Australian Aged Pension

[giddyup]

Just now, scorecard said:

 

Thanks, in other words any calculation of years in OZ would start from DOB.

 

Thanks again appreciated.

 

 

Correct.

[4MyEgo]

18 minutes ago, Kimber said:

 

Mate, I could go on for hours about the glaring flaws in property settlement,  

 

Consider this one,  my Ex wife (the same Doctor) finally agrees to have her private medical practice valued (yeah my solicitor had to fight for that one, the law does SFA ).

 

So its agreed that a professional Property Valuer is engaged to do the job, after the official valuation I query the abysmal results.  I contacted the Valuers and am told all they did was contact my Ex for her valuation of the private practice, which they cut and pasted into their report template for the federal court !

 

The "valuation"  was supposed to be a full blown audit based on bank and business transactions over 5 years.

I inform my solicitor only to be told that no matter the official valuation stands up,  seriously this is considered acceptable <deleted>.  Their focus is on box ticking nothing more.

 

The private practice was valued at........Nothing, Zilch. SFA;  even though she was earning between  650 and 800 thousand a year while we were married.  How do I know ?    I did all the  quarterly Business Activity Statements (BAS) and kept the records. 

Her business accountant jockeyed the figures and advised her to take out mortgages and loans etc. 

 

The glaring problem with the whole property settlement process is, that the party holding most of the assets; can delay for years while they hide money and embrace easily cleared debts. Surely everything should be frozen, including business until settlement is finalised.  

 

The Family court and Federal court Judges are all ex- family law solicitors,  and hand in glove with the private law practices representing the opposing parties (we the people).

With over 74% of marriages/ live in relationships failing within 7 years, property settlement is a lucrative industry for legal practitioners. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

   

You hit the nail on the head, I was fortunate with my X, she tried me for 75% having a new born, I said 50/50 or nothing, she said what do you mean nothing, I said you can take the 50% and sign a waiver with your lawyer or you will get nothing, I then put a single bullet on the table and said, you won't have to look over your shoulder for too long, because finding someone to pull the trigger will cost me a lot less than 50%.

 

She was stupid enough to go for my bluff, however did come back at me a day after the court signed the paperwork, not knowing the court signed the paperwork....lol

[GTgrizzly]

On ‎11‎/‎01‎/‎2008 at 9:20 AM, david96 said:

You should contact the local office of Centrelink, the web site is not very explicit. Thailand does not have any social security agreements with Australia.You must be in Australia to apply when you are 65 for age {retirement) pension.

Full pension is 25 years in Australia part pension after 10 years. You can get the payments credited to your Australian bank account. However you must notify Centrelink if you are going overseas and how long you will be away.

Everyones circumstances are different so one should contact Centrelink, in person, and state your case.

There are special requirements for Australian citizens returning to Australia to claim an age pension after living or working overseas for a number of years.

If you have problems with Centrelink staff take the matter up with your local Federal Member their office might be able to solve it with a telephone call.

I rang and spoke to the ATO regarding this and he direct me to the correct site

This is an extract from it below

So now if you live outside Australia you will pay 32.5 cents in the dollar of your pension

Also if you own a house in Auss and rent it out as of 09-05-2018 all income from your rental will be classed as capitol gains tax on your house

 

Foreign resident tax rates 2017–18

Foreign resident tax rates 2017–18

Taxable income	Tax on this income
0 – $87,000	32.5c for each $1
$87,001 – $180,000	$28,275 plus 37c for each $1 over $87,000
$180,001 and over	$62,685 plus 45c for each $1 over $180,000

Foreign residents are not required to pay the Medicare levy.

The temporary budget repair levy ceased applying from 1 July 2017.

[GTgrizzly]

On ‎11‎/‎01‎/‎2008 at 8:56 PM, VOICEOVER said:

Many thanks to Nignoy and everyone for their info. Much appreciated and I'll attempt to phone Centrelink in Australia on Monday. Fully expect to be "put on hold" and/or have to select from a dozen "options" while trying to get a Real Live Public Servant to talk with.

Will let you know the results as it looks as though there are many other Aussie Expats in a similar situation. My first posting on Thaivisa.com and I'm overwhelmed at the response.

heers,

Voiceover.

