Family Assistance

[jlrjyeboah]

Hi there,

I hope somebody can help me. My dh lodged his tax return a little while ago, and as I don't work, I didn't have to lodge one. I spoke to centrelink last week and they said that any extra money we were owed would be paid after the tax return was sorted out. So today I go on the family assistance website and find that they have paid $2500 into our bank account. We have only been permanent residents for a year, so I am wondering if maybe we were backpaid.

Don't get me wrong, it was a wonderful surprise, well shock, but I almost don't want to believe it, in case it is a mistake.

Has this happened to anybody else?

Maybe I should just call centrelink in case its a mistake. But I don't want to, the money looks so good on our account :D

Help please!!!

[mannl]

Centrelink are always full of suprises aren't they. Firstly, if you have not claimed any family assistance from them during the year then this would be a back payment but if you have been obtaining payments maybe you under estimated your husband's income and this is what they call a "top up" payment.

Also you didn't say how many children you have. The money could also include the $600.00 per child allowance which is paid once you and your husband have lodged their tax returns.

Nevertheless, it is probably best to give them a ring and just ask for an explanation. A friend of mine was paid $1,500.00 from Centrelink and they sent her a letter advising what it was for and 2 weeks later she got a call from them saying that they had made a mistake and she was not actually entitled to the money and had to pay it back.

Good luck. Make sure when you ring them that you get a receipt number from them so if you have any problems in the future you can refer them to that conversation.

Let me know how you went.

[ThomasMum]

My suggestion is, don’t touch it! Recently I had $AUD1500 sitting on my account from ATO and I know that wasn’t my tax return because I had received not so long ago already. I think its those family tax benefit thingy now that we have bub. Surprise surprise a week later C’link sent me letter saying that I had to return that money because we earn too much money blah blah, and I have to return it by 5th of October or else 5% interest is applicable! Luckily I haven’t touched the darn moniks!

And as far as the permanent residency concerns (I used to work for DIMA), you should now entitled to be treated like any other Aus citizen, except you can not vote, enroll in the army etc.

Ring them before u touch em!

Centrelink, pfff!

[WeThree]

man this money is probably the money that is similiar to the $600 for each child we all recieved recently, except this time is it means tested and is given after taxes are lodged to determine how much you get, some people get less than $600, or nothing at all, and others get alot more, like someone else said this could also be because they underpaid you your family allowance , actually its probably both these things! (but still double check before you spend it lol)

[Lucybelle]

Ring them and ask if this amount has been RE-RECONCILED.

the ato and clink reconcile the amount you have received against the amount you were entitled to (actual income). Then they send a letter out and tell you that you have $$$. Then they RE reconcile it, and sometimes other issues come up and then its not yours anymore. It is the stupidest idea in the UNIVERSE.
Why they dont inform you of the entitlement after ALL reco has been done I don't know.

If you didn't get anything through the year at all, then you shoud be safe.

[Angel_baby_1982]

I've also been burned by centrelink to the tune of 3,750. :mad:

My advice is to GO IN PERSON, ask if you are entitled to it, if they say yes GET SOMETHING IN WRITING saying at no stage you will have to pay it back.

I know someone who got over 2 grand from centrelink, knew she wasn't entitled to it but they insisted she was so she got it in writing, then when 3 months later she got a letter demanding the money back, she showed them their letter saying she was definatly entitled and would never be asked to pay it back, and she got to keep her money.

They're crafty buggers, don't let them get you, I've been paying off my debt since November 2001 and there's still a grand to pay.

Good luck

[mumof2girls]

We have 2 kids and after we had done our taxes we got $2700 back as we had put our income amounts high so we didn't owe them any money. We haven't heard anything from them and that was July, but I would double check first just to make sure

[JenNT]

We also got a huge amount into our account from ATO so i rang them straight away. You need last years NOQ sequence number off you last tax return to get any info from them but ours was made of 2x$600 Supplemant part A( 2 kids) , my tax return amount and the underpayment from family assistance as i over estimated for the year.

[jlrjyeboah]

Thanks for all your replies. I called centrelink and they told me everything was correct and I would get a letter. I received a letter 2 days later outling everything. It turns out I was underpaid all year. Yipee for us. :D