Armed forces gratuity

[Guest pabloke99]

Has anyone managed to have their final gratuity paid directly into an Australian bank account? If so, was the exchange rate more favourable, as the FFR generally seems to be?

Thanks

 

Paul

[koalakids]

Hi Paul,

 

I can't answer your question unfortunately, but I would imagine that you would be better off having your gratuity paid into a UK bank account and then transferred in A$ via one of the foreign exchange services such as HiFx or similar. I recently left and that is what I have done.

 

I would be interested in knowing if it is better to have our monthly pension paid into an Aussie account or to have it exchanged via HiFx monthly. Having spoken to HiFx they do offer a service for this sort of arrangement. I have recently spoken to the people who handle our pension and they have confirmed that they can pay it direct to an Aussie account without problems.

 

If there is anyone out there that can answer this one, both Paul and me would like to hear from you please.

 

Cheers,

 

Steve.

[Guest MariAndyok]

Hi, sorry I can't help you with pensions.

 

I would just like a little advice. I have served in both Germany and Canada. Can you tell me if I need police checks for both or does the UK one suffice for all three if you are in the Army.

 

Thanks in anticipation.

 

Andy

[Guest breezy]

I recall that you need checks for all countries lived in for last 10 years regardless of whether you are in Army or nor.

 

Regards

 

Breezy

[Guest leanneandmark]

Mark has a war pension/ compensation every month i think we are going to try and let it build in uk bank, and transfer in lumps if and when we need it!!!!!!!!!!

(Hopefully we won't need and we can use it for Kids uni)

[koalakids]

Hi Andy,

 

I am currently in the throws of sorting out police checks for the countries that we lived in whilst serving abroad as well. The Germany one wasn't too bad but ended up costing us in the region of £60 in total (I know, crazy isn't it!?) Breezy is right in saying that you have to get police checks done for all the countries that you have lived in over the past 10 years. Unfortunately Army checks won't mean a darn thing and anyway, my wife lived with me in those countries so she won't be recorded on any Army documentation if she's been in trouble.

 

For the Germany one you'll need to fire off a letter to them in Bonn requesting that you need a police checks letter and they'll send you a form to complete and you take it from there. They'll want you to pay a fee which they'll mention in their return letter (I think about 25 euros). Here's the info you'll need:

 

Germany

Relevant document - Residents - the 'Police Good Conduct Certificate' otherwise known as

(Polizeiliches Führungszeugnis)

Apply in person to the Local registration office (Einwohnermeldeamt)

At Town/city of residence

Fee payable.

Relevant document - Non-residents - the 'Police Good Conduct

Certificate'

(Polizeiliches Führungszeugnis)

 

German citizens or former residents outside Germany

Apply to nearest German Embassy/Consulate

or directly by mail (not fax) to

Der Generalbundesanwalt beim

Bundesgerichtshof

At Dienststelle

Bundeszentralregister

Adenauerallee 99-103

53113 Bonn

 

Provide full personal details and signature officially witnessed by a

German

diplomatic or consular mission, foreign government

agency or a Notary Public. Alternatively enclose an officially

certified copy of passport or ID card containing personal details.

The certificate will be issued in German only.

Fee payable.

 

I had to get the form signed off by a solicitor who holds the 'Notary Public' appointment which cost £35 to get a couple of measly paper seals attached and crimped to photocopies of our passports. And finally you'll have to get the end product translated into English, something we're yet to do.

 

We are having to constantly jump through hoops but I'm sure it will all be worth it in the end!

 

Good luck, Steve.

[Guest pabloke99]

Thanks for hijacking my thread guys...I've subsequently found out that I my terminal grant has to be paid into the bank account that my salary is paid into, but I'll do some more digging around to find the definitive answer.

 

As far as police checks are concerned, I read one post where an RMP police check was accepted by a case officer for one serviceman who had served in numerous countries, so he didn't need to contact the civvy police of those countries that he had lived in - may be worth giving it a try, or try to find the thread, it's on PIO somewhere.

 

With pensions, I understand that you will lose the index linking if you have it paid directly to an overseas account, so I intend on having mine paid into a high-interest UK account and try not to touch it - high hopes.

 

Good luck

 

Paul

[Guest breezy]

Pablo - you will not lose indexation on a Service pension. If you retire ahead of your 55th birthday the pension is frozen from date of exit until that birthday. The pension will then jump to include all indexation since the initial payment date of the pension. State pensions are a different matter and are frozen if you are an expat. In summary, being overseas and having a pension paid into a foreign bank has not impact on the military pension.

[Guest MariAndyok]

sorry pabloke99:jimlad:, thanks Koalakids:)

 

Andy