Parenting Payment, partnered.... info

[CJJHRA]

The income levels for parenting payment, partnered, has gone up... So you might want to see if you are eligble for a part payment.

A part payment may be payable if ALL the following conditions are met:
customer's income must be less than $710.84 per fortnight, AND
partner's income must be less than $1328.50 per fortnight, AND
the combined income of the couple must be less than $1421.84.

[bronny-jane]

i might go and check the website

[Lunar]

off to check it out now... hopefully we will be able to squeeze in this time!!

[cheezelkat]

I was eligibke last week....then DP got a raise and I get zilch. argh

[Shelly68]

You know with the new 'back to work rules etc etc of 15 hours per week', I just have a question.

If I wasn't eligible last year (because I worked) but this year DH earns well under that and I'm not working can I still apply?

My youngest DD is 9 and I'm wondering whether they will say I need to get a job (or is that only for FULL PAYMENT, not part)

Does this make sense?

[suemp]

shelly when ever your circumstances change you can re apply for parenting payment.the new rule is if your youngest child is over 7 you have to agree to look for work (like being on the dole)

[ashika]

Does anyone know if you haven't claimed rent assistance ever and you were entitled to it , do you get back pay ?

[jessgray]

you only get back dated to the date of your claim was put in. so if you put your claim in on the 30th and wasnt paid till 3 weeks later you would 3 weeks back pay. thats what has happened to me every time and thats the explanation i got.

[clarebear1983]

How do you work out what you are eligible for so you can estimate for family assistance? (also so i can figure whether or not its worth my while keeping parenting going)

We rang centrelink but they refused to tell us saying "wait until your partners income bank is nil and you start getting part payments" yet i have to estimate for family assistance or they will cancel it-go figure centrelink!!!

DH has just got a job and will get $1302 gross a fortnight so he earns less than the $1328 per fortnight (just)

All centrelink would tell us is that the first $711 a fortnight he earns is not touched. Anything after that is reduced by 60c per dollar.

I tried to calculated it myself but maths isnt my stong point. I did it like this:
$1302-$711 = $591
$591 x 0.6 = $354.60
370.5-354.6 = $15.90 (being what i would from parenting)

Am i right about the amount i would get? Can someone help me?

[BlessedWithBlue]

How do you work out what you are eligible for so you can estimate for family assistance? (also so i can figure whether or not its worth my while keeping parenting going)

We rang centrelink but they refused to tell us saying "wait until your partners income bank is nil and you start getting part payments" yet i have to estimate for family assistance or they will cancel it-go figure centrelink!!!

DH has just got a job and will get $1302 gross a fortnight so he earns less than the $1328 per fortnight (just)

All centrelink would tell us is that the first $711 a fortnight he earns is not touched. Anything after that is reduced by 60c per dollar.

I tried to calculated it myself but maths isnt my stong point. I did it like this:
$1302-$711 = $591
$591 x 0.6 = $354.60
370.5-354.6 = $15.90 (being what i would from parenting)

Am i right about the amount i would get? Can someone help me?



http://www.centrelink.gov.au/internet/internet.nsf/online_services/index.htm

go down where it says "Payment Enquiries" and next to it click on "Centrelink Rate Estimator" this should help you out a bit!

[clarebear1983]

http://www.centrelink.gov.au/internet/internet.nsf/online_services/index.htm

go down where it says "Payment Enquiries" and next to it click on "Centrelink Rate Estimator" this should help you out a bit!

I did that and it tried to tell me i would get $144 a fortnight. The lady told DH that although she couldnt give him an exact amount i wouldnt get much cos hes only $25 off the top limit so that didnt really sound right to me :S i am so confused! why cant centrelink be helpful!

[BlessedWithBlue]

I guess they never can be helpful huh ;) very frustrating when you ring and have someone tell you something and then call again and have another operator tell you something completely different :mad:

[clarebear1983]

Has anyone else managed to get an idea about their entitlements once their partners start working when ringing centrelink to ask????

Maybe i would have better luck if i went into the office and asked rather than relying on the phone service.

If i did get $144 pf i would be stoked but if it was like $15 i would be happy still cos it would pay for nappies but when it comes to estimating FA there is a big diff between estimating for $144 and $15 pf!!!!!

They dont want to overpay us but they do make it difficult!!