I rang and spoke to the ATO regarding this and he direct me to the correct site

This is an extract from it below

So now if you live outside Australia you will pay 32.5 cents in the dollar of your pension

Also if you own a house in Auss and rent it out as of 09-05-2018 all income from your rental will be classed as capitol gains tax on your house

 

Foreign resident tax rates 2017–18

Foreign resident tax rates 2017–18

Taxable income	Tax on this income
0 – $87,000	32.5c for each $1
$87,001 – $180,000	$28,275 plus 37c for each $1 over $87,000
$180,001 and over	$62,685 plus 45c for each $1 over $180,000

Foreign residents are not required to pay the Medicare levy.

The temporary budget repair levy ceased applying from 1 July 2017.

[Groove]

52 minutes ago, giddyup said:

Tell me how you were there illegally and still get citizenship? You didn't come on a boat from Indonesia did you?

AFAIK there are no grey areas, you have to spend a full 2 years in Australia just prior to applying for an OAP.

Well how do you think I travel? I've held an Australian passport since the early 90s. Oh & someone else said the Thais don't pay tax. No, the average Thai worker earns a pittance & too little to pay tax, no, only companies can afford to pay tax here, but wow, Thais who reach 60 got a 100THB raise 2 years ago, so instead of 500 per month they now get the grand sum of 600THB or around A$24 per month (and more if they get older?) & Gough Witlam scrapped the TPI or 10 pounds assisted package scheme, shit, where I came from in East London no one ever had a Fiver, let alone a Tener, so even though I was a highly in demand flooring installer/contractor, I was still considered as the old early 70s Pommie factory fodder & immigration didn't realise how much people like my trade were in demand & when they did I was given PR & citizenship. I'm not going to discuss my Oz residency status in detail here, but when I flew back into Brisbane on my 3rd Aussie passport now. I had/have congestive heart failure, atro fibrilation or irregular heart beat & gout and was being treated for Hep C. I'd been trying to look for work outside of Oz online but that didn't work so I went back to sign on & look, but became so sick I was hospitalised in late 2015 but became a lot better latter, so thanks a million to the hosptal & my doctors who didn't like it when I said I wanted to return to my loved ones in Thailand, but thanks, that's all I wanted to know. That one has to be in Oz for 2 years before coming of OAP age, so if I live that long, I'll see you all in the land of Oz

[scorecard]

9 hours ago, simple1 said:

Thais getting the 600 baht p.m. money have not been in official employment, paying taxes etc, thereby do not qualify for a 'proper' pension.

 

Border Control will have your Movement Record which you obtain via online application to prove your residency period. Age Pension is for those who for whatever reason have reached retirement age and unable to fund their retirement. The provision by government to keep assets such as cash and home are reasonable. Accordingly, did you bother to save for your retirement via Superannuation or any other mechanism?

 

I agree it's annoying to be obliged to return to Oz to apply for Age Pension and wait for portability, but the policy has been in place for a long time so totally your ownership for not previously researching Age Pension criteria. Complaining via TV isn't going to change current policy by one iota.

 

 

"I agree it's annoying to be obliged to return to Oz to apply for Age Pension and wait for portability,..."

 

Has anybody ever heard of any cases where the person could not go back to Aust. to lodge their application because of a severe disability which made the journey etc., unworkable, and on proof of the severity of the disability they were given a waiver about applying in person?

 

Further in regard the portability (remain in Aust. for 2 years then can live permenantly abroad), in the case of proven severe disability the portability waivered with a compromise; 1 year wait for payments to start or something similar?

 

 

 

Edited March 9, 2018 by scorecard

[giddyup]

15 minutes ago, Groove said:

Well how do you think I travel? I've held an Australian passport since the early 90s.  

You obviously don't want to answer my question.

[4MyEgo]

14 minutes ago, scorecard said:

 

 

"I agree it's annoying to be obliged to return to Oz to apply for Age Pension and wait for portability,..."

 

Has anybody ever heard of any cases where the person could not go back to Aust. to lodge their application because of a severe disability which made the journey etc., unworkable, and on proof of the severity of the disability they were given a waiver about applying in person?

 

Further in regard the portability (remain in Aust. for 2 years then can live permenantly abroad), in the case of proven severe disability the portability waivered with a compromise; 1 year wait for payments to start or something similar?

 

 

 

It is my understanding that you have to return to Australia to lodge your application and wait for the 2 years.

