Sids Dad

I have an old e-mail that says that Im giving him $2000 for agreeing to be my assurer and at the end of ten years he can also have the interest. ironically he didn't make the income criteria and I had to scramble to get another assurer to make up the shortfall which turned out that he could have done it himself and I wouldn't have needed this cretin at all. What saddens me is that because he was still the prime assurer he was sent a letter of impending release of the bond more than two months before we did. I dont even think that our second insurer got a letter or if he did it must have gone to his address of some ten years ago. We feel that we would have been ok if all parties had to sign for its release. Unfortunately that's not the case and he has robbed two pensioners of money we badly needed. I can only chase this so far but as some of the comments say, technically it was he who owned the account. I now have found out his place of work and if all is lost then I can at least will name and shame him on here and social media. Won't made a lot of difference but as least it will make me feel a little better.

Yeah, we did get as far as a company to provide AOS and they wanted $18000 to do it! When we had the offer from our sons pal we jumped at it. I'm not sure anyone else wouldn't do the same. It has turned out bad but on the bright side we live near Byron Bay and although we have lost a significant amount of money and our dreams of travelling around Australia we count ourselves lucky that we are upright and breathing!

Yeah, hindsight is a great thing, it was ten years ago and yes we were in a panicky state, I even sent him $2000 for his efforts! he now says I told him the money was his! Now if that was the case and he ripped the money out as soon as possible last October, he would have contacted us to say thank you very much? The guys a crook and he has ripped us off

No idea, this is still too fresh but I'm thinking it would proberbly cost me as much to do that?

No, in fact it ended up a pure panic as my agent didn't realise that an AOS was even required! Everything was done in a blind panic as we were in danger of getting out application refused

We applied for our permanent residency as Contributing parents in 2007. To gain this we had to bond $14000 for ten years. At the time our son who was our only sibling, could not be our Assurance of Support as he did not have the required three years of employment as he was only working part time and preferred life on a boat. We therefore had to find another assurer who had to be an Australian citizen. After a lot of panicking due to the prospect of losing our application, he found a mate who would act as our AOS. This itself was problematic but he then got another friend who could make up the shortfall. we were relieved and thankful and I Sent $2000 to the principle AOS person and bought an expensive camera on our arrival for the second guy. As required our AOS has to open an account with the Commonwealth Bank and I sent the $14k. This is then tied to Centrelink as insurance for ten years that should we need assistance then this money would be drawn upon. Fast forward ten years and in January this year I received a short letter informing me that the ten year bond has now expired and if I needed any other info contact this number! I waited a few weeks and nothing transpired and as we had lost contact with the first assurer I contacted the second as we have remained in contact with as he is still a good friend of our sons. After further investigation we found that they had sent his letter to a ten year old address! Ok so now we are off and running I mailed him an online application form to fill in and send to release the funds. That was back in March, I tried ringing ( you have to hang on the phone for well over an hour) only to be told that they can only discuss this with the assurer. So after the first call that he got through on he was told it would be another eight weeks! That came and went and yesterday he got the bombshell! As he was not the principle assurer they cannot discuss it with him! Ok, I'm not panicking yet I thought, let's see if we can find my sons other mate whom he still had a phone number of. I eventually rang him and was very abrupt and quiet. I said have you received a letter regarding the AOS he said yes months ago. I said yeah that's the one it's to release my bond. What are you talking about? That money is mine! I cannot believe it I said your having a laugh aren't you, no he said, you said it was mine! No is said I actually sent you a mail thanking you and said you could have any interest accrued (.5%). I said I would gladly give up the money if he could send me any correspondence to that effect. He put the phone down on me. The lesson here folks is only take a stranger as your AOS if you are desperate, lesson two ask for TWO signatures on any withdrawal. I tried yesterday to find out if the funds have gone, first the Commonwealth Bank but due to privacy Laws they won't even tell me if it's been withdrawn. I'm now spitting bullets as I headed of to Centrelink. I got this pleasant lady on the phone who listened intently only to say although she had looked up my file number, details etc but was again unable to tell me anything and after twenty minutes decided to transfer my to the number that you hang on for over an hour! I eventually put the phone down and left disgusted. sorry that this is long winded but I think it's important that anyone who is in the process or are waiting for their bond to be released to be aware of what can happen. The whole process of receiving a letter of release does not give you any broader info other than its release due date. The whole Government process needs looking at and take it from me Centrelink do not have a clue about AOS and will pass you from pillar to post. its plain now that our $14k has been taken but the account was opened in his name so he is the only one anyone will deal with so I cannot see any way if revovering it.

