KhunHeineken

Old argument, discussed before. When put to the forum, not one member said they went to The Australian Embassy in Bangkok to vote at election time. So, no lost votes from expats. Why would pensioners living in a Australia vote down a law that doesn't effect them? What makes you think it even will be an election issue? Liberal proposed them, and Labor didn't bin them, so they will most likely not be an election issue. They will probably sail through parliament one day with bipartisan support.

Correct. As I said in a previous post, as per the letter of the current law, we should all be paying non resident tax right now, and that includes pensioners. Another member has also pointed this out. The reason we haven't / don't is the loopholes in the current laws. The proposed changes will close those loopholes. Thus, it's obvious to me, the proposed changes focus on enforcement. The government wants the slice of non resident taxation that they have been missing out on for decades. If the proposed changes simply said: "The aged pension is exempt" i wouldn't have even bothered posting the proposed changes all that time ago, but there is no exemption, so what does that tell you?

Ok. I'll make it more simple. What's stopping the government from doing it? There are no exemptions, means testing, asset testing, or tax free threshold changes in the proposed changes. I don't see where pensions get a free pass. The DTA was put forward, but that is for government service pensions, and that's not an aged pension from Centerlink.

You simply asked for a source and some stats, and I supplied a link. Is the information in the link wrong? If so, can you post a link showing very few Thai's live overseas, sending money back to Thailand?

I agree, but what the proposed changes seemed to be focusing on is enforcement. It makes it sooooooo easy for them to enforce non resident tax. One should ask themself "why" focus on enforcement, if they are not going to chase dollars from non residents, including pensioners. Interesting. So, in your view, an Aussie expat pensioner, who has not been back to Australia in, say, 5 years, who is clearly a non resident for tax purposes, has nothing to be concerned about. Is this not the case with the majority of expats? Many haven't back in years. This is the demographic we are discussing, not people coming and going from Australia. I find it interesting that an Aussie pensioner can go to Thailand, not inform Centerlink they are leaving the country, and "automatically" have their supplements cut off after 6 weeks. This tells me Centerlink is linked to Immigration, does it not? We have read many account of it happening. You use the word "automatically." This is one case of "automatically" having money reduced, yet, many do not consider the same system could be used for non resident pensioners. Questions: Are you at all concerned there are no exemptions for pensions mentioned in the proposed changes? Why do you think pensioners will get a free pass? I see nothing in the proposed changes exempting any non resident, no matter the size of their income being derived in Australia.

I agree. It's the same with the Thai tax in 2025. However, "That's just for guys like Paul Hogan" and "I still have a Medicare Card so I am still a tax resident" and "Albo is in now so they will not be passed" and the many other reasons put forward, were not only incorrect, but humorous, yet members truly believed them to be genuine reasons for why nothing COULD ever change for them here. I remember one member stating, "I don't earn a pension" as for why he believed the pension was not an "income." The topic has debunked a lot of these false beliefs.

I've never reported a post, ever, and I never will. This is something many members have taken advantage of in this thread. I see even after a general waning from a Mod, you are still baiting me. My 910 posts on this thread was in response to the avalanche of ridiculous reasons why none of it would ever happen, and how none of it can ever have any impact on them here in Thailand. In my opinion, this is the single biggest issue facing expat pensioners in decades. Of course, we can always talk about "portability" again, and again, and again, which has never changed, or, the best phone number for Centerlink again, and again, and again.

It's currently not enforced because the current laws are 90 years old, and based on being "domiciled" in Australia, and one's "intention" to return. This is why I, and many others, including pensioners, have NEVER paid a cent of non resident tax, when we are clearly non residents, and deriving an income from Australia, and yes, the pension is deemed an income. It's a huge loop hole. The proposed changes will close this loop hole for the government, in a way that can not be reviewed, or appealed. Immigration records showing 183 days in or out, it's will be as simple as that. Well, there really is no argument. It's there for all to see. I posted a list of all the reasons people did argue, the "Paul Hogan, Medicare Card and Albo" posts come to mind. They have all be debunked though many links, quotes, youtube videos etc, by myself, and other members. There were even members that were under the belief they still get the tax free threshold as a non resident. They were also informed that's incorrect. Can you clarify your stance? Do you think the proposed changes will be eventually passed? If passed, do you think Centerlink will automatically withhold 30% of one's pension after 183 days, in the same way they cut off the supplements? Or, if passed, do you think nothing will happen to pensions? You use the words "consider the ramifications" and that's what this topic is all about, but many put forward humorous reasons for why they think there will be no ramifications at all.

Times are changing, and so are countries. Expats need to be adaptable, or, accept they may have to pay more, in the way of tax, to continue to reside in their chosen retirement destination county.