[suemp]

as you said you are pretty close to the cut off so 144 sounds abit high :confused:
it sounds like you are talking about parenting payment partnered. to get that anyway you have to ring once a ft night with your partners earnings so its hard to be over paid with that one. the family tax is the hard one to estimate cause for that you estimate what you will earn for the entire year, which makes it hard if a) your partner or you are changing jobs or b)you or your partner do contract work (like mine) and each pay is different. im waiting till they come up with a better system than that one lol;)

[clarebear1983]

as you said you are pretty close to the cut off so 144 sounds abit high :confused:
it sounds like you are talking about parenting payment partnered. to get that anyway you have to ring once a ft night with your partners earnings so its hard to be over paid with that one. the family tax is the hard one to estimate cause for that you estimate what you will earn for the entire year, which makes it hard if a) your partner or you are changing jobs or b)you or your partner do contract work (like mine) and each pay is different. im waiting till they come up with a better system than that one lol;)

Im not worried about being overpaid parenting-thats centrelinks department to work out. Im really worried about Family Assistance. The pay will always be the same once Dh starts working but they just WONT TELL ME WHAT I WILL BE ENTITLED TOO!!!!! (and he wont have used up his income credits for a month and family assistance says you have to keep your estimate up to date or your at risk and i dont want to be at risk)

I really do think $ 144 is really high. I also think centrelink need to be more helpful. All i am asking them is how much i am entitled too once DH is getting $1302 pf income (not exactly rocket science!!! considering they can calculate other things they should be able to tell me that!)

[brizbabe]

Clare if your ptr earns $1302.00 every fortnight that will entitle you to $15.90 per fortnight PPP (as long as there is no other income affecting your PPP such as deemed investment / shares / bank interest.

The calculation to work out your PPP is as follows:-

(INCOME - Income free area) x 60%=affecting income

so in your case

$1302-$711
=$591 x
60%
=$354.60

so based on the maximum rate of PPP(at present time) of $370.50

$370.50-
$354.60
=$15.90

In regards to estimating ANNUAL income for FTB purposes if you are expecting NO Other income your self other than PPP you can estimate anything up to $4234 for 06/07 and still be eligible for the maximum rate of FTB part B

For your ptrs income if he was unlikely to earn anything other than $1302 that =$33852 for 26 f/nights. Need to make sure that you take into account possible pay increases / overtime etc etc also if he has received newstart etc etc.

Part A is paid based on your combined income and while you are on PPP irregardless of your annual estimate will be eligible for the maximum rates of PPP (even if you estimated a combined income of eg1 million $$$!!!!)

If you weren't in receipt of PPP, you would only get the maximum rate of FTB A if your combined income was less than $40000

Hope this helps slightly

cheers, em:)

[lippintyna]

Well explained Brizbabe! You are fantastic! :hugs:

[clarebear1983]

Clare if your ptr earns $1302.00 every fortnight that will entitle you to $15.90 per fortnight PPP (as long as there is no other income affecting your PPP such as deemed investment / shares / bank interest.

The calculation to work out your PPP is as follows:-

(INCOME - Income free area) x 60%=affecting income

so in your case

$1302-$711
=$591 x
60%
=$354.60

so based on the maximum rate of PPP(at present time) of $370.50

$370.50-
$354.60
=$15.90

In regards to estimating ANNUAL income for FTB purposes if you are expecting NO Other income your self other than PPP you can estimate anything up to $4234 for 06/07 and still be eligible for the maximum rate of FTB part B

For your ptrs income if he was unlikely to earn anything other than $1302 that =$33852 for 26 f/nights. Need to make sure that you take into account possible pay increases / overtime etc etc also if he has received newstart etc etc.

Part A is paid based on your combined income and while you are on PPP irregardless of your annual estimate will be eligible for the maximum rates of PPP (even if you estimated a combined income of eg1 million $$$!!!!)

If you weren't in receipt of PPP, you would only get the maximum rate of FTB A if your combined income was less than $40000

Hope this helps slightly

cheers, em:)

Dammit that is more help than centrelink would ever be. Thanx brizbabe!!!!I did calculate it right!!! Those silly ppls at the end of the phone didnt know what they were talking about (one silly lady told me i would get $291) neither does thier online estimator!!!!

In regards to my estimate, I was told that you estimate what you will get now and if your partner gets a pay increase you just ring them and tell them as soon as it happens and they adjust it so you dont have an overpayment.....as long as they know so they can adjust your payments it will be ok.....but then i have learnt never to really trust what the phone operators at centrelink tell you

[*Sparkles*]

We are on one income and earn under the fortnightly limit. Our baby is due in January. Does anyone know when we can approach centrelink for parenting allowance and do we have to go in for an interview?
It would be good if we could organise it before the birth, I really don't like the ides of having to spend half the morning in centrelink with a newborn!
Having never had to claim this before, I am very naive about how it all works.
Any info would be appreciated.

