Salary Benefit Card FAQs
Overview of the Salary Benefit Card account
The organisation (your employer) establishes and ‘owns’ a CSB Salary Benefit account facility. Each employee will be an additional cardholder to the organisation’s CSB Salary Benefit account – holding their own individual Salary Benefit Card. Employees use the card to draw down on employer allocated funds to pay for products and services. Examples of what can be purchased include groceries, fuel or household expenses.
What is the role of the Verifying Officer/Administrator?
Your employer will nominate at least two Verifying Officers or Administrators for the organisation’s Salary Benefit accounts. The Verifying Officer’s role is to:
- Act as a point of contact for CSB staff to discuss changes, transactions and any other issues relating to the Salary Benefit Cards including overdrawn accounts
- Authorise the opening and closing of accounts and adding of non-titled members
- Authorise card ordering and/or cancelling
- Obtain account and transactional information on all Salary Benefit Cards
- Sign, date and verify all photocopies of identification and any other photocopies of original documents
- Monitor accounts using No Withdrawals e-banking Access
What restrictions apply to the Salary Benefit Card account?
The Salary Benefit Card product is compliant in terms of taxation requirements through an Australian Taxation Office (ATO) Class Ruling (CR 2007/15).
Following is a list of restrictions that apply to the salary benefit card under the ATO Class Ruling:
- No cash withdrawals
- No cheque book facilities
- No Internet Banking facilities
- Cardholders cannot transfer funds into other personal bank accounts
- No in-branch transactions
- No direct debits using card numbers
- No PIN to be issued (no access to ATM’s)
Can I make cash transactions with this card?
No. You will not be able to access cash using this card. You will not be able to use ATM’s or get cash out using an EFTPOS terminal.
Can I pay off my rent or home loan with this card?
Yes you can pay your rent or home loan with your Salary Benefit Card. To set up a periodical payment, simply complete the Salary Benefits Card Periodical Payment Authority Form OA481a and post to CSB for processing. A new payment must be set-up using an original form, a payment cannot be set-up from a faxed or email form. For more information see How to Complete a Periodical Payment Authority Form.
You can also set-up a one-off periodical payment using the same process. Note, that CSB requires the original copy of the periodical payment authority form to establish a one-off payment.
Periodical payments can be made to a loan with a redraw facility, but not to a mortgage with an offset account or a line of credit mortgage.
How do I make a change to my Periodical Payment?
To amend an existing Periodical Payment, you will have to complete a new Periodical Payment Authority Form (OA481a). This can be faxed, emailed or posted to CSB for processing.
The details of an existing payment that can be amended are: first/final payment date, payment frequency, payment amount and payment reference. For more information see How to Complete a Periodical Payment Authority Form.
If you wish to amend the payee details, you must first cancel the periodical payment and post a new payment request to CSB.
Can I set up Direct Debits on these accounts?
Yes, direct debits can be set up using your BSB and account number only. Ensure that you do not set up a direct debit using your card number.
What will happen if my Periodical Payment or Direct Debit does not go through?
If your account has insufficient funds when your periodical payment is scheduled to be made or you provide CSB with the incorrect payee details, the payment will reject and you will be charged a non-refundable periodical payment rejection fee of $20.00. Attempts to process your payment will be made on four consecutive days before the fee is charged.
If your account has insufficient funds when your direct debit is scheduled to be made, the payment will reject and you will be charged a non-refundable direct debit dishonour fee of $40.00.
Can I use BPAY® or transfer money from my account using e-banking?
No you cannot transfer money from you account using e-banking, using this facility you can:
- Review the balance of the account to determine the current and available balance;
- Review the transaction history of the account;
- Perform selected transaction enquiries;
- Select an individual or range of transactions on a nominated account for closer examination; and
- Access secure e-mail which enables the administrator of the account and you to send and receive (secure) message to and from Bendigo Bank
No other e-banking facilities, such as BPAY ® Bill Payments or transfers, are available.
To obtain your restricted ("No Withdrawals") e-banking access, call Bendigo On-call on 1300 366 666 (open 8:00am to 8:00pm weekdays, Saturdays 9:00am to 4:00pm and Sundays 10:00am to 4:00pm) and press 0 (zero) to speak with a consultant. A password to your access ID will be provided to you.
Will I get a PIN (Personal Identification Number) with my card?
No, you will not be issued a PIN with the Salary Benefit Card. To ensure the product remains compliant with FBT legislation a PIN cannot be issued.
Can I use my account overseas?
You can use your Salary Benefit Card anywhere that MasterCard is accepted. Please contact CSB on 1300 550 603 (Mon – Fri 8:30am to 6:00pm EDST) to advise of the details and locations of where you will be travelling overseas.
Note, some locations will require the use of a PIN as an additional form of verification, so in this instance your card cannot be used.
Can I deposit extra money to the card?
No, the only funds that can be deposited to your card are your salary-sacrificed wage payments from your employer.
Can I pay my credit card with my Salary Benefit Card?
