Julian927
-
Posts
105 -
Joined
-
Last visited
Content Type
Profiles
Forums
Gallery
Articles
Everything posted by Julian927
-
Our pension was decreed, by HMRC, as no longer QROPS. However we still need to report our annual pension. My question is which HMRC form do I have to use to report to them....as I am aware that we have to continue to tell them for 10 years.
-
When we moved to Australia in 2010 they were the best of three companies that quoted us. We have stuck with them because they are easy to deal with and quick. I transferred an amount last week and the dollars where in my Westpac account in 12 hours.
-
We regularly use UKForex and have never been charged for transfers into our Westpac account
-
Chn born in Australia - how do they gain dual Britsh Citizenship?
Julian927 replied to Julian927's topic in Aussie Chat
Thank you to everyone for your helpful replies. -
Can anyone tell me what my daughter and son in law need to do to ensure that their children can have British citizenship and when a little older British passports. Both parents were brought up in Britain and emigrated to Australia where the children were born. i have looked at various websites and become totally confused. Help gratefully accepted.
-
Can anyone explain this. Our daughter lodged our AOS with Commonwealth Bank (CBA) in 2010....she has been receiving almost identical sums of interest every six months at approximately $480 a time, so we assumed that it was on a fixed interest rate for the 10 years, which would make sense as it is lodged for a 10 year period. Suddenly this November the amount received was $197, a drop of $283. Has this happened to anybody else? Julie
-
I may have posted this in the wrong forum, in the first place, apologies if that is the case. Just doing my return to HMRC on their fairly new online APSS253 form, which incidentally cannot be saved if you get half way through and get stuck! (Not very user friendly that feature). Have come to the question, "Has the member flexibly accessed their benefit?" I have no idea what they mean. We take our pension form our Superannuation (Qrops registered) in one lump sum, normally between April 6th and June 30th in order not to fall foul between the two tax years......but this question has me foxed. Does it mean I can flexibly choose the amount I take and when or what? I have read some of the notes online and they are not clear to me. Anyone help? Julie
-
We use Ukforex. Very easy to set up and all done online. We have used them since 2008 and have never had a problem. Good rates too. Regards Ian
-
Not sure where to post this query. I cannot believe that we have almost been here for 4 years. At the end of this month we are eligible to submit an application to become Australian Citizens. I am attempting to complete the form 1290 and have reached question 18. "Have you ever held an Australian Visa other than your current permanent visa?" Not sure whether to answer yes or no. What about the ETAs (Travel Visas) that we held when we came over on holiday a couple of times prior to emigrating? Do those count? If so how can I find out what date I had them? Can anyone help? Thanks. Julie
-
Not particularly recently, we came over almost 4 years ago, we shopped around and paid 220 GBP at Maidenhead.
-
There may be some hope on the horizon as this appeared in the Telegraph at the beginning of September. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/personalfinance/offshorefinance/9519928/Britain-agrees-to-open-frozen-pension-talks-with-Australia.html Ian
-
We have just received a "Clean Energy Rebate" into our bank account ($110), no information or reasoning....but we assume it was triggered by my husband applying for his Commonwealth Health Card. Julie
-
So sorry to hear that. Is it in Australia or UK?
