KurtH

Sorry but Amaysim are not the cheapest. Vaya https://www.vaya.net.au/ offer a price match promise so in theory, they have the best deals. (Vaya is actually owned by Amaysim so it’s all a bit of a nonsense) In practice, they (Vaya) don’t match on introductory offers though so if you are going to go through the hassle of moving, you’re better off looking doing a quick comparison on a plan site : https://whatphone.com.au/sim-only-byo-plans/compare Almost everything is unlimited calls and SMS now so you’re basically comparing network and data allowances.

think you need a tax advisor for something as serious as this. However, I think you're in the clear (I am not a tax advisor but I have moved the money from the sale of a house to Australia from the UK.) I think you end up paying the most tax possible under either system when you 'make' money. But the tax systems are the same around primary residences in both countries - the capital gain is tax exempt (so long as the house was your mother in law's primary residence). So there is no tax to pay in either country on the proceeds of the sale as I understand it and your mother in law can gift money to whomever she pleases. When I sold my house and brought the money over, there was no tax to pay. But, ask an accountant!

I guess the question is when to buy. House prices have stalled in Sydney now. My wife and I are looking to buy but don't feel like now is the time to invest. Frankly (sorry to those who have just bought) we are hoping for a fall in prices. 20% would be nice.

Right but i moved to australia from the UK - I am actualy on holiday in the UK now - and NSW (which looks best from the information above) is about twice as expensive to live in as even the south of england. Really, the most relevant question here is what is the cost of living in each state.

are you going back for good or for a holiday ( sorry, that's not clear from what you're saying ) Generally, I find the best rates come from foreign exchange websites. The banks charge a flat fee for the transfer and then also charge you throuhgh the exchange rate they use. I know a guy who works here (there are other websites which do the same thing) https://www.ofx.com/ Check out their rates. After that, it depends on how long you're going back for and, without wanting to pry in to your personal circumstances, how much you're moving. One more thing, I use a 28 degrees credit card because they don't charge a fee for international transactions. It might be too late to get one for your trip but worth thinking about.

QROPS is nonsense. I went through the list and most of them are self managed supers. I have a small amount of money in a UK pension (actually split over 2 accounts) and have had to leave it sitting there. Then, when you get it over to Australia, it's stuck here forever because of the Australian rules. It's total nonsense. they have enough rules agreed between the Au and Uk governments about how to tax us on money in both countries but when it comes to the counterpart of that - helping us with pensions, it's a quagmire.

There are only 3 networks in Australia at the moment, until TPG launch theirs. Vodafone, Optus and Telstra. If you're in Sydney, you should be getting good coverage, whichever network you're on. Vodafone's speeds and coverage are just as good as any other provider as reported in the news yesterday. http://www.smh.com.au/technology/technology-news/revealed-the-fastest-telcos-and-cities-in-australia-for-broadband-20171108-gzhmyb.html if you're phone is old, that may play a part in it. The ariels can get damaged if you drop them. Might be time to consider an upgrade. Get on eBay for second hand or go for a cheap $200 or so Android device - you'll get 90% of what you will with a new Galaxy phone for a fraction of the cost. And your signal strength may well improve. In sydney, I'd recommend Vodafone or one of their resellers - you'll get more data for your money. There are comparison sites which can help you get the most for your money. If you provide some idea of the amount of data you need, you can decide what provider is best for you. Optus have a bunch of Xmas offers on, for example, at the moment.