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

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

Hi

I'm torn between using Moneycorp or Halo.

Any suggestions?

Cheers

Steve

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

Good morning/evening, depending where you are :-) I am just wondering if anyone knows a rough estimate of the cost of the medical required (UK)? I have seen someone mention £750 but surely not?? I assume that perhaps each clinic can set their own charge?

Any recent experiences would be good to know, as I'm sure they likely increase each year.

Many thanks,

Amanda

Not particularly recently, we came over almost 4 years ago, we shopped around and paid 220 GBP at Maidenhead.

Phoebe

 

Good luck both of you for Monday.

 

The frozen pension issue is huge. I discovered a whole web site devoted to it a while ago and, providing the information there was accurate it seems that if you emmigrate to some countries (e.g. the Phillipines) your pension is raised in line with inflation, but if you go to others (e.g. Australia) it isnt.

 

I also gathered that if you are temporarily in a country where your pension would be regularly raised in line with inflation, you have the right to be paid the full current amount for the period of your temporary stay - even if it is just a few weeks - then when you return to (say Australia) your pension drops to the lower rate again.

 

The iniquities of this system are obvious, particularly when you consider that by leaving the UK we are saving them all the money they would have spent on our medical care etc etc as we got older. This has been brought before the European court of human rights but the case was lost - I don't know why

 

Kath

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

Just gotta rant....so please bear with me.....!!!!

 

Arghhhhhhhhh im sick of these stealing so and so`s, 3 vehicles in my area including mine has had the catalytic convertors sawn off....im sooooo mad.

Although the police have been round,`totes amaze`!!!!, not much chance of catching them tho ! just gonna cost me a fortune to fix and do i bother cos they could come back next week and do the same.....

 

ok done ! thanks

So sorry to hear that. Is it in Australia or UK?

Hi

 

Please tell me more about 8% deduction. I have not heard about this and I have used a Tax Agent the last 2 years?

 

Charlie

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

I'm ok with figures/money but can never get my head around tax :swoon:

 

Im in the same bracket as Gill should have received my pension January 2013 but have to work another 3 years now :cry: how does this UPP work exactly and how do you go about it. The 'idiots guide' is preferred :biglaugh:

 

Phoebe

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

Hi all

 

Hope this info is useful to those our there trying to organise finances - every little bit helps. I am a bit excited now as I have just got my paperwork for claiming my state pension (I am in the age group for women where I have had to wait longer for it!) so something else to look forward to getting! Cheers everyone. Gill

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

Hi

 

Medicare covers the basic cost of medical treatment but many GP and specialists charge more than the Medicare agreed cost. This “gap” has to be paid for by the patient. Bulk billing is where the medical supplier charges Medicare directly and there is no gap for the patient.

 

In hospital costs are covered by Medicare.

 

Hope this helps a little.

 

Charlie

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

 

You've said it exactly - just what we thought too! Leaving nothing behind, especially many garden items which we can't take for quarantine reasons. I've got some lovely garden pots and a bird bath which the birds love, we get all unusual types on it as well - we're now going to have another car boot and what doesn't sell we'll give away - I'd rather smash them or take them to the dump - what do they say about a woman scorned....????? Love the kipper idea too - unfortunately we don't have a boiler - I don't think I could really do it, but I love the thought anyway!

Val x

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

Not quite true, Ian.

You're right about the Seniors card but not the Commonwealth Seniors card.

You don't need to be resident for 2 years for the latter.

Document Ci010.1203 "Info on Commonwealth Seniors Card states requirements for eligibility as :

* be resident i.e. moved to Australia

* reached age pension age

if born between 1 Jan 46 and 30 June 47 - 64 for women, 65 men

if between 1 July 47 - 31 Dec 48 - 64.5 for women and 65 for men

if between 1 Jan 49 - 30 June 52 - 65 & 65

if between 1 July 52 - 31 Dec 53 - 65.5 and 65.5

between 1 Jan 54 - 30 June 55 - 66 & 66

between 1 July 55 - 31 Dec 56 - 66.5 and 66.5

From 1 Jan 57 - 67 & 67

 

* not be receiving a Dept of Veterans Pension or Benefit

* have an anual adjusted taxable income less than the relevant income limits (50k pa for single, $80k combines pa for couple, $100k pa combined for couples separated due to illness, respite care or one in prison

* provide Centrelink with your (and your partner's) tax file number or be granted an exemption from doing so.

