http://www.bubhub.com.au/community/forums/ See finances en Wed, 22 May 2013 08:32:59 GMT vBulletin 10 http://www.bubhub.com.au/community/forums/images/styles/BubHub/misc/rss.png http://www.bubhub.com.au/community/forums/ http://www.bubhub.com.au/community/forums/showthread.php?496360-Family-Tax-amp-Child-Support-Question&goto=newpost Wed, 22 May 2013 03:47:35 GMT Wondering if any one can help me. I'm on a pension and I'm also getting Family Tax a & b for my 6 year old son. Now my ex is paying child support but if he pays more then what CSA has told him to pay ( as our son has speech therapy & psychology sessions, and he wants to help pay for them) will it affect my family tax? We are doing a private collection.

TIA ]]> Family Finances Emma 80 http://www.bubhub.com.au/community/forums/showthread.php?496360-Family-Tax-amp-Child-Support-Question http://www.bubhub.com.au/community/forums/showthread.php?496336-Child-Support-Question-asking-for-debt-to-be-cleared&goto=newpost Wed, 22 May 2013 00:34:22 GMT Can anyone tell me if I can wipe a Child Support Debt owed to me? My ex has a Departure Prohibition Order due to the child support debt. He has a Family Event coming up in NZ, I would like for him to travel with our Son to this event as I think it is important for our Son to know his roots :-)... Can anyone tell me if I can wipe a Child Support Debt owed to me?

My ex has a Departure Prohibition Order due to the child support debt. He has a Family Event coming up in NZ, I would like for him to travel with our Son to this event as I think it is important for our Son to know his roots :-)

As much as he has not kept his obligations for financial support he is an awesome Dad in so many other ways.

Can anyone help?

Thanks in advance ]]> Family Finances SuzieNZ http://www.bubhub.com.au/community/forums/showthread.php?496336-Child-Support-Question-asking-for-debt-to-be-cleared http://www.bubhub.com.au/community/forums/showthread.php?496302-Centrelink-after-Marriage-Q-s&goto=newpost Tue, 21 May 2013 10:13:08 GMT A friend of mine is in a situation - let me explain.

She is a Mum to one child and works but also receives some centrelink allowances as a single parent.
She is getting married to her lovely DF later this year. They don't as yet live together and her DF owns a house and she is renting a house. They are currently looking to sell his house (too small for them all) and buy a suitable home.

She is very worried that if they don't manage to do this before the wedding they will be in a very tricky financial position trying to pay for 2 houses. At the minute she can afford her house on her own and he pays the mortgage on his but once they are married her single parent money will obviously be no longer and they will be left trying to pay for both until they can buy a new home. Does that make sense?

Can someone advise me on whether there is some kind of allowance for this type of interim circumstance? As in, they are now married, but not living together? and so she would still receive the payments (in addition to her own income) so that she can continue to pay for her house until the can move! ]]> Family Finances OneLove http://www.bubhub.com.au/community/forums/showthread.php?496302-Centrelink-after-Marriage-Q-s http://www.bubhub.com.au/community/forums/showthread.php?496156-Letter-from-Centrelink-RE-immunization&goto=newpost Mon, 20 May 2013 01:08:29 GMT Hi all,
I received a letter today saying my DD does not meet immunization standards (she is 2) and if I don't get her immunized by June 30 my family tax will be affected.

Problem is that she IS totally immunized, I'm 100% sure she's all up to date.. So what do I do? Call our health nurse who did the immunizations or call Centrelink? How do I prove that she's fully immunized? Is it in our blue book??

Thanks! ]]> Family Finances SummerFun http://www.bubhub.com.au/community/forums/showthread.php?496156-Letter-from-Centrelink-RE-immunization http://www.bubhub.com.au/community/forums/showthread.php?495922-Happy-dance-just-wanted-to-share&goto=newpost Thu, 16 May 2013 13:32:43 GMT This is a bit of a gloat ... So if you can't handle me high fiving myself ... Perhaps look away now :)

So if you're still with me - I just wanted to share something that I feel really proud of. I've just thought of the enormity of what I've been doing. I looked at my bank account today and realised I've saved all of the money I need to pay for my $13 000 surgery without getting a loan (I've already paid some of it off over a year). I'm so so so happy I've made it. I live with my mum which has helped hugely because even though I pay board and for a storage shed - living with her is saving me $300 a fortnight in rent alone.

I've been struggling lately as I desperately want to move out and my surgery date is constantly being put back so now I've achieved my goal I'm handing in my first rental application tomorrow.