[MummyCharmzy]

You can get the forms before bubs is born but will have to hand them in once bubs is born and I think most people claiming for the first time have to have an interview which will have to be after the baby is born so sadly its unavoidable. We've had 2 appts in the past 10 days, one lasted almost 3 hrs cos they'd just upgraded the computer system and it wasnt working properly, the second one lasted 1.5hrs for computer problems AGAIN

[clarebear1983]

We are on one income and earn under the fortnightly limit. Our baby is due in January. Does anyone know when we can approach centrelink for parenting allowance and do we have to go in for an interview?
It would be good if we could organise it before the birth, I really don't like the ides of having to spend half the morning in centrelink with a newborn!
Having never had to claim this before, I am very naive about how it all works.
Any info would be appreciated.

I couldnt go on it or organise it until after i had my first baby but because I was a parent (had hospital documents to prove it) my husband was able to organise it on my behald while i was in hospital and there wasnt that much need for an interview-but having said that every centrelink office seems to be different as does the person(s) running each sector. The best thing you can do is ring the family assistance office (they deal with FA and parenting things) and ask them or go into your local centrelink branch now and talk to them (as i said each office is different, but then the phone system is a whole new thing!!! you can get three different answers to the same question just by talking to three different people)!!!

Goodluck!!!

[clarebear1983]

Another question to all the centrelink gurus out there: If my partner is earning will my work credits go down or is that only if i earn????

[*Sparkles*]

Thanks for the advice, I think I will give them a call about a month before my due date to get forms and things organised.
Any extra money we can get after bubs is born is going to be soooooooooo helpful, aswell as a healthcare card (if we qualify) as they are like gold.

[lippintyna]

Dammit that is more help than centrelink would ever be. Thanx brizbabe!!!!I did calculate it right!!! Those silly ppls at the end of the phone didnt know what they were talking about (one silly lady told me i would get $291) neither does thier online estimator!!!!

Clarebear-hope this doesn't upset you too much-LOL but Brizbabe (and myself) both actually work for Centrelink. We're sitting here together (how sad) on a saturday night have a couple of ciggies and chardies 'cause she's having a sleep over with her daughter.

Unfortunately the rate estimator sometimes has a couple too many chardies itself and doesn't want to play the game!!!!!



In regards to my estimate, I was told that you estimate what you will get now and if your partner gets a pay increase you just ring them and tell them as soon as it happens and they adjust it so you dont have an overpayment.....as long as they know so they can adjust your payments it will be ok.....but then i have learnt never to really trust what the phone operators at centrelink tell you

The above information is a good way to get yourself an overpayment. Whilst in theory seems like a good idea, you need to realise that fortnightly payments of FTB are being paid based on the ANNUAL estimate & not the here and now.

Ideally in a perfect world we would all know exactly what we are going to have earnt or received in income for the year right from the word go but this usually not the case. Your estimate asap should reflect what you think you will be declaring with the ATO @30/06/2007.

EG:not a great idea to estimate 0 because you are no currently working when you think/know you will be returning to work and earn $10000. Now is the time to estimate $10000 NOT after you've earnt it.



they adjust it so you dont have an overpayment.....as long as they know so they can adjust your payments it will be ok What they are talking about here is More Choices For Families option. These are options that can be utilised when you have a change in circumstances, have previously underestimated and will incur an overpayment. It means that they reduce your future FTB payments (until the end of fin yr) by more than just your updated estimate to accomodate for what you have previously been overpaid in the earlier part of the year. The risk of doing it this way throughout the year is that your payments can only be adjusted after you update the estimate. If you update too late in the fin yr then there may not be enough time or payments left before the 30/06/06 to offset against this risk of overpayment. Better to put in a higher estimate now just in case he gets a payrise/overtime etc and get it back at the end when/if he doesn't get these things, than to suffer for it later.

The particular choice that you are talking about is called continous adjustment. This really should only be used as a LAST RESORT for circumstances that occur that cannot be forseen (such as redundancy, unforseen promotion etc).

Does all of this help?:ecomcity:

[clarebear1983]

Clarebear-hope this doesn't upset you too much-LOL but Brizbabe (and myself) both actually work for Centrelink. We're sitting here together (how sad) on a saturday night have a couple of ciggies and chardies 'cause she's having a sleep over with her daughter.