It's well known that the Thai diaspora is quite large. 2016 stats, but even then, 1.1 million Thai's working / living abroad. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Overseas_Thai Plenty on the net about it. This was at the top of the page of a quick Google search. 1.1 million people out of around 70 million people may not sound like a lot, but picture a lot of that 1.1 million people sending money back to Thailand every week / month from working in the west and it's considerable remittances.

Should the issue return, an idea is to buy another router and connect it to the ISP's router using an ethernet cable. You then have full access to all settings, configurations, passwords etc etc because you own it. You connect your devices to your own router. No need for anything expensive. It's just to give you full and complete access to the settings of that router. Basically, just use the supplied ISP router as a gateway.

I'll give his repo another try then.

OP, you have posted about the "pros." Do you have any idea what MAY be happening in the background that could be a "con." (no pun intended)

One minor thing to consider is your passport really isn't a 10 year passport. It's actually a 9.5 year passport. You will not be allowed to board a flight with a passport with less than 6 months validity. Probably ok for a flight back to Australia, but for any other international travel, you need 6 months validity. So, best to get a new passport prior to 9.5 years. I have no idea why this rule is in place. Someone looking to have a 2 week holiday in Thailand, and they still have 5 months left on their passport, what's the problem?

Correct me if I am wrong, but I think age has something to do with renewing online. Once over a certain age, I don't think you can renew online, because you have to read the eye sight chart.

No, just your total number of days in / out within a financial year. Thai immigration know it, that's why it's called "overstay" if you go over, yet, YOU seem to think Australia is incapable of having a computer data base that can do the same.

Yes, but what is the relevancy of this comment? You will still be able to have it transferred, but it MAY be 30% less money. That's because many people are using the "domiciled" and "intention" loop hole. That loop hole will close when the new laws are passed. The proposed changes are exactly that, 183 days in or out. Once again, you are talking about the current situation, not the proposed changes. Losing 30% of your Aussie pension, the Thai tax is the least of your problems. Once again, 30% is a lot of tax. Thai tax is nothing compared to what Australia MAY be finally able to tax you as a non tax resident in the future. Times, and laws, are changing.

That's why the laws are changing. Like I have said in the past, Centerlink is the payer, and can also be the taxer / withholder. Computers will do it all. It already happens when a pensioner is outside of Australia for 6 weeks. Supplements are cut off. No giant leap forward to withhold 30% non resident tax, in the same way the supplements are cut off.

Why would there be any issues? All it means is you pay a higher rate of tax.

As just mentioned in a previous post, the day is coming where there will be no point being able to supply an address, when the government data bases know you are not living at that address, and are living overseas.

I maintain private health insurance in Australia, so I am covered. This is a similar issue to the non resident taxation issue. The data bases are all starting to communicate with each other, and when Australia moves to a physical presence and time based model for tax residency, for sure it will have some form of impact on the availability of Medicare for expats. Basically, the days of living overseas for years, and paying no Medicare levy, and flying back to Australia for free medical treatment, will be over, and the 5 years enforced. It will not matter if you have an "address" in Australia because they will know you are not living at that address, and in fact are living overseas. As I have said, one should not rely upon Medicare for treatment of serious injuries or illnesses.

Really? I'm shocked.

More poor advice from you. JP's can only perform their duty in their State of jurisdiction. They can not perform JP duties whilst interstate, or overseas. Here's the NSW JP Handbook. https://dcj.nsw.gov.au/documents/legal-and-justice/justice-of-the-peace/the-role-of-jps/jp-handbook-full.pdf "You must be physically present in NSW to exercise your functions as a JP except in certain circumstances when you are delivering JP functions via audio-visual link (see page 14). " The JP should have know this and declined to witness the document. Also, it invalidates your document. If they looked into that document, you would have been asked to resubmit, and the JP may have been stripped of their certification. They don't really have to, in order to have the Vet pension cut off, do they? The Embassy informs Births, Deaths and Marriages, and from there, other government agencies are informed, and payments stopped. However, I have been told there is usually two, or possibly three, more pension payments after death. Most likely due to the bureaucracy, with cross referencing etc.

Can you quote me where I have said any other that???? Banks accounts and automatic transfers. Huh???? Go on the record. What pension are you on????

No, I don't like to be critical of posters, just calling it as I see it. Last time I went to load Sly Guy's repo it wouldn't take. I gathered he may have been shut down, which is what can happen. He went from Matt Hausman to Sly Guy, so just like Matt Hausman didn't work, maybe Sly Guy doesn't anymore. I don't know. Just thought I would mention it. I went another route and gave up on it.