can1983

amazing sunrise this morning. One of the best things about living in Tassie compared to the UK is that even in mid winter there's some colour and its nice to be outside. The grey skies is one thing I'll never miss about the UK!

15 minutes ago, Marisawright said:

I'm surprised there would be fees for the bank transfer to Moneycorp.  It is an ordinary bank transfer like any other, so it should cost exactly the same as you're normally charged for a transfer to someone else's bank account.   It's not an international transfer.

I suppose you can avoid the fee, but its 2-3 hours and fully tracked for GBP20 fee. If you do a normal transfer its 3-4 days to clear and if it 'goes missing' the bank then investigates what has happened which can take a little while to sort out.

When you are talking about a quarter of a million quid I wanted it to appear as cleared funds as soon as possible and be fully tracked all the way

Yep i did a bank transfer into 6 figures into moneycorp sterling account (euro for you of couse)

Once the funds arrive you can switch it all to dollars when you choose the time you're happy to pull the trigger. Then move to mainstream aus account.

There are small fees for bank transfer to moneycorp but its so much better than direct retail bank to bank

Cant say it wasn't stressful though! I actually moved £50 first to check the account numbers (cost me £20 fee for the conference )

This topics been done before hasnt it?

29 minutes ago, rammygirl said:

It isn’t the value per se, but any gain you have made that is taxed.  This will also involve exchange rates. 

I really don’t know why people have a thing about accountants, they are professionals in an increasingly complicated field. Bet you pay a mechanic to service your car........

The problem is that tax authorities in both uk and aus and possibly around the world create these stupid systems which are overly complicated so that many people have to pay accountants to sort it out. This creates more work for accountants. Nobody ever paid any NRCGT, its just a UK political vote winner, the only money changing hands is fines to the tax office and fees to accountants.

Accountants are very useful people in the right circumstances and are highly trained individuals. I used to run a business in the uk and in this case their support and skills were invaluable. The reason people don't; like them, particularly in Australia is that the likes of H&R block are pretty much leaching off the fact that Australia makes everyone do a tax return even one job salary people and claim they can save their fee with deductions alone. Once you actually use them all they can come up with is $35.86 in laundry fee deductions and a $300 bill

29 minutes ago, Alan Collett said:

That 18 month period only applies if you are selling a former main residence - and is reducing to 9 months for disposals after the end of this UK tax year.

Don't forget Letting Relief (availability also limited from the end of this tax year), and the UK's CGT Annual Exemption - assuming you are eligible for it (UK citizens are).

The April 2015 valuation only pertains if you owned the property before that date.

Not sure the main benefactors are accountants - the main benefactor might be you if the accountant saves you tax and helps you avoid a late filing penalty for not submitting the NRCGT return on time.   I can assure you there are many who have had late filing penalties of as much as £1,600, even if they have had no tax to pay following the sale of their UK property.

Best regards.

Sure not filing ontime is not a good idea. The system is very awkward to use i should say you have to email computations to an email address after getting the confirmation of receipt and then nothing more happens..

In a way that's why its set up to benefit accountants most of all, system for systems sake no tax to pay only fines for filing late

13 hours ago, Wanderer Returns said:

Thank you again Marisa - you are a mine of useful information! We couldn't afford to buy a property in Australia until we had sold our house in the UK, and I don't think we'd rent it out for as long as 6 years, so I don't think it will be an issue for us. Good to know though! 

I read up on this heaps. If you sell within a certain time  (18 months I think, its changed recently) there is never anything to pay you are immune. But you still have to do a non resident capital gains return within the time limit (which is quite short). I did it got a low key email a few weeks later saying it had been accepted.

Hardly anyone has to pay anything in any case. There are three ways to calculate the cg and u can pick the best for your circumstances

You can get the valuation when u leave but its the value in 2015 that counts which is strange. .. if you leave in 2019 sell in 2022 for example you will, depending on the gain pay some ratio of 3 out of 7 years gain depending on the method u choose.

Really the main benefactor are accountants. They charge a few hundred quid to do a return for a zero bill. I did mine myself but it was simple as sold within 18 months of leaving uk

3 hours ago, Marisawright said:

Having a marriage certificate makes no difference, since people do contract fake marriages to get a visa. So you still have to submit all the evidence.

Its also worth noting that you need evidence even if you've been married 20 years with 6 children

The requirements are for ongoing relationship. If you've decided to divorce amicably but done a deal to ensure the non Australian gets pr to also be able to live and see the children after the Australian returns home that strictly speaking isn't allowed.

But hey you also can't get a visa if you throw your keys into a bowl every now and then

13 minutes ago, Toots said:

Shocker of a day here.  Pouring with rain.  I feel sorry for the campers at the local caravan park especially the ones in tents.  

 

 

 

tents in the Tassie winter

It has been so mild down south recently, think it was 17 in KB yesterday

18 hours ago, can1983 said:

Where did u get these words from? For a spouse visa you can be aged 20 and the applicant 70 so long as they pass a medical and character test and immigration consider ots genuine and ongoing.

Also pretty sure you could have failed to get a skilled visa if your skills test failed to get the right level or you failed the medical at the time and still get the spouse visa down the track.

13 hours ago, paulhand said:

He has lifted it (selectively) from the 309 eligibility page of the Home Affairs website. All of it is "necessary, but not sufficient".

oh I see minimum age, yeah obviously Australia don't want a 10 years old bride

19 hours ago, fromperth said:

Yes, I assume she should be able to meet the cafeteria of  eligibility . Following is the criteria on Aust. immigration website and I don't find any problem  with these.
" Be the right age,  Meet our health requirement, Meet our character requirement, Pay your debts to the Australian Government, Not had a visa cancelled or an application refused."