Yes, you can pay your credit card using your Salary Benefit Card. This can be done by setting up a periodical payment to your credit card account. Note, you will need to have a BSB and account number for the payment to be made as CSB cannot set up a periodical payment to a card number.
To set up a periodical payment, simply complete the Salary Benefits Card Periodical Payment Authority Form OA481a and post to CSB for processing. A new payment must be set-up using an original form, a payment cannot be set-up from a faxed or email form. For more information see How to Complete a Periodical Payment Authority Form.
Alternatively, you can set up a direct debit through another financial institution using the BSB and account number from you salary benefit card.
Can I make superannuation contributions using my Salary Benefit Card?
Yes, you can use the card to make superannuation contributions. Note, additional contributions would be treated as employer contribution (preserved funds) as they are coming out of your pre-tax income. You would also need to take care that aged based superannuation limits are not exceeded.
Can I build up a large amount of money to pay for a large purchase?
There may be adverse tax implications if you have a credit balance at the end of each Fringe Benefit Tax Year. Please contact your employer for more details.
What happens when I leave the organisation?
When you cease employment with your organisation, your Salary Benefit Card must be returned to CSB and your account closed. Each organisation will have different procedures relating to the cessation of employment. Please contact your employer or CSB for more information about the account closure process.
How can I obtain the available balance on my account/card?
You will be given restricted (“No Withdrawals”) e-banking access on these accounts, which will give you access to your available balances, transaction history and will allow you to print statements.
You can also ring Bendigo Bank On-call on 1300 366 666 to obtain your available balance. When contacting On-call, press 0 (zero) to speak to a consultant who will request your card or account number and the verbal password you nominated on your account opening application.
Bendigo Bank On-call is available 8:00am to 8:00pm on weekdays, 9:00am to 4:00pm Saturdays and 10:00am to 4:00pm on Sundays. All other enquiries, other than available balances, should be directed to CSB Operations Centre on 1300 550 603 Monday to Friday 9:00am to 5:00pm EST.
How can I use the funds in my Salary Benefit Card account?
You are able to use this card to pay:
- Bills – see your bill for details about credit card payment options;
- Retail purchases – you are able to use this card at any shop that accepts MasterCard. Swipe the card through the EFTPOS terminal, select the “Credit” account option and sign the receipt for the purchase
- Periodical Payments and Direct Debits – you can set up either payment using your BSB and Account number
Will I be charged any fees?
Fees and charges* that apply to this account:
- A $2 Monthly Service Fee and a $3 MasterCard Debit Card Fee will charged on the first day of each month
- The following non-refundable penalty fees may apply to your account:
- $20 Periodical Payment Rejection Fee
- $40 Direct Debit Dishonour Fee
- $27.50 Overdrawn Account Fee
* Please note that all fees and charges are subject to change. Refer to the Part Two of CSB’s Terms and Conditions - Schedule of Fees, Charges and Transaction Account Rebates for Community Sector Banking Business Accounts for further information.
How can my account become overdrawn?
Your account can become overdrawn by:
- A Periodical Payment Rejection Fee, Direct Debit Dishonour Fee, Monthly Account-Keeping Fee or Overdrawn Account Fee; and/or
- Making a retail purchase when there are insufficient funds in your account to cover the cost of the purchase. This may occur when the merchant’s EFTPOS terminal cannot communicate with the Bank to confirm there are sufficient funds in your account
The organisation’s administrator is the first point of contact for all Salary Benefit Card enquiries and will be notified if any Salary Benefit Card account becomes overdrawn.
You may be charged a $27.50 Overdrawn Account Fee in any of the above circumstances.
What should I do if my card is lost or stolen?
For Lost/Stolen cards, contact CSB on 1300 550 603 during business hours to report this and to cancel your card.
Outside of business hours, call 1800 035 383 to report the loss/theft of your card and to cancel your card. Contact CSB on 1300 550 603 the next working day to have your card reordered.
What is the difference between the current and available balance?
The current balance is the amount of funds in your account and is current as of the last time the bank posted transactions to your account (transactions made may not have yet appeared in the balance eg. cheques that have not yet been presented).
The available balance is the current balance less any amounts that are on hold (transactions pending eg. credit card purchases or cheque deposits).
Please note:
To obtain your restricted (“No Withdrawals”) e-banking access, call Bendigo On-call on 1300 366 666 (open 8:00am to 8:00pm weekdays, Saturdays 9:00am to 4:00pm and Sundays 10:00am to 4:00pm) and press 0 (zero) to speak with a consultant. A password to your access ID will be provided to you.
All original documentation should be sent directly to PO Box 585 Corrimal NSW 2518.
The contact numbers within this document are the only numbers you will need to use with this card. As the Salary Benefit Card is a specific CSB banking product, enquiries about this card cannot be made at a Bendigo Bank or Community Bank Branch. Please contact CSB directly for all other enquiries on 1300 550 603 (8:30am to 6:00pm) or
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