I have been so careful with grocery shopping and buy only what I need, absolutely no wastage and meal planning. I also make everything from scratch and I've really stuck to my budget. I've also accepted every supply day I've been offered which has been a lot this term. It's been stressful working so much with my boys and no help whatsoever (my mum doesn't help at all ... But I know she doesn't have to. It's just a popular misconception that I get help living with her.) But it's all totally worth it. I'm going to work my buns off until surgery and hopefully have a fair amount of savings by the end of the year as well.

I know this seems like a pointless post - but hot diggity do I'm so pleased. ]]> Family Finances http://www.bubhub.com.au/community/forums/showthread.php?495922-Happy-dance-just-wanted-to-share http://www.bubhub.com.au/community/forums/showthread.php?495634-Australian-household-income-broken-down-into-quintiles&goto=newpost Mon, 13 May 2013 06:12:30 GMT I thought this was quite an interesting breakdown of household income in Australia. It looks at the net income of households and the sources of that income and then divides households into 'quintiles' based on the average disposable income.

It talks in terms of averages so obviously there will be exceptions and households at the upper and lower ends of the quintiles, however, it gives a better perspective on the state of household income than just a straight comparison of gross income.



THE Budget will be announced tomorrow and so we are bracing ourselves for a whole lot of talk about "struggling families", "middle class welfare" and the "super wealthy" over the next few days.

But what do those labels actually mean? And where do you sit in relation to everyone else?


Australia has never had a class system in the same way the British historically have (although those class definitions have changed over time).

Social researcher Mark McCrindle says that in Australia the idea of "class" is based around earnings rather than cultural pursuits or educational backgrounds.
"Money doesn't follow profession, it follows skills shortages," said Mr McCrindle, director of McCrindle Research.


"The highest average salaries are found in industries like mining, construction and utilities."


Mr McCrindle added that as a nation we are not as wealthy as we might think, and what is actually the "middle ground" for earners in Australia does not line up with the traditional image of the middle class – full of two parent families with kids and a mortgage.


The most recent Australian Bureau of Statistics figures on the net income (amount people are paid after tax) of Australian households ranks houses in to five groups, or quintiles.
"It's better to measure this disposable income, it's sort of irrelevant to talk about gross earnings because people don't get that," Mr McCrindle said.
"Whether someone in a household is earning $130,000 or not is irrelevant because no one gets that $130,000 to take home."

So what do these five quintiles look like? And which one do you belong to?






Average disposable income $16,328 per year, average net worth $434,686
Mr McCrindle said much of this quintile is made up of retirees living on the pension - 42.9 per cent of the quintile is made up of lone-person households.


But the data, taken from the ABS's household income and income distribution 2009-10 statistics, shows 46.1 per cent live in a home that they own with a fully-paid mortgage.


"The pensioners are clearly asset-endowed but cash-flow tight," he said.
"The problem is they have little liquidity, little flexibility in their expenses, so they might have on paper a fair bit of money in assets but they really are tight on a day-to-day basis."


The rest of the people in this group are those who are on "Struggle Street", Mr McCrindle says.


"They have neither the earnings to have a decent quality of life and they have such a poor asset base that they have no secure for the future," he said.


"They're in a permanent state of housing stress, bill stress and even some of them are in food stress and rely on charities and social institutions."


Average disposable income $27,248 per year, average net worth $513,750
For most people in this quintile (51.7 per cent) their main income comes from wages and salary.


But for more than a third their main source of income is government pensions and allowances.


"These are the struggling working families, the working poor," Mr McCrindle said.


Just over 40 per cent of these households have dependent children living in them, and this quintile is under mortgage stress or renting stress.
"While for most families the water bill or power bill is just an expense, for this quintile it becomes a significant issue for them, those quarterly bills," Mr McCrindle said.


"Because more than half their income comes from earnings, because assets are poor, they're in quite a financially insecure position.


"If someone loses their job or they get cutbacks and can't get the overtime those in that quintile are going to struggle."


Average disposable income $37,492 per year, average net worth $555,448
Being middle income quintile, this group makes up the statistical "middle class".


Households in this group have the highest likelihood of being a home with depending children (42 per cent) and for four out of five households the main source of income is wages or salary. Just 4 per cent list their main source of income as government allowances.


"This is the group that's doing it for themselves and contributing a lot to [the tax base]," Mr McCrindle said.


"They're not getting a leg up from the government - they are the backbone of government revenue coffers."


And the average disposable income is just $37,000.
"Does that make them average? Turns out from an after-tax perspective it does," he said.


"It's way down on what people would think."
Mr McCrindle added that this group was strongly affected by government policy changes.


"Only little things, like a change to Family Tax or Parenting Payment eligibility, that's when they get hit," he said.