Where did u get these words from? For a spouse visa you can be aged 20 and the applicant 70 so long as they pass a medical and character test and immigration consider ots genuine and ongoing.

Also pretty sure you could have failed to get a skilled visa if your skills test failed to get the right level or you failed the medical at the time and still get the spouse visa down the track.

But the op should remember right to work doesnt mean a right to get a job. Being on a transient visa with no certain outcome makes getting a decent job harder.

As i said before not a time to be unemployed 

We were in the same position a few years ago. We had our first baby in the uk, second in Australia. We sorted my pr spouse visa between the two and moved.

I understand your partner wants to have her family around and thats natural but i think you are trying to squeeze too much into 9 months! 

Id say holiday and apply onshore would only work if you get bridging visa work rights but even then you are less employable on this visa and this is not the time to be unemployed 

where are you looking to move to in Sydney? definitely get more for your money in Brisbane 

17 hours ago, Marisawright said:

If the landlord isn’t fixing stuff, you take them to the tribunal or you find another rental. 

Putting up with a bad rental is something people do when they’re too poor to buy and don’t have a choice. That’s not the case for the OP. 

It’s true you’re limited on what you can do to the place and you don’t have long term security, that’s the bargain you make

My brother just gave notice to his tenant because they didn't like them and they can relet easily. I don't agree with his methods but this is what you face as a tenant.

I had to evict my tenant (retired couple) after a year because we needed to sell to afford what we wanted in Hobart due to rising prices. It was hard on them being forced to move so soon after moving in, but what an I going to do have my family live in a shoddy rental so a retired couple get stability? of course not but this is another reason why renting sucks

You should take into consideration that renting prohibits you from changing decor, making the AC work properly, put up a shelf, change that thing that's been annoying you for the past year that the landlord wont fix, or indeed the opposite staying put in the place u call home when the landlord wants to sell etc etc

Theres a reason people want to buy other than just financial. I hated every day of renting. It made me feel like a second class citizen

Oh yeah to reinforce what others have said if you are having serious doubts rather than just nerves dont move. At the moment you are in control of where your kids live the day you arrive it all changes if you have pr when u enter.

Its a really great place to live Australia, still better than the overcrowded uk in my opinion where everything is just hard. We have swapped our tiny 3 bed terrace for a great family home which we can see the beach out the window and walk there every day if we want (probably do the walk 3 times a week in reality!). It is idyllic but we are in tassie if you are thinking northern beaches or mornington forget it you are 30 years too late

also it is technically illegal to come to Australia on a holiday visa and even contemplate employment opportunities / engage in discussions about employment (im sure lots do though!!!)

however it would prohibit a company formally offering a service where they take groups on the holiday visa around the country talking about where they might find work.

2 hours ago, Marisawright said:

Not everyone likes a country lifestyle.  We did consider moving to Tasmania because we prefer the cooler weather and the house prices are lower. But I've tried living in the country and it's not for me.  I want to live where I can step outside my front door and walk to a good selection of cafés, shops, cinema etc.  

Yeah but you don't need to live in a unit for that in Hobart. I live in Kingston Beach and within 10 minutes walk we have 5-6 options at the beach and 10 or so options at the town centre..

15 minutes ago, Marisawright said:

The same unit in a similar suburb in Sydney would sell for over $900,000.

However, I've seen similar units in Hobart sell for the same price as the Melbourne one!

Units prices in Hobart are dumb for sure. I'm amazed anyone wants to live in a unit in Tasmania.....

3 hours ago, SusieRoo said:

I wouldn't kick yourself too hard as you may be able to get that unit for $500,000 or less by the end of the year.

Yeah agreed, if its on for 700 doesn't mean it will sell for that. but wow a unit for 700k that's the same as my 4 bed house near the beach in Tassie and the weather is about the same...... Victoria is over-rated

way too soon in my opinion, takes a couple of years to settle (we have done the move in 2011 but returned due to visa running out). We are now 18 months in, have brought a house and starting to feel settled. PR helps!

possibly need to check hours for the childcare centre, I guess 8am to 6pm is normal for the $110-$120 a day. You might need long daycare if you are going to live in Butler and work in Perth. That's gonna be an hour plus each way (or are you working more locally?)

13 hours ago, bug family said:

You see different folks different strokes I suppose.... I found Melbourne a soulless dull place which struggles to work out exactly what it is trying to be, sort of like a poor impersonation of London, if you count culture being able to sit around drinking your soy latte skinny decafe then its probably for you can1983....... me I prefer the character, rawness and cultural vastly significant Liverpool  (the beatles, liverpool football club etc) any day ...have a nice day 

I could counter that with there are only 4 grand slam tennis tournaments a year in the world (one is in Melbourne), there are only 20 odd grand prix's a year (one is in Melbourne)

half the beatles are dead and neither of them spend much time in carnaby street, and whilst Liverpool FC is a great club so are Man U, spurs, Chelski, Arsenal etc etc depends who u support!

17 minutes ago, s713 said:

To be fair, I couldn't be arsed, the form is too big. Plus, what do I get out of it? The chance to vote for a new PM every 6 weeks? Whoopee.

actually you don't get that chance, they just change themselves.

Your 6 weeks is a gross exaggeration. In the past 52 weeks there have only been 5 prime ministers so its more like 10 weeks