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Nothern Territory, Tasmania & the ACT Discuss migrating to and living in Nothern Territory, Tasmania & the ACT


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Old 20-05-2008, 01:52 AM   #21 (permalink)
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Thanks again Quoll,

I now just have to find the well paid job!

Regards

Mark.
No sweat!!!!

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Old 20-05-2008, 02:07 PM   #22 (permalink)
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Dear Mark & Debbie,

We landed in Canberra last September. I work in the Public Servicea and my husband Mike is an IT Contractor also working in the Public Service. I have a 17 year old son at College and a 4 year old son who is currently in full-time pre-school care. We absolutely love Canberra! The scenery from our patio over-looking the mountain ranges is just spectacular in the South of Canberra. We have found the cost of living to be slightly higher than UK, however some things like wine is definately cheaper.
Happy to keep in touch and answer any questions to help with your move over here.

Kind regards,
Julie
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Old 20-05-2008, 04:33 PM   #23 (permalink)
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Hi Julie,

In what way is the cost of living higher in Canberra than here in uk? Is it because it is the capital.!

Claire. X
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Old 20-05-2008, 10:59 PM   #24 (permalink)
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Hi Julie,

In what way is the cost of living higher in Canberra than here in uk? Is it because it is the capital.!

Claire. X
Nah Canberra is on a par with the rest of the country - we do pay a bit more for some things because of transporting stuff from the coast but it is not that different from the rest of the country really.
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Old 04-06-2008, 01:09 AM   #25 (permalink)
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Hi Julie,

Thanks for the input and apologies for the delay in my reply.

Glad to hear you really like Canberra I think it has a really good balance and not everyone wants to live on the beach!

Is the commuting to work as easy as they say?and what sort of things do you do at the weekends?

Thanks again and speak to you soon

Mark,Debbie and co
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Old 04-06-2008, 01:35 AM   #26 (permalink)
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Hi Quoll,

Hope you are well?

Just had a question on pensions in AUS or superannuation as I believe it is called.

I understand most employers have a pension scheme with fixed rate contributions by employer and employee but are these schemes mainly still final salary or the new stakeholder schemes that most employers have now switched to in the UK?

I aslo believe that in AUS there isn't a state pension scheme so does the average Aussie fund his or her own retirement through private or company schemes?

I did have a fairy good final salary scheme with my current employer which has now been frozen and protected and I have been moved onto the hope the stock market does well type of one now! but I believe it is fairly easy to port these types of pensions around and will be interested in bringing that over to AUS.

I think it would be wise for me to consult an independent advisor nearer the time but I just wondered if you could give me a general overview of the pension question in Aus.

Many thanks and kind regards

Mark.
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Old 04-06-2008, 02:10 AM   #27 (permalink)
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OMG the Super minefield

We have a real mix AFAIK. Everyone has to contribute to a super scheme of some sort - that is compulsory and there is a minimum contribution from both employer and employee. For people who have been in super for yonks it is a no brainer - you just go along with whatever your employer offers like you have always done because chances are it isnt a bad scheme. However there are new arrangements which mean you can contribute into self managed super funds where you really do need to know what you are contributing into. Most people go into their employer funds - I dont because I am already drawing on my super from my public service employer, I have a managed fund with my current part time job. I dont self manage but I do pick the risk level I want to invest in.

What you do with the money when you retire is up to you - with some funds (like my PS one) you take an indexed pension (based on final salary) or you take it as a lump sum and roll it into some other money making venture or you have a mixture of the both of them. A lot of people buy annuities with their second fund if their first fund makes them better off with an indexed pension (the PS had very generous provisions at one time)

The aged pension is a pittance and you really do have to be very poor to access it so most people are struggling on their super. If I had known early on what I know now, I would have been paying at least 10% into super - and I would have salary sacrificed the max into super well before I did. You can sacrifice into super (super is taken out before tax is calculated) with lower tax implications.
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Old 04-06-2008, 06:14 PM   #28 (permalink)
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Hi Quoll,

Thanks for the info I think it is really the same as what has happened over here with Stakeholder pensions with a choice of risk levels and a matching contribution from your employer the more you can afford to put in the better certainly in the early years but no one really knows how this type of schemes will fair over a 20 year timescale yet!

I think I will have a couple of years to sort the long term pension thing with a bit of professional advice.

More immediate things are needing attention like shipping(or not) and accomadation!

Many thanks again

Mark.
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Old 04-06-2008, 08:44 PM   #29 (permalink)
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Hi Quoll,

Thanks for the info I think it is really the same as what has happened over here with Stakeholder pensions with a choice of risk levels and a matching contribution from your employer the more you can afford to put in the better certainly in the early years but no one really knows how this type of schemes will fair over a 20 year timescale yet!

I think I will have a couple of years to sort the long term pension thing with a bit of professional advice.

More immediate things are needing attention like shipping(or not) and accomadation!

Many thanks again

Mark.
Yup the bulk of super funds are dead scary - mine "lost" $10K almost overnight just after Christmas as the share market took a battering which scared the bejesus out of me. If your employer has one which is based on final salary then that would be the one to go for IMHO. This dependence on the financial market scares me silly. I can recommend a good financial advisor once you get here!

Meanwhile, I think shipping would also scare the bejesus out of me - the thought of packing up 25 years of accumulated junk (or, more likely, getting rid of same) fills me with horror! If I were moving to the other side of the world it would be toss the lot and keep only the small sentimental stuff! As for accommodation - hmmm, good luck with that one!
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Old 06-06-2008, 01:22 AM   #30 (permalink)
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Hi Julie,

Just like to know how you got on with the accommadtion issues when you first got to Canberra?

We have been given the name of someone to contact at the Independent property company by our settlement officer at the ACT goverment they said they can sort out the short term let and rental afterwards but just wondered if you had any problems or issues with this process?

Also interested to know what you shipped out to AUS and if you needed to buy furniture or any larger items while in Canberra-I am not sure if all the rentals come furnished or not and it doesn't seem to mention about that on the various rental property web sites we have looked at.

We plan to only bring the kids toys and personnel stuff and buy new or packages depending on rental or house purchase question further down the road.

What surburb are you in I know you said South?

Kind regards

Mark.


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