Average disposable income $50,700 per year, average net worth $705,314
The overwhelming majority of this quintile's main source of income comes from wages.


This group also has a low likelihood of being a single parent family (just 2.8 per cent), compared to 9.7 per cent, 10.7 per cent and 7.1 per cent for the first, second and third quintiles respectively.


And when you look at their living situation almost half of households are paying off a mortgage.


"That puts them right in the traditional middle class ‘achieving the Aussie dream' role," Mr McCrindle said.


"They're not at all dependent on government pensions, not at all a drain, and they're big contributors to the revenues and at the stage where they're wanting to accumulate wealth or pay down the mortgage.


"I guess what we're saying here is the benchmark for middle class has crept up a bit."




Average disposable income $88,608 per year, average net worth $1,396,342
All the households in this quintile have private income.


"Think about them as the professional class, but the entrepreneurial class as well," Mr McCrindle said.


"This quintile has the highest portion that own their own business."
The group also has the highest likelihood of being a couple-only household (35 per cent).


The so-called super wealthy do fall in this top quintile, so the average sits a bit higher than it otherwise would, Mr McCrindle said.


"But they are hardly the super wealthy – the highest fifth of households are not super wealthy," he said.
"Earning after tax $88,000 - that is not wealthy."


Mr McCrindle said this was highlighted by the proportion of this group that have a mortgage (52.4 per cent).


"This is the home that they occupy, so clearly, if someone's got a mortgage on the house they live in, it might be a nicer house than most but they're still paying it off."


And of the top quintile, the average household net worth of is $1.396 million.


"This means they've probably got a million dollars net worth in a house," he said.
"What does a million get you? In about 250 suburbs across Australia it's the average price of a home."


Read more: http://www.news.com.au/money/federal...#ixzz2T9JuMH00 ]]> Family Finances NancyBlackett http://www.bubhub.com.au/community/forums/showthread.php?495634-Australian-household-income-broken-down-into-quintiles http://www.bubhub.com.au/community/forums/showthread.php?495540-Water-Bill&goto=newpost Sun, 12 May 2013 01:33:35 GMT We just moved house and settlement was on the 8th April. We got the water bill the other day for $482.57. Now the meter reading was done on the 26March so we were not even living here at that time and also its saying that the previous owner used 124KL which averaged to 1459L/day which is heaps for... We just moved house and settlement was on the 8th April. We got the water bill the other day for $482.57. Now the meter reading was done on the 26March so we were not even living here at that time and also its saying that the previous owner used 124KL which averaged to 1459L/day which is heaps for a sinlge man.
Our previous bill from our old address for 4 people was only 37KL for the quarter.

Now I need to know 3 things:
1) who is responsible for paying the bill as it is not water we used at all?

2) I have written down what the reading is currently and not letting anyone use any water for a couple of hrs. I did the same yesterday.
The first reading was 01403105 at 8:42am and then at 3:42pm it was 01403331 and that was after me having a shower, a load of washing and also having kids fluching the toilet. Does that sound excessive to you?

3) when they read the water meter do they use the black numbers to work out the bill or the red?
The numbers on the bill are previous reading 1261 and current reading 1385. ]]> Family Finances Juju1 http://www.bubhub.com.au/community/forums/showthread.php?495540-Water-Bill http://www.bubhub.com.au/community/forums/showthread.php?495473-Carers-allowance-at-tax-time&goto=newpost Fri, 10 May 2013 21:22:33 GMT Hello I have just been put on the carers allowance for my aspergers son and it all confuses me. I was just wondering if you get a lump sum payment at tax time and if so how much? Hello I have just been put on the carers allowance for my aspergers son and it all confuses me. I was just wondering if you get a lump sum payment at tax time and if so how much? ]]> Family Finances our3boys http://www.bubhub.com.au/community/forums/showthread.php?495473-Carers-allowance-at-tax-time http://www.bubhub.com.au/community/forums/showthread.php?495410-Rental-prices-Just-crazy&goto=newpost Fri, 10 May 2013 01:59:23 GMT We live in one of the cheapest suburbs in sydney - outer west. The rents are just ridiculous and I can't imagine what others are paying for their home.

We have just signed a lease on a new rental at 450 a week. 3 x 3. It is a lovely home, nice and modern but still in a less than desirable suburb.

So if you don't mind me asking, what is your rent p/w and what do you get for your money? Also are you in a capital city, country or suburbia?

I wish we could afford a mortgage but paying that much rent we will never be able to save a decent deposit.

