What do Thai Wives (& their husbands) think of losing their Australian Husbands for 2 years because of a new Centrelink law requirement being for him to live 2 years in Australia to collect his aged pension entitlement from the Australain government

[Lacessit]

22 minutes ago, 4MyEgo said:

 

I also read somewhere else that if you start reducing your asset amount less than 5 years beforehand by gifting money to relatives etc etc there are limits, like no more than $30k in total within those 5 years, so if you are in the boat of having more, and have a decade or so before you get the pension, start giving it away, and if you want my bank account details, PM me, I will give you a person I O U note autographed and dated  

Correct. The 5 years roll forward, so if you gifted $10K five years ago you can gift $10K next year.

 

2 minutes ago, realenglish1 said:

That is what you get with a socialist government

BS. It's what you get with a Liberal/National coalition in power. Anyone on any form of social security in Australia knows that.

[realenglish1]

1 minute ago, Lacessit said:

Correct. The 5 years roll forward, so if you gifted $10K five years ago you can gift $10K next year.

 

BS. It's what you get with a Liberal/National coalition in power. Anyone on any form of social security in Australia knows that.

Same as socialist Liberals don't care about what is right Only what they think is good for people. In most cases, it's not good for the people only good for the government to control the people

[4MyEgo]

8 minutes ago, Lacessit said:

I'm not sure this is correct. As long as you have residency in Australia, the only requirement is you have to be IN Australia when you become eligible for the OAP. If you miss that date by being overseas, then you have to do the two years penal servitude.

Personally, I think the 2 - year rule is horseshit dreamed up by some four-eyed pen-pusher in Canberra. It's evident why Canberra's power lines are underground.  It removes the possibility of public servants being strung up on lamp posts by an outraged population.

Residency or at least 2 years residency if you have returned from overseas, personally I wouldn't be applying if I didn't have residency of at least 2 years prior to applying, because if you left, they would stop your pension and you would have to start all over again, it just goes to tie things up even more so.

 

 

[CGW]

10 minutes ago, realenglish1 said:

That is what you get with a socialist government

This is a prime example of what is coming - no matter what party is in power, there all politicians there to give you the illusion of choice! globalization and police state - remember those words

[namatjira]

Residency means more than 6 months of the year.

i can return to Australia for 6 months and 1 day and I am a resident.

return to Thailand for 5 months and do the same thing next year.

so it’s really only a year in actual time there to quality for the 2 years

rsidency rules.....

[realenglish1]

9 minutes ago, CGW said:

This is a prime example of what is coming - no matter what party is in power, there all politicians there to give you the illusion of choice! globalization and police state - remember those words

Sorry, not all Leaders are like that. Trump has turned the Political status quo on its ear in the USA Main Stream Media that hate that just nitpicks at him Truth is he is doing a fantastic job Lowering taxes and full transparency. He is a stand-up guy Keeps his word 

[jenny2017]

5 hours ago, transam said:

I understand it is even worse for Canadians....

And for certain European people ,for example Germans. If the pension isn't high enough and the retiree receives a few Euros to have the minimum amount by law, he/she is not allowed to live abroad. Even after working for 40 years, or more. 

[cyberfarang]

What an <deleted> joke, makes my blood boil.
My Thai wife’s ex-sister in law decided to move on to greener pastures.
Unbeknown to her Thai husband my wife’s brother, she started advertising herself on dating sites claiming to be single looking for a Farlang partner.
Then she began advertising herself on Tagged.com and HI5. She also started doing sex cam and offering herself as a tour guide in Thailand with extra benefits.
She managed to save enough money to apply for an education visa to study English in Australia. The school was real but the course was fake, all arranged by some corrupt agency that she found advertised on facebook. The agency had already secured a job for her in a Sydney massage parlour.  All completed within a few weeks.

