Tom A Hawk

I can qualify for the secondary tests, but I really don't want to go back to Australia for 45 days. I can stay with my kids for a while, maybe some airbnb for a while, and do a little domestic travel, but 45 days in Australia is a PITA, and now you have to worry about being in Thailand for more than 6 months because it looks like they are going to tax you here in the future.

The message this guy got in the video. I ended up signing in and that message wasn't there. I don't know why he got it and I didn't. Maybe it's on its way to me. I can answer the way he suggests, but it would not be truthful. At some point, regardless of my answers to those questions, they are just going to say I am a non resident because I am living in Thailand. Bit hard to get around it when they know you are not in Australia for so long. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S8kIY9ADQpg

No idea what you are talking about but I am out of here.

You guys have all put up a lot of info since this came to light. I just tried to confirm some of it and watched some youtube video. I only put up two videos out of the many I watched. I said before you don't believe everything you see on the internet so I googled that guy's name in the video and found he has his own financial services business in Australia. To me, he came across as knowing what he was talking about. No. I am not the guy in the video.

I don't want to have a blue about it. I just want facts with a bit of opinion, not opinion with a bit of facts.

I tried to confirm what Heineken was saying. I posted a youtube video. The guy in that video, who I think is an accountant and has a business in Thailand, says if you sell your house and cut all ties you will have to pay 30% on your pension but you will still be ahead because of the lower cost of living. Can you put something up on here saying an old age pension will not be taxed?

Nope. I read everyone's comments and come up with my own ideas. I agree with the other guy when he says the new rules will come in. I agree with you that I am a small fry and not worth their time to chase. I agree with don't sweat it until it happens, if it happens, but have a plan for it. I know we all have different circumstances but as expats we all have a few things in common. They are, we are all living overseas, and we are all getting our money from somewhere, but most getting it from Australia. As a new expat in Thailand, what I don't get is why we all have different experiences with CL and the ATO. Why did that guy in the video I put up get the letter in MyGov and others didn't? Why did some guys get questions from CL and others didn't. If these new rules come in will we still all have different experiences or be treated all the same?

Maybe that's how they will do it. They will link our tax file numbers to our passport numbers behind the scenes.

At the moment I think border force tell CL but not the ATO. Going from info on this forum and the internet, if the new rules come in, isn't that time frame gonna be 6 months. After that, border force will tell the ATO you are living overseas and not on a holiday.

From reading all the chit chat on this forum, isn't it border force that is gonna dob us all in to the ATO because we are living overseas and they know that?

CL know you are not in Australia. Isn't it border force that tells them? What if border force starts telling the ATO as well?

That's the way it works now but what about if the new rules come in? Will the ATO start putting the 30% tax on everyone because they will know you are living overseas?

From what the other guy on here says a lot, isn't it border force that is going to start the audit by telling the ATO and CL about every Aussie outside of Australia for more than 6 months? I don't really have much for them to audit accept for me being outside of Australia and maybe owing them 30% more tax because I am overseas.

I've got a few irons in the fire back in Australia I can cash out if I need to. I just never expected that I might have to use them because of paying tax for living overseas. You know what they say about death and taxes.

This is the part I can't get my head around. Border force and CL know I have left Australia and not been back for nearly a year. I lost some supplements but not the 30%. When is CL going to decide that I am an expat and living overseas and send the 30% to the ATO? Is it maybe the ATO doesn't know I have left Australia so they don't tell CL to take the 30%. If that continues it sounds too good to be true. It can't be that easy.

I don't reckon border force and CL know where you are but they don't need to know where you are to start cutting the money. They just need to know you are not in Australia. i don't get your last sentence. If border force and CL know you are not in Australia why wouldn't the ATO? They are all federal not state. Is it 1 or 2 years when you go from being on a holiday to being an expat?

Why would they care where I am going? All they need to know is I am not in Australia. That's the cause of all of this, isn't it?

I've got a mate coming in 2 weeks and he's staying for 2 weeks. I will log in to my MyGov account not long after he gets here. If it's there waiting for me I'll answer the same way as the guy in the video and give it to my mate to take home and post for me. It should get to them before the 28 days. If it's not there, I've got no idea why some get it and some don't. Looks like that guy in the video built a nice big house. Could it be he transferred more than $10k AUD out of Australia for the house and they jammed this letter into him? I only rent here so not big transfers.

I lost the supplements many months ago. No problem. I expected that. I have a MyGov account, just haven't signed in since I started paying attention to this forum and things on youtube and on the internet about retirees having to pay the tax for living overseas. I can still get by with a 30% drop but my social life will have to take a bit of a hit. If they are gonna do it I wish they would just get on with it so I can know where I stand and can move on with my life.

You don't believe everything you see on the internet so I looked for those questions on their website. https://www.servicesaustralia.gov.au/centrelink-online-account-help-travelling-outside-australia Down the page you will see this "It may affect your payment if you don’t know the date you’ll return. If you’re going to live in another country, it can also affect your payment." Looks like if you don't tell them you are going overseas then border control tell them and they send you the questions. Losing some supplements is no problem but losing 30% is a bit rough.

I ticked part pension taxed as a resident.

Yep, that's the way I have been playing it. I don't want to be served the questions because I have logged in. They know I am not in Australia so how long can I get away with being like the three wise monkeys? How long before your physical absence from Australia overrides the porkie that you have the intention of returning? Strange that some have received that MyGov letter and some haven't. It could be in there waiting for me but I don't want to find out if it is.

Logged into your MyGov for messages.

My reasoning for not wanting to log in is because once I log in, there may be that message from them sitting there and it will start the 28 days clock on it, just like the guy in the video. It's like they have served it on me electronically. You suggest I don't lie, but aren't people saying they have the intention to return to Australia but they actually don't? Just look at the guy in the video again. He said on the video, "Have you permanently shifted overseas? The answer is no" and then at the end of the video he shows his big new house. I know having a house in Thailand doesn't mean someone has moved there permanently but it looks like he has. Did you tell them you were going to live in Australia but were really gonna live in Thailand? Say I answer "no" as well but a year later I still haven't gone back. How long before the next declaration is sent to me and how can I keep saying "no" before they call BS on my answers because they know I haven't been back? I will go back for a few weeks to see my kids but I am living in Thailand now. What is the point of these questions if everyone can keep saying they haven't permanently left Australia when they actually have and they know you haven't returned for a long time?

I think I'm gonna be skinned for 30% one day down the track.