Just depressed with having to pay over 20 thousand dollars in rent each year. I guess we are luckier than some, when there is so many homeless. Though it doesn't make me feel lucky at all today. ]]> Family Finances onionskin http://www.bubhub.com.au/community/forums/showthread.php?495410-Rental-prices-Just-crazy http://www.bubhub.com.au/community/forums/showthread.php?495323-How-much-do-you-spend-on-groceries&goto=newpost Thu, 09 May 2013 03:35:57 GMT There are four of us all together in my family, me hubby and two boys aged 11 and 3, we spend $300 a week on groceries and a few extra items such as coffee out and about and the occasional juice. Is this too much? We eat out rarely, and I cook all of our meals and lunches at home. I feel abit... There are four of us all together in my family, me hubby and two boys aged 11 and 3, we spend $300 a week on groceries and a few extra items such as coffee out and about and the occasional juice. Is this too much? We eat out rarely, and I cook all of our meals and lunches at home. I feel abit lost, and feel I could be spending less, my son has a gluten free diet, which can feel pricey at times, but still... how much are famalies in similar situations spending? ]]> Family Finances Cherie jean http://www.bubhub.com.au/community/forums/showthread.php?495323-How-much-do-you-spend-on-groceries http://www.bubhub.com.au/community/forums/showthread.php?495225-Money-amp-Budgeting!&goto=newpost Tue, 07 May 2013 23:33:38 GMT Hi Fellow Bh's,

Hubby & I have some very strict goals over the next 6 months & then followed by some more the next 12 months.

We use to be so good at saving & paying debt down & since DD 1 has arrived we have been very relaxed & spending $$$$ ! I believe we are in way to much debt & this is our first goal of tackling & reducing in 6 months.

What I would like to know, is some money saving tips - can be anything from food shopping, to lunch ideas, to entertainment. Basically open to all suggestions to make this next 6 months seem like we are not caged in. IYKWIM

Thanks in advance 😃 ]]> Family Finances Missy18 http://www.bubhub.com.au/community/forums/showthread.php?495225-Money-amp-Budgeting! http://www.bubhub.com.au/community/forums/showthread.php?495181-Must-I-pay-more-than-the-required-child-support-payments&goto=newpost Tue, 07 May 2013 09:19:04 GMT Hi all, I'm a dad that pays child support to my ex partner who is the principal carer of our 5yo daughter. I'm cool with making these child support payments. My ex claims the parenting payment and family tax benefit. I claim nothing. I also have our daughter 3 nights a week at my house for which I am grateful.

On top of my child support payments (which are quite expensive as my ex works for undeclared cash which substantially lowers her taxable income but allows a nice standard of living!) I am paying all of my daughters school fees, half of her clothing, half of her dentist bills, etc etc. It seems that every week I pay my mandatory child support payments and then I also get handed extra bills from my ex that I also pay.

I'm not a high income earner, I earn less than her with her cashies. I'm struggling a bit financially but I don't think she gives a damn.

My question is; Am I responsible for paying these extra bills that get handed to me on top of the child support payments?
If not, then that would give me a bit of extra cash so that my daughter and I could actually go out somewhere during our time together.

Cheers. ]]> Family Finances Dazza1 http://www.bubhub.com.au/community/forums/showthread.php?495181-Must-I-pay-more-than-the-required-child-support-payments http://www.bubhub.com.au/community/forums/showthread.php?495147-Is-this-poverty-these-days&goto=newpost Tue, 07 May 2013 02:28:14 GMT Hi


just curious...was out recently and someone mentioned that they are living below the 'poverty line'...their income was approx 100k gross, they got about 200 a fortnight on family tax, have 2 properties, one pays the mortgage for itself in rental so its an investment property, the other is a smallish mortgage.....is this really poverty? I kinda didn't know what to say, the person seemed upset by thier situation....but it got me thinking....is this actually 'poverty'? ]]> Family Finances jfblady72 http://www.bubhub.com.au/community/forums/showthread.php?495147-Is-this-poverty-these-days http://www.bubhub.com.au/community/forums/showthread.php?495095-Centrelink-Query&goto=newpost Mon, 06 May 2013 06:52:38 GMT I am curious as to whether anyone can shed any light on this as a 90 minute phone wait is just not possible for me over the next few days. I am on the disbursement method of family payments and received a large sum of child support, so my payments have been reduced by 300/fn. I know I have been... I am curious as to whether anyone can shed any light on this as a 90 minute phone wait is just not possible for me over the next few days.