 

We've been here in Sydney for three weeks now, sorting out all the requirements for driving license, Medicare, Senior Card, Commonwealth Senior card, apartment, car, etc., etc. Almost all done!

The tax file number is essential for most things, so I'd advise you to get this done the minute you arrive in Australia. It takes up to 28 days to get this, apparently.

Also essential is an address, so use your son/daughter's address while you look for your own place. This is needed for an Australian driving license too; also, buying a car, etc.

Having said all this, it's amazingly easy compared to the UK. We've done the lot in three weeks, even at our advanced ages of 65 & 64!

We'd be happy to advise more on any of these things, having had so much help ourselves from this forum to get us here.

Good luck.

John & Eirian

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

Hello

#4, we are in WA and we were able to apply for a Seniors Card (not to be confused with the Commonwealth Seniors Card) immediately. Using this allows us to use public transport free of charge outside of peak hours and can also be used in a variety of places to get money off. The Commonwealth Seniors Card can only be applied for when you have been resident for 2 years and this is the card that can get cheaper prescriptions. If you need a lot of prescriptions there is a 'cap', I can't think of the correct wording, which drops the cost of prescriptions when you reach it. I think it's about $1200 but I'm sure there is someone out there who will have the exact figures to hand. No, this does not come of your AoS.

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 were thinking of buying a new barbeque to tide us over this summer in England before emigrating for good in September.

Just when we had decided on make and model, we heard that UK BBQs don't work in Aus because of gas pressure settings or the type of gas itself.

Is this true? Can anyone who has actually taken their gas BBQ with them please enlighten us?

Many thanks.

John & Eirian

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

...but it is still worthwhile sending your passport(s) to Australia house to get a visa label, as you can then show this as evidence to Medicare, driving licence people, Uncle Tom Cobbley and all!

 

Mike

Yes. I would second that.

Ian

Hi everyone

 

Just going through some stuff in my head re the VAC :arghh:

 

We have a little savings and a modest house to sell in the North of England (we estimate around £100,000) At least 25% of that and all our savings would have to go on the VAC :swoon:

 

I know once my daughter got her PR she was entitled to some help from Centrelink she has 3 children my question is once you get your PR as *oldies* would we be entitled to any help if we needed it. Obviously we wouldn't be destitute when we arrived and I know we would have money (the AoS) with Centrelink but is there any other financial help.

 

Just trying to look at all of the senarios. Any advice/experience would be greatly appreciated :notworthy:

 

Phoebe

I think if you cost the state any money in the first 10 years they take it out of your AOS.

When one is 65 years old and been resident for 2 years you can apply for a Commonwealth Seniors Health Card which reduced the cost of prescriptions to about $5 each....but am not aware of you being able to claim anything else until the 10 years is up....may be wrong.

Julie

Hi

 

I have been reading this thread for a while but couldn't find the answers to my question. My mom is coming here after getting her Contributory Permanent Visa granted recently. I want to know when she arrives here how long she has to stay here for before she is eligible to apply for citizenship? I read somewhere that you have to be living here for at least 4 years with minimum 12 month as Permanent Resident. But my mom will have her PR straight away, does that mean she only needs to wait 1-2 years or must be 4 years?

 

The reason is she also has an US green card and she wishes to keep it as well so it's kind of making sure she can come back to both Australia and US if she travels to one of them.

 

Thank you

She needs to have been here for 4 years, and not been out of the country for more than 90 days in the previous year before applying for her citizenship.