What they are talking about here is More Choices For Families option. These are options that can be utilised when you have a change in circumstances, have previously underestimated and will incur an overpayment. It means that they reduce your future FTB payments (until the end of fin yr) by more than just your updated estimate to accomodate for what you have previously been overpaid in the earlier part of the year. The risk of doing it this way throughout the year is that your payments can only be adjusted after you update the estimate. If you update too late in the fin yr then there may not be enough time or payments left before the 30/06/06 to offset against this risk of overpayment. Better to put in a higher estimate now just in case he gets a payrise/overtime etc and get it back at the end when/if he doesn't get these things, than to suffer for it later.


Does all of this help?:ecomcity:

Hey im not upset-only natural that there will be centrelink ppls here!!!! You guys are being great giving me advice so i dont have to cart me, my son and my pregnant belly (and morning sickness) into an office.

My DH has been told by his new job (starts tomorrow) that he may get a rise on the 1 December 2006 with the CPI (it could be anywhere from $0-$2) so i have based my estimate on what he may get if its the largest amount (which i highly doubt)...........but if i wasnt thinking ahead and didnt do that would the fortnights between 1 December 06 and 30 June 07 be enough time to rectify it?

I wish our centrelink personel here were are as good as you guys!!!! even our parenting people seem to have one agenda and thats making sure you are in tears before you leave!

If i dont qualify for a family assistance A healthcare card cos of my estimate would i be able to get a low income one if i go off parenting but am living on DH's income??? (am worried about not having a health care card)

You guys should set up a centrelink consulting business here on bub hub!!! You are so much more helpful than anyone else i have ever talked to from centrelink!!! Thanks so much!!!

[lippintyna]

If i dont qualify for a family assistance A healthcare card cos of my estimate would i be able to get a low income one if i go off parenting but am living on DH's income??? (am worried about not having a health care card)

If your estimate precludes you from automatic entitlement to a health care card then you can most certainly apply for one in it's own right (away from any payment type). You would only need to do this if your Parenting Payment is cancelled due to your ptr's income being to high for 6 fortnights in a row. So I wouldn't rush out as soon as you update your estimate to apply for a healthcare card because you are still entitled to the one you have until your parenting payment stops. :yes:

A weekly income test will apply. Your combined income (when your PPP stops) would need to be less than $719 gross per week. If your ptr's wages vary then an 8 week period (immediately prior to when you lodge your low income claim form) will be used and you income would need to be less than $5752 gross in that 8 weeks.

but if i wasnt thinking ahead and didnt do that would the fortnights between 1 December 06 and 30 June 07 be enough time to rectify it?

In theory yes. If it is only a minor increase then you can opt for the continuous adjustment option and try and eliminate the possibility of a debt at the end of the year before it even happens. :yes:

[clarebear1983]

OK I have 2 questions (I must be getting tiresome but i have never had so much help as i have had here with centrelink things) and they may seem a bit silly:

1. I have 1000 working credits. When DH starts earning over the parenting threshold will they take them away from me before they take my pay away from me?

2. Once DH starts fully earning money can i cancel my Parenting Payments if i no longer need/want them? I will only be entitled to $15.90 a fortnight and it hardly seems worth it to me (because i dont like calling them up every fortnight-have been treated badly each time i ring and i have a "phobia" of it LOL). Centrelink cant make me stay on payments can they? (and if they cant HOW do i cancel payments?)

Sorry to be asking so many questions!!!!

[lippintyna]

1. I have 1000 working credits. When DH starts earning over the parenting threshold will they take them away from me before they take my pay away from me?

Working credits are only there for your own use. So they will only be used if YOU start working. DH working doesn't affect them and they are non transferrable. :no:


2. Once DH starts fully earning money can i cancel my Parenting Payments if i no longer need/want them? I will only be entitled to $15.90 a fortnight and it hardly seems worth it to me (because i dont like calling them up every fortnight-have been treated badly each time i ring and i have a "phobia" of it LOL). Centrelink cant make me stay on payments can they? (and if they cant HOW do i cancel payments?)


You always have the option of cancelling your PPP if you wish. But I would consider it carefully before you do.