-
If you look here it tells you more. http://www.ato.gov.au/individuals/content.aspx?doc=/content/00313898.htm The bottom line is your Tax Agent should have told you that it can be deducted. Simon Harvey from Global Qrops told us about it before we left the UK. The State Pension 8% can just be deducted....I also have a Teachers Pension and I had to complete a form to obtain the UPP price for that pension. I only had to complete it once and it can now be deducted also. I would suggest taking a quick look at the website, then contacting your Tax Agent and ask them to make the UPP deduction and correct the previous year's mistake at the same time. Julie
-
If you have to complete an Australian Tax Return, under the Income Section you have to declare any foreign pension, having first changed it into dollars using their conversion figure - this year was (0.6736). You are allowed to deduct 8% from the final figure you enter in Box D. Interesting to note, that you also have to declare any money that you bring over each year - they don't tax you on it, but you need to enter it at BOX V. (They know anyway, because your bank lets the tax office know of amounts received higher than $10,000. I have to say that the Australian Tax Return is much easier to get your head around than the UK one. I am sure Alan Collett will provide a much clearer explanation re the UPP. Julie
-
Did you know you can claim 8% UPP (Undeducted Purchase Price) on your State Pension, so you don't have to pay Australian Tax on the full amount? Julie
-
We have been over here nearly two years now. We decided to take out Private Healthcare within the first year to avoid the loading. As someone else mentions we have paid in far more than we get out, but it is there as an insurance. We have quite a high level of hospital cover, plus extras. It is only now that I am beginning to understand what you get and what you don't from the cover. Recently I have had to have a 24 hour BP monitor, this is not covered as it is considered an "out-patient" service. I then had to have a ECG fitted for 24 hours, this was not covered, again it was an out-patient treatment. It cost $208 of which I got $139 back from Medicare...that is the gap that they is mentioned above. It strikes me that most things that you actually need are not covered! As you don't necessarily use the same doctor in the way one did in the UK, the way to go is to go to a doctor that bulk bills for things like repeat prescriptions, as then you are not paying the $60 doctor visit charge, albeit with a Medicare rebate of $35 - overall cost of $25 just to obtain the prescription form..... you just turn up at bulk billing doctors and queue, you can't make an appointment, I might be wrong? You can't choose which doctor you see at the practice....but it doesn't matter if you just want a prescription. I then go to a non-bulk billing doctor, ($60 visit) when I want to specify the doctor I wish to see - one who has my medical history. You have to pay for your prescriptions...it is not a fixed charge. To give you an idea of prescription costs, my husband has a BP medication that costs $19 per prescription (one tablet a day for a month), my asthma medication, Symbacourt, costs more like $35 per inhaler. As others have said, once one has been here for 2 full years and are over 65 you can apply for a Commonwealth Card and most prescriptions will only cost $5 With Private Health Insurance you can more or less choose which specialist you want to be treated by and which hospital. If you are treated in a public hospital costs are covered by Medicare. In private hospital, you pay the room, the surgeon, the anaesthetist etc. etc.....probably the car park attendant too! Much the same as UK you go on a waiting list for non-urgent operations at public hospitals and have less of a wait for private. If you don't pay Private Medical Insurance you have to pay a levy on your tax bill, if you are liable to tax. Sorry if this a tad confusing, but it does take time to get your head around the medical system and what is and isn't covered by Medicare or Private Health. Julie
-
We brought all our pots over and had no problems with quarantine. I made sure they were well and truly cleaned with a pressure washer. Some friends also brought their stone bird bath and had no problems. If you have room I would bring them if I were you. Good luck with the move. Ian
-
We used Doree Bonner and they were excellent. The amount of packing material that they used was unbelievable. Their agents at this end (Grace) were excellent also. Ian
-
Thanks for that. I have been waiting because the information we had was "For each card, recent migrants to Australia may be subject to a 104 week waiting period served inAustralia " but I will check this with Centrelink on Monday. Regards Ian
-
To be eligible for the Seniors Card you have to be over 60 and for the Commonwealth Seniors Card it is 65 and resident for 2 years. Ian
-
I have sent you a private message re Super Fund. Julie
-
We brought our BBQ over and gave it to our son who changed the regulator and it works perfectly. If you get a BBQ fitted with a propane regulator then it will fit Aussie gas bottles. Ian
-
Would we be eligible for the Clean Energy Advance Payment as self funded retirees? We arrived in Australia on a Contributory Parents Visa in October 2010. We receive our State Pension from the UK. We don't have any other benefits from Centrelink. There has recently been something in the newspaper saying that one should ensure that your details are up to date with Centrelink in order to receive this Clean Energy payment to offset the Carbon Tax. I believe it is approximately $190 each for a couple, or $250 for a single person. Any advice gratefully received.
-
Yes. I would second that. Ian