I am on the disbursement method of family payments and received a large sum of child support, so my payments have been reduced by 300/fn. I know I have been overpaid and all the reasoning behind it, but I am wondering, does anyone know if it might be an option for me to have a debt which I pay at like 50/fn instead of losing so much out of my payment. At this enormously reduced rate I can pay rent and have 180 left to cover ALL bills/food/medical which is impossible. ]]> Family Finances flyawayfree http://www.bubhub.com.au/community/forums/showthread.php?495095-Centrelink-Query http://www.bubhub.com.au/community/forums/showthread.php?494953-Birthdays-Xmas-Mothers-Day-Fathers-Day-ect&goto=newpost Sat, 04 May 2013 07:26:27 GMT Hi all,

Just redoing our budget and wondering what other families allow in their budgets for buying presents during the year.
I'm finding it so hard to set an amount for each person we would buy for during the year. ]]> Family Finances misscheekysmum http://www.bubhub.com.au/community/forums/showthread.php?494953-Birthdays-Xmas-Mothers-Day-Fathers-Day-ect http://www.bubhub.com.au/community/forums/showthread.php?494799-Any-Mortgage-Lender-Brokers-available-for-advice&goto=newpost Thu, 02 May 2013 10:42:10 GMT I need to make some pretty quick decisions on my current mortgage arrangements. Is there anyone out there willing to please assist?! I will be speaking to my bank, but just wanted some unbiased feedback if anyone has experience.

In summary - my house mortgage is still in both mine and exDH's name (he no longer lives here). We had agreed it would remain this way for 12mths while I'm on mat leave, but new circumstances mean I now need to work out what I'm doing ASAP. I really need to remove him from the loan or sell.

I need advice on whether I'd realistically get a loan in my just name to take over, given I have 2 young dependents and only one wage now (mortgage is chunky as we purchased with 2 good incomes).

My finances would be tight by doing this, but I think it would be just manageable. Even if I had to make some sacrifices for a year or so in the hope of the market improving in that time, I could then sell and buy something more manageable longterm.

To me it's better than the alternative of losing the house and renting again in my mid-30's. I wouldn't make enough for another deposit if I sold now. ]]> Family Finances Pesca77 http://www.bubhub.com.au/community/forums/showthread.php?494799-Any-Mortgage-Lender-Brokers-available-for-advice http://www.bubhub.com.au/community/forums/showthread.php?494770-Centre-link-not-entitled-to-anything-!&goto=newpost Thu, 02 May 2013 04:53:45 GMT I have no job and have just found out I'm pregnant. I used to work for myself but have moved and am now having to restart again.
I live with my partner who is casual employee but mostly works full time hours. I have no children so I am only entitled to job seeker payments.. Which I am only able to get if my partner earns under 1560$ gross a fortnight and sometimes he earns like 20$ over the amount...
I have no idea how we will afford rent and bills when what little of my savings run out. I thought I would have a job by now but it hasn't worked out that way :( I don't know what to do or where to go? If I don't get a health care card can I still have the baby public ? I'm a high risk pregnancy due to my history and already have crazy morning sickness at 5wks :( ]]> Family Finances Autumncurl http://www.bubhub.com.au/community/forums/showthread.php?494770-Centre-link-not-entitled-to-anything-! http://www.bubhub.com.au/community/forums/showthread.php?494582-Buying-a-house&goto=newpost Tue, 30 Apr 2013 03:11:35 GMT Hi ladies, I was wondering if you could tell me all about buying your first house. We are in army housing at the moment in QLD but really want to get into our own house as soon as possible, hopefully next year. We have our first baby due in July and I am considering going back to work, even just... Hi ladies, I was wondering if you could tell me all about buying your first house. We are in army housing at the moment in QLD but really want to get into our own house as soon as possible, hopefully next year. We have our first baby due in July and I am considering going back to work, even just part time, at about 6 months. But again, that's just a loose plan. We have been posted yearly so we haven't stayed in the same place for longer than 12 months. This posting we have been here for just under 6 months already.

We don't have much savings at all at the moment, something that we are working on. Later in the year, hubby will be eligible for assistance to buy a house from the army. And we will be eligible for the FHOG. I have also seen a payment that is $15,000 if you buy a brand new house or build a house in QLD instead of the FHOG?

So I have absolutely no idea about house buying and whatnot! I have heard a 5% deposit is good, but no idea how we will manage to save that up for a while! Does the deposit include the grants as well? Is it going to be a problem that I have only been working casual (still 3-4 days a week) at this place for 5 months, then went off to have a baby?

Our initial plan was always to buy a house before we had babies... but we just felt 'ready'. I juts have this horrible feeling that it is going to be impossible for us with a baby already.

Thanks everyone, buying a house is such a big and scary thing haha we do get a really good deal with our army housing, but we want to get away from renting and have our own home. ]]> Family Finances IndieBelle http://www.bubhub.com.au/community/forums/showthread.php?494582-Buying-a-house