A Credit Balance occurs when more money is paid back to Community and Social Services than the total of the debt(s) owing.

Credit balances must be investigated and returned to the client if appropriate.

PROCEDURE

The Site Contact (at the Community and Social Services Service Centre), responsible for identifying credit balances that exist on the Recoveries System, generates the RC10702 Clients with Outstanding Credit Balance report monthly.

Active Files
The worker reviews the report and determines the reason for the credit balance.

Note
Resolving a credit balance while the file is active ensures issues are resolved quickly and minimizes work to Community and Social Services and the Government of Alberta.

If there is an outstanding overpayment not yet entered in the Recoveries System, enters the new overpayment.

If there is no outstanding debt:

1. Enters the amount of the credit balance in LISA Client Budget under need code 1888 Credit Balance Refund for Head of Household or 1889 Credit Balance Refund for Partner

2. Manually prints an EMP 3270 Credit Balance Letter and forwards it to the client.

If the credit balance was refunded under the wrong need code (e.g., 1818 Income Not Received), enters a new overpayment to account for the credit balance.

Note
Workers using need code 1818 Income Not Received instead of need code 1888 Credit Balance Refund for Head of Household or 1889 Credit Balance Refund for Partner is the most common error preventing credit balance from clearing from the credit balance report.  Workers must use the correct need code to clear credit balances.

Closed Files
The worker reviews the report, investigates the reason for the credit balance and enters notes on the outcome of that investigation in the recovery systems.

If a credit balance is owed to a client, the worker sends all their recommendations for the issuance of credit balances to Financial Client Payments and Revenue by emailing CSS.CSRecoverySystems@gov.ab.ca. Any credit balance adjustments will be shown on the EMP 2827 Statement of Debt.

Note
Credit balances that meet the requirements of Alberta Treasury Board and Finance's Unclaimed Property Program will be referred to the program by Financial Client Payments and Revenue. The Unclaimed Personal Property and Vested Property Act requires that government locate the owner of the unclaimed property or asset and if the owner cannot be located government must register the property or asset with the Unclaimed Property Program.

Any questions regarding a credit balance on files can be directed to Financial Client Payments and Revenue by contacting CSS.CSRecoverySystems@gov.ab.ca.