Whilst you are still in receipt of PPP even at $15.90 you retain your HCC (healthcare card) automatically. Also even if your ptr's wages increase in Dec & this means he exceeds the allowable limit for your PPP entitlement, you still get 6 f/nights at what they call nil rate. During this time you still retain your healthcare card, but you also are still entitled to the max rate of FTB A, regardless of your annual income estimate that is used for your FTB payments, even though you may not be getting any monetary payment of PPP in that 6 fortnights. You are still covered by the PPP umbrella for that 6 fortnights.

This is basically a safetly guard for you. {Just incase ptr's earnings drop down in that 6 fortnights due to illness/injury etc, and he doesn't get paid as he normally would, you don't have to reapply (as you know a bit of a lengthy process) to get back on to PPP}. Your PPP just starts back up again, and your 6 fortnights at the nil rate starts all over again when your DH starts earning over the allowable limit.

It is also there so that you can get on your feet in the beginning stages of your DH going back to work. As you know it can be costly to start back at work (things like feul/public transport etc). With you still getting the higher rate of FTB A this softens the financial blow a bit and allows you get into it with a bit of extra support.

I know if can be difficult declaring your DH earnings every fortnight. If when he starts this job his wages will be exactly the same every fortnight, then you can be taken off the requirement to report every fortnight and you would just need to phone when there is a change (within 14 days). Other than that, the only other option that might make it a bit better for you is to declare his earnings via the centrelink website.

But again....you can cancel it if you want to.... all you need to do is phone the 136150 number and tell them that you want it cancelled. They will ask you why you don't want to utilise the nil rate period, but if you explain as you have to me then they will cancel it for you. If you decide to go down this track, then they will ask for a revise estimate at that time so that your FTB payments keep on going.

[FourAngelKisses]

Does anyone know if you haven't claimed rent assistance ever and you were entitled to it , do you get back pay ?

We were entitled to rent assistance one year and didn't know it, so we got a big $600 refund for it at the end of the financial year.

[Rainbowbrite]

OK I have a question re Parenting Payment. I'm married, DH is working full time. I'm entitled to the full FTB A & B, also rent assistance & a health Care card as he earns under the minimum. Am I entitled to Parenting Payment?

Sorry if this has been covered already :)

[clarebear1983]

OK I have a question re Parenting Payment. I'm married, DH is working full time. I'm entitled to the full FTB A & B, also rent assistance & a health Care card as he earns under the minimum. Am I entitled to Parenting Payment?

Sorry if this has been covered already :)

It depends on what he earns. If he earns over $1328 (i think) pf you wont be entitled to parenting but if he earns less you will be...........does that help?

[Rainbowbrite]

IT does thanks heaps. He earns $616.16 before tax, so i think a trip to centrelink is in order :yes: So FTB is not classed as "income" is it?

[clarebear1983]

IT does thanks heaps. He earns $616.16 before tax, so i think a trip to centrelink is in order :yes: So FTB is not classed as "income" is it?

Is that 616.16 per week or per fortnight?
If its per week you will get about $57.708 per fortnight
Calculated by: 616.16 x 2 = 1232.32
1232.32 - 711 (amount they cant touch) = 521.32
521.32 x 0.6 (after $711 they take out 60c per dollar) = $57.708 (thats still a good amount!!)

If its per fortnight you will be entitled to full payment as its under $711

[clarebear1983]

So FTB is not classed as "income" is it?

Nope FTB is not an income its a bonus!!!!! (and a good one at that)

[Rainbowbrite]

Nope FTB is not an income its a bonus!!!!! (and a good one at that)

Thanks so much for your help :hugs:

[FourAngelKisses]

I think that it is rather unfair how they work out parenting payment, it should be based on how many kids you have. A family with 1 child earning $1300 and whatever each fortnight is certainly far better off than a family with 3 children living on the same amount.

[clarebear1983]

I think that it is rather unfair how they work out parenting payment, it should be based on how many kids you have. A family with 1 child earning $1300 and whatever each fortnight is certainly far better off than a family with 3 children living on the same amount.

Even though im in the category of a family with one child earning $1300 (well come monday when DH stars working) I have to totally agree with you!!!!!!!!

We are having another baby at the end of the year and will still get the same amount of parenting as we are now so the money will not stretch as well as it has been even with the extra FTB.

They should do something similar to how they work out healthcare card entitlements. I think with that there is a base rate you can earn if you are single/couple etc and then there is an mount per kid that you add on so that the more kids you have the more you can earn and still get a health care card. Maybe they should have the base rate at the rate it is now (370.5) and then like $50 per kid after that.........

maybe we should start a Australia Wide parenting petition (yeah right like it will do any good lol)