 

Having said the above, I suppose you could enquire if you are not able to travel, and they might advise you to apply at the embassy in Bangkok, that said, I would have to quote a famous Aussie saying, i.e. "sounds like your up sheeet creek mate"

Edited March 9, 2018 by 4MyEgo

[4MyEgo]

47 minutes ago, GTgrizzly said:

So now if you live outside Australia you will pay 32.5 cents in the dollar of your pension

Also if you own a house in Auss and rent it out as of 09-05-2018 all income from your rental will be classed as capitol gains tax on your house

Sounds to me like you got some wrong advise, or misunderstood it.

 

From my understanding, if you are approved to have your OAP paid while you live overseas, i.e. portable, you do NOT pay tax on it, i.e. its a pension, this is different for CSS and PSS if I got those right, i.e. if you worked in the public service, and were in those schemes, you will pay the foreign resident rate of 32.5c in the $. But always good to clarify.

 

Rent is 32.5c from the first $, i.e. no $18,200 threshold, that is separate to capital gain tax, so lets clear that on up, and yes your property will be subject to capital gains tax from the date you left the country, this also means you will not be entitled to the usual 50% capital gains tax discount before you start paying capital gains tax.

 

On top of that, the land tax threshold of $600,000 before you start paying land tax, is dropped to $350,000, therefore you will pay 2% on the difference of the value of your property's value annually, e.g. say its worth a million, take away $350,000, the land tax payable on the balance of $650,000 is $1,300 for the year.

 

So your 32.5c just became 34.5c in the $, add water and council rates to that, along with agents fees for renting it, and collecting the rent, advertising costs, insurance, and any vacancy factors, you are wasting your time, SELL it and put your money into the stock market where you don't pay tax as a foreign resident, but get professional advice and reap the rewards, hopefully 

 

 

[Nemises]

 
Thanks, in other words any calculation of years in OZ would start from DOB.
 
 

I read this website to say that the calculation of years in OZ would start at the age of 16 - not from DOB.








https://www.finder.com.au/australian-age-pension-eligibility-requirements#overseas

Scroll down to “Can I get the Age Pension while living overseas”

[simple1]

1 hour ago, Gregster said:

 

 

I read this website to say that the calculation of years in OZ would start at the age of 16 - not from DOB.








https://www.finder.com.au/australian-age-pension-eligibility-requirements#overseas

Scroll down to “Can I get the Age Pension while living overseas”

 

 

Just as a warning to readers, to meet the current criteria for full pension now requires a 35 year 'working life' in Oz

[Groove]

12 hours ago, Lacessit said:

We are too small a constituency to have an impact on the ballot box, although the broader community of Old Age Pensioners certainly makes the politicians tread warily. Just ask anyone on Newstart or any other of the younger social welfare recipients - Centrelink treats them like lepers in comparison. And yes, spot on scorecard, as I was always meaning to work every day until 65, but I'm sure some people here know the absolute agony one suffers with a wrecked back. I couldn't even get out of bed some days and it was my doctor that urged me to stop working and referred me for the dissability support pension. Native Australians are so lucky to have been born in this wonderfull country called Australia. They never knew what is was like to have been raised in a slum, factory, docklands community that was sometimes freezing cold with sulphur dioxide smoke everywhere. Every corner terrace being a pub where everyone was inside, escaping the freezing cold, smoking & getting blind drunk once the'd bundied off after the factory hooter had gone off for the day before they went home to a small council housing commission terrace house with the wife & a house full of screeming kids to greet Dad after work. Some couldn't handle it & stayed in the pub too long. The area would be full of domestic fights. No-one could hardly ever escape that sort of environment, but I did. My Dad was the 1st one to own a car in our street and we were the only family that got taken away on holidays to Devon or Cornwall by Dad in our little old Morris van. That's what Australia's beaches reminded me of, Cornish beaches. Apparantly Dads family was from Cornwall & Brocken Hill is full of miners who inherit from Cornwall as they reckon the Cornish were the best miners in the world. The NWO spent most the pensioners funds, but yes, it's us who get paid out on because "they" have been pigging at our trough.

 

 

 

 

 

Well That is what has to happen then. Lobby the Old Age Pensioners committee groups. Get the whole broader old aged community up in arms against