Table of contents
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Table of contents
- 1 – Introduction
- 2 – Types of matters that may be assisted
- 3 – Criminal law guidelines
- 4 – Commonwealth family law and child support guidelines
- 5 – Commonwealth civil law guidelines
- 6 – State family guidelines
- 7 – State civil law guidelines
- 8 – Public interest and strategic litigation
- 9 – Standard grants assessment process
- 10 – Simplified grants assessment process
- 11 – Referral and practitioner panels
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12 – Means test
- Whose income and assets are assessed in the means test?
- Income test
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Assets test
- How the initial contribution is calculated based on assets
- How the value of assets is calculated
- What is included as assets
- Allowable assets
- Farm or business – special rule for calculating equity
- Documentary proof of means
- 13 – Commonwealth merits test
- 14 – State reasonableness test and interests of justice test
- 15 – Special circumstances
- 16 – Applying for a grant of legal assistance
- 17 – Decision to grant or refuse assistance
- 18 – Reconsideration and review of decisions
- 19 – Standard terms and conditions
- 20 – Contributions and overdue payments
- 21 – Abandoning legal assistance
- 22 – Finalising grants of legal assistance
- 23 – Allocation of work to lawyers and law firms
- 24 – Payments to lawyers and service providers
- 25 – Compliance reviews
- 26 – Privacy protection
- 27 – Complaints and feedback
- Topic index
- Invoice, worksheets and forms
- Contact us
How the value of assets is calculated
When VLA calculates the value of the assets of the person for the purpose of the means test, VLA subtracts allowable assets from the total value of the assets.
Purpose
VLA uses the result of the calculation of a person’s assets to decide:
- whether the person qualifies for the grant of legal assistance under the assets test
and, if so, - the amount of any initial contribution VLA may require the person to pay towards their legal costs.
Giving information and documentary proof of assets and any allowable assets
The person applying for a grant of legal assistance must give their lawyer (if using the simplified grants assessments process) or VLA (if using the standard grants assessments process) documentary proof of assets and documentary proof of allowable assets.