Then once in Australia after a few months the same agency arranged a marriage of convenience for her. No problem, she convinced her Thai husband to divorce her, got married in Australia and obtained a permanent visa and later received Australian citizenship. That was 14 years ago, now she owns her own brothel type massage parlour in Sydney. Later she will be entitled to a full Australian pension and any other State benefits, including health care. Not only that she also has duel citizenship with Thailand.

[tryasimight]

49 minutes ago, namatjira said:

Residency means more than 6 months of the year.

i can return to Australia for 6 months and 1 day and I am a resident.

return to Thailand for 5 months and do the same thing next year.

so it’s really only a year in actual time there to quality for the 2 years

rsidency rules.....

Keep that happy thought..... I don't think it works that way.  The 2 years is 24 months.  Using your method you are looking at 4 years effectively to qualify. 

[Lacessit]

1 hour ago, tryasimight said:

Keep that happy thought..... I don't think it works that way.  The 2 years is 24 months.  Using your method you are looking at 4 years effectively to qualify. 

This has me confused. Are we talking about qualifying for the Age Pension, or after you have got it?

AFAIK there are many retirees in Thailand who have the OAP ( less the supplements thanks to the pennypinchers ) and don't go back to Australia for years. Their only reason for going back before 5 years expires is to maintain their Medicare card.

[willr]

If you have lived and worked in  Australia for over 32 years ,

You will get the pension  and you can live where you like don't have to stay in Oz.

[namatjira]

A resident for taxation purposes........is defined spending more that 6 months of the financial year in Australia.....if I have to stay for 2 years that means I have to be resident for 2 years......that does not mean I can not go overseas on holiday.

[giddyup]

10 minutes ago, Lacessit said:

This has me confused. Are we talking about qualifying for the Age Pension, or after you have got it?

AFAIK there are many retirees in Thailand who have the OAP ( less the supplements thanks to the pennypinchers ) and don't go back to Australia for years. Their only reason for going back before 5 years expires is to maintain their Medicare card.

Qualifying.

[tryasimight]

23 minutes ago, namatjira said:

A resident for taxation purposes........is defined spending more that 6 months of the financial year in Australia.....if I have to stay for 2 years that means I have to be resident for 2 years......that does not mean I can not go overseas on holiday.

There's a 300 odd page thread on the Aussie aged pension.   Some knowledgeable posters there too.  Suggest you take a look.  Basically if you want the pension you WILL  do 2 years home detention prior to application so to speak. 

In my case me any the Mrs would have to go back when I am 64.5 and presumably go on the dole for 2 years.  Crazy situation. And not one I'll be choosing. 

 

I don't think any of the obvious 'plans'such as claiming being on holiday or being resident for tax purposes means anything as far as the pension us concerned. Once you get it you can do what you want. But getting it is much tougher now.  The 2y ear residence requirement is quite new.

[digger70]

8 hours ago, giddyup said:

Your pension can be significantly reduced if you live in Thailand and married to a Thai. I had planned on getting married here until I was advised that when Centrelink find out my pension would be cut.

Nothing new about this, This is Old News, Has been out for Donkey years.And if one Marries a Thai lady Of not being of a Retirement Age one gets only a Single mans Pension because She can work until 65 years of age .

[giddyup]

5 minutes ago, digger70 said:

Nothing new about this, This is Old News, Has been out for Donkey years.And if one Marries a Thai lady Of not being of a Retirement Age one gets only a Single mans Pension because She can work until 65 years of age .

I only found out about it 2 years ago when I was going to get married. Not the kind of info that would matter unless you intended getting married. I believe I would lose money from my single pension. You don't get more for being married, but less.

[totally thaied up]

Just now, giddyup said:

I only found out about it 2 years ago when I was going to get married. Not the kind of info that would matter unless you intended getting married.

It only means something to you if your girlfriend/wife has nothing of value to give in the relationship as in monetary. Not all Thais are poor like we are led to believe. I gained a lot more then what she got from me and it was a win/win.

[giddyup]

Just now, totally thaied up said:

It only means something to you if your girlfriend/wife has nothing of value to give in the relationship as in monetary. Not all Thais are poor like we are led to believe. I gained a lot more then what she got from me and it was a win/win.