What a debacle, my assurer texted me today to say he hung on the phone for over an hour to be told that the wait is 18 weeks from when he first claimed! By my reckoning it will be the end of June before the bond is released! When I think that the money we paid ($14,000) had to be lodged within a fortnight at the time! So having to wait until June after receiving the letter in January borders on the criminal! i just hope that others will be aware of this wait, ours was a ten year bond so we are close to our seventies now! Maybe they thought that we would have fallen off our perches and that it would have fallen through the cracks! Ha ha, good old government snailsville. one of the pointers I would give anyone going through the process is not to engage Centrelink at all, they have wasted hours of my time as they have no clue as to the process and constantly gave out mis information. Very frustrating to say the least. as was pointed out the letter you receive only says that the bond duration is now up. The person who is actually the assurer is the only one they will engage with.

Thank you for the link but I have seen this form and I should maybe have expanded a bit more. My problem is that even though I supplied the bond it's the assurer that has to apply for the release of the funds and after speaking to him he does not remember any of the account details ( ten years ago!) I feel I need to try and prise this info from Centrelink somehow but getting someone to help is proving difficult to say the least. If he filled in the form it would be lacking in info like the receipts and account number. I'm wondering if there is face to face help I can get? cheers.

I have received a letter from Centrelink informing us that the assurance of support has now expired. To be honest there is no other details except to name the assurer. No info except to give a phone number for any further info that may be required. i paid a visit to the nearest Centrelink whom informed me that I should ring the international department as they deal with it. I rang and the first person I spoke with said " we get this all the time but it's really Centrelink that deals with it, hold on I will have a look for you. I held for over 30 minutes before thinking she had disappeared! I rang again and got another person who said I need to get through to another department but that she would bump me up to avoid going back to the bottom of the People waiting! I held for another forty minutes before I had to go! does anyone know what the procedure is to reclaim our bond?

Thanks Andy, do you know how long after I have left the Uk would this be irrelevant? Like you said I adhered to the QROPS regs etc but I'm staggered that after being here seven years that there is any interest. It's not as if I'm holding millions of dollars only a paltry $500,00 or so. What about the thousands paid in from my years working in Australia? How does that get accounted? Cheers for the quick reply too.

Hi, I have been in Australia as a permanent resident since 2009. I gathered up all the various pensions that were taken out with various employers over the years and put them in one fund prior to transferring them into a new super fund which was opened by my new employer. I subsequently worked for the next four years adding as much to the fund as was possible. I have now been retired for 2 1/2 years and receiving a super payment as well as a monthly UK one. this has worked well until last week when I contacted my Super fund to ask for a lump sum of $4500 which I needed over and above my regular pension payment. I was assured that it would take three working days to clear into my bank. yesterday my financial advisor rang to say that there was a bit of a delay as the UK tax office requires information before it could be released? I had to reel off my NI number and the date of my entry into Australia! This beggars belief as I was originally told that my Super could be accessed much like a bank. I'm at a loss to know what business it is of anyone let alone the U.K. Tax office to require this sort of information? my advisor ( assistant) could not give me a proper answer except to say it had something to do with the bulk of the Super was transferred from U.K. Pension funds? At the time it was all done through proper channels regarding money laundering etc, all relevant paperwork was completed and successfully submitted. i would love to know if this will be an ongoing problem if I so wish to withdraw a lump sum in the future?

Petals you should check your State rules as in NSW the rego is free for pensioners as is the driving licence, I'm just asking about which card I need, I actually have both the Commonwealth Health Card and the Seniors Card.

Think your living in the wrong State Skani, pensioners in NSW get their Rego free and also if they renew their driving licence it's also free.

Thanks Ellie, it looks like the others need to catch up, glad I posted as they now know what I already did. My problem though is Do I qualify with just these cards? I guess the easiest way is to drop by the RTA office. I already know that I will get a six month refund on my renewed drivers licence as I paid in full last November then turned 65 in June.

Can anyone tell me if having a Commonwealth Seniors Card or Health Card can get me free Rego? Im thinking maybe I have to be an Australian citizen drawing an Aussie pension to get this? i have had a look at the Gov site but cannot get any way forward to see if I qualify only mentions a Seniors card? any help would be helpful.