egrek Posted December 8, 2014 Share Posted December 8, 2014 So we have been back a few months now, but about 6 months since we left Australia and only tonight can I say I have my Super! The process is simple. You get the form from the ATO, fill it in and send it off. They come back saying yes, you've left and visa ended and forward it to your Superfund. The superfund then check details and give you back your money! In theory. Well we applied as soon as we left Australia - partly as we knew there was a 6 month timeframe to get it sorted. We were travlling around New Zealand. My partner gets an email saying she needs to get certified copies of everything and send them in. Not great when we're travelling but found a policeman who could help, if was bewildered why in the sounds, he was certifying UK docs for Oz reclaims! Send off and hear no more. So 3 months later we arrive back in the UK and start to chase - whats going on? My partner is told they send a letter and a cheque. Did we nto get them? No. I'm told they sent a letter - no emails - did I not get it? Somehow from 3 items posted, none reach our shores? (and yes, they both had the right address) Some chasing and hassle and a cheque is reissued and my partner gets hers. Mine? Well I get told a list of items I needed to get certified and then sent off. Certified, on the whole, by Autralian professionals (not easy when you're not in Oz) - but I manage it, send them off. Nothing. Thus I begin to call once a week. They had the documents but now they sent them to another department who needed another form. And email was recieved telling me with with 'the form attached' (nothing was attached). Replying got me no where. When I asked the 'financial support' I was told I 'had to do the process' - the fact there was no £$£$%$£%$£ing attachment seemed to bypass this simple instruction. Pointing this out. No reply. When I finally called and got through to someone I was told I needed to fill in the form. Can they send it? Yes. Could I get it online (as there seemed to be a 30 min delay from them sending emails to me getting them - i know as I wouldn't let the guy off the phone till I got it). And no. You can't search for this mythical form as it's not availiable online. Brialliant. Finally get it and find my 2 month delay is for me to fill in my name, address and sign. Obviously this couldn't have been sent and requested with all the other information I sent in. Nor could they process my claim without me writing out ALL THE SECURITY INFORMATION THEY ASK ME ON EVERY GADDAM CALL! So 2 months of chasing a form with nothing new on. Still. It's sent. Then nothing. I call up again. "They have it and no one is doing anything with it". What? Even the girl on the other end seemed a bit confused. "I can see you have sent in everything, just no one has checked or looked at your emails and information" ... At this point it was 'escalated' (I didn't have much faith 5 months after I started at this point) But 2 days later it seems it was sorted. The 38% tax rate (checked, that's what is is now) is removed and the money put into my bank (not all need to be cheques sent to the UK it seems - though my partner was told her Super couldn't put it in a Australian account) Not that anyone said anything. I had emailed. No response. When I called to try and speak to a manager at this point I'm first told my account is closed. Closed? Apparently a letter was sent out (probably never get it if it's anything like the initial ones) and all the requests I made in email, letter and on the phone - to be emailed and notified if ANYTHING happened with my account - were more wasted time and words. But it's done. Just need to transfer the last bit home and we're done with the AUD! Seems you CAN get your super back, but with varying degrees of chasing and hassle. And we both needed docs signed and verified before anything would go on. Not quite as easy as they make out! AMP. Can't say I recommend them. But being home, same crap here. Idiots in positions of power screwing up our lives. Have a good xmas all! One less pile of cr@p for me to stress over now (but plenty of others) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
egrek Posted December 8, 2014 Author Share Posted December 8, 2014 Just thought some people may find it interesting to hear we've done it and it worked and it's 38% NOW! And it's not easy! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NickyNook Posted December 8, 2014 Share Posted December 8, 2014 Seems you CAN get your super back, but with varying degrees of chasing and hassle. And we both needed docs signed and verified before anything would go on. Not quite as easy as they make out! You've always been able to get your super back if you were here on a temp visa. I believe you were here on a WHV and then a 457, so no surprise there really. Apart from the hassle involved. :wink: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ozmaniac Posted December 8, 2014 Share Posted December 8, 2014 So we have been back a few months now, but about 6 months since we left Australia and only tonight can I say I have my Super!AMP. Can't say I recommend them. Have a good xmas all! One less pile of cr@p for me to stress over now (but plenty of others) Sections removed from the quote to emphasise my point. Well done for being so persistent. Persistence shouldn't have been needed but that's AMP for you. I'm an Australian citizen over pension age and I've had similar hassles withdrawing my super (available to me BY LAW) from them. They appear to think if they make things difficult enough, you'll give up and they can keep the money. I had super with another insurer and all it took to get it from them was a request, the completion and return of one simple two-page form together with a certified copy of my Drivers Licence and the money was in my account within a week. Also, the other company didn't charge a cent in fees for the withdrawal. AMP tell me that there will be a fee for my withdrawal from them and if it's anything like their other charges, it will be substantial. Anyone reading this should see how important it is to take care when deciding where to place their super contributions - you are completely free to nominate an insurer other than the one the employer wants you to use. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3FatCats Posted December 8, 2014 Share Posted December 8, 2014 Well done in the end! Just to add, we got ours back within 7 weeks from applying, maybe each super fund are different. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
egrek Posted December 10, 2014 Author Share Posted December 10, 2014 Seems I lied. My partner was told 6 weeks to bank her cheque of Oz money and none of the banks could tell her the charge?! Rip offs all around! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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