You still would lose money from your single pension whether she's rich or poor. In fact if she was earning big money or had a lot of assets you could end up with zero pension.

[totally thaied up]

Just now, giddyup said:

You still would lose money from your single pension whether she's rich or poor. In fact if she was earning big money or had a lot of assets you could end up with zero pension.

That is true but like anything with Centrelink, declare what you both have, and you have no troubles and that is what I do. I will lose my pension once my folks and her folks pass on over the next few years. I think as reality works; you are in so many other ways better off being wealthy and not relying on the pension. Either way, I would prefer to be earning big money than living off the pension, but at this stage of my life, the Australian Government has treated me more than fair.

[giddyup]

30 minutes ago, totally thaied up said:

That is true but like anything with Centrelink, declare what you both have, and you have no troubles and that is what I do. I will lose my pension once my folks and her folks pass on over the next few years. I think as reality works; you are in so many other ways better off being wealthy and not relying on the pension. Either way, I would prefer to be earning big money than living off the pension, but at this stage of my life, the Australian Government has treated me more than fair.

I have my own super, along with about 50% of the OAP I'm doing better than OK.  I wouldn't like to exist purely on the pension though.

[AboutThaim]

7 hours ago, giddyup said:

The difference is Australians don't actually pay into a pension fund per se. You will get the same pension whether you worked all your life or got the dole. The aged pension is paid out of general revenue. Now they have compulsory superannuation that everyone is required to contribute to, probably because with an aging population it's costing too much. Once you qualify for the aged pension you can choose to live wherever you like.

I have been led to believe that many years ago taxes were raised to have workers pay for the old age pension when they reached retirement age.  Along the way this extra tax was just “stolen” and became part of general revenue.  So now Centrelink can say that it's a safety net.  You don't have to have paid any tax in your lifetime to get tha OAP.  Too bad about those of us that have worked to earn it and should be entitled to it with no questions asked.

[AboutThaim]

2 hours ago, digger70 said:

Nothing new about this, This is Old News, Has been out for Donkey years.And if one Marries a Thai lady Of not being of a Retirement Age one gets only a Single mans Pension because She can work until 65 years of age .

I have read in another thread that someone on the Oz OAP had their pension cut when they married a Thai lady but applied to have it reinstated because the wife had no income.  Apparently the full single pension was reinstated plus the amount that had been deducted.  Don't know if it's true or would work for everyone or now.  Things change.

[misterphil]

11 hours ago, giddyup said:

Your pension can be significantly reduced if you live in Thailand and married to a Thai. I had planned on getting married here until I was advised that when Centrelink find out my pension would be cut.

Centrelink doesn't have to know. A marriage registered in Thailand is only in Thailand so how would the Ozzy government know? 

[cyberfarang]

3 hours ago, misterphil said:

Centrelink doesn't have to know. A marriage registered in Thailand is only in Thailand so how would the Ozzy government know? 

In the cases of Brits, if a British person wants to marry a Thai person in Thailand, the British person has to visit the British embassy and swear an affidavit before being allowed to marry at a Thai amphur office. This means that the embassy records the marriage. Is that not the same for Australians?

[giddyup]

1 minute ago, cyberfarang said:

In the cases of Brits, if a British person wants to marry a Thai person in Thailand, the British person has to visit the British embassy and swear an affidavit before being allowed to marry at a Thai amphur office. This means that the embassy records the marriage. Is that not the same for Australians?

Yes.

[Happyman58]

16 hours ago, giddyup said:

You still need to live in Australia for 2 years prior to applying for the OAP.

ok giddy i will check it up i am actually flying there next week for a while keep u informed

 

[Laza 45]

20 hours ago, sometimewoodworker said:

Are they new? I certainly knew about this 2 year rule several years ago from an Aussie friend.

...no not new.. has been around for years..  I have a friend who retired early and lived in north east Thailand got married  and built a guesthouse.. and discovered he had to go back for 2 years to get his pension..that happened quite a few years ago now...  another one is that you loose residence and your Medicare card after 5 years living outside OZ..  return for 2 years to get it back and have restricted travel after that... lol   

[Happyman58]

15 minutes ago, Laza 45 said:

...no not new.. has been around for years..  I have a friend who retired early and lived in north east Thailand got married  and built a guesthouse.. and discovered he had to go back for 2 years to get his pension..that happened quite a few years ago now...  another one is that you loose residence and your Medicare card after 5 years living outside OZ..  return for 2 years to get it back and have restricted travel after that... lol   

Ok guys i just looked it up about this 2 year rule Ok You must be in Aus at the time to get your pension. Once you have received your pension you cannot live overseas for 2 years You can go on holidays for 6 weeks but not live. Ok If you decide to stay overseas and you are getting the pension after 26 weeks they will send u a letter saying you are living overseas we are going to reduce your pension  But But they will take into consideration the number of years you have worked in Australia since you were 16  They are saying my dear friends basically that if you have bee working and tax in Australia for 35 years then you are pretty safe. But i will go to the head office Centrelink when i am in Aus to confirm this. I think this law was brought in to stop people who hardly worked in Aus get the pension and live overseas. Before it was rorted by people who became Aus citizens  hardly worked here waited  for old age pension and then went back home to mama ok 

[steven100]

13 hours ago, tryasimight said:

There's a 300 odd page thread on the Aussie aged pension.   Some knowledgeable posters there too.  Suggest you take a look.  Basically if you want the pension you WILL  do 2 years home detention prior to application so to speak. 

In my case me any the Mrs would have to go back when I am 64.5 and presumably go on the dole for 2 years.  Crazy situation. And not one I'll be choosing. 

 

I don't think any of the obvious 'plans'such as claiming being on holiday or being resident for tax purposes means anything as far as the pension us concerned. Once you get it you can do what you want. But getting it is much tougher now.  The 2y ear residence requirement is quite new.

Now I get it .....  to qualify for the OAP ....  one has to go back and live in Australia for 2 years before even filling the form in ... then submit the application ... if approved then you can come back to Thailand.  ???

Now what if you working life has been out of Australia mostly and say you only worked 20 yrs there ....  would that mean one is not entitled to receive any OAP.   ???

[Happyman58]

8 minutes ago, steven100 said:

Now I get it .....  to qualify for the OAP ....  one has to go back and live in Australia for 2 years before even filling the form in ... then submit the application ... if approved then you can come back to Thailand.  ???

Now what if you working life has been out of Australia mostly and say you only worked 20 yrs there ....  would that mean one is not entitled to receive any OAP.   ???

Ok i say this one more time When you get to 67 which is when i can have pension you can apply but you have to be in Australia to apply OK  Once you start getting your pension and decide to live overseas for more than 6 weeks they will start investigating you to check if have worked in Australia for the required time. etc etc After 26 weeks they will send you a letter stating this that this that blah blah blah and we will reduce your pension or take it off you OK

What they are saying if you have not worked in Australia for 35 years ( Steven you got no chance on 20 years old mate) If you applied you would have to live in Aus for 2 years Ok They are saying to you if you have not done the required time which is 35 years you cannot move overseas and live  until you have lived in Australia for 2 years.OK They are not that silly to say ok u must live in aus for 2 years to get old age pension before its due they know most 65 year olds coming back will go on the dole ok  This law is confusing everyone Its to stop people who have hardly worked in Aus get the old age pension and live overseas eg Greeks and Lebanese who were classics at it. Ok I will stress again and and you can believe me or not   My case i can apply for the old age pension at 67 in my case I will get it if i decided to live overseas after getting it they will investigate me to see if i did the required time which is 35 years working life I think guys the people who are telling you you must stay in Aus for 2 years are the people who have not worked for 35 years in Australia and there fore if they live overseas they will loose there pension after 26 weeks ok