevent the spread of COVID-19
What should I use for routine cleaning?
Hard surfaces
In most circumstances, cleaning with detergent and water is sufficient.
Soft or porous surfaces
For soft or porous surfaces like fabric or leather, seek advice from the
manufacturer of the item to be cleaned about which products can be safely
used.
Detergent can generally be used to clean fabric surfaces. If more thorough
cleaning is needed, fabric surfaces may be steam cleaned. Leather will have
special cleaning requirements.
If soft or porous surfaces require regular cleaning, such as seats in offices,
or in vehicles, it may be more effective to use a removable washable cover or
a disposable cover and replace these as regularly as you would clean the
surfaces.
Cleaning to prevent the spread of COVID-19
Using disinfectants safely
Follow all manufacturer’s instructions and read the label and the Safety Data
Sheet (SDS). For information on how to read labels and SDS, see the Safe Work
Australia SDS page.
Do not use different types of disinfectants together.
Store your disinfectants safely and securely, out of direct sunlight and away
from heat sources.
Mix your disinfectants in a well-ventilated area. Some concentrated products
recommend the use of a local exhaust ventilation system.
For spraying or misting products, spray directly into the cleaning cloth to
dampen the cloth for use. Take care not to generate a mist.
PPE to use when diluting and using disinfectants includes:

gloves, elbow-length if available, and
eye protection (safety glasses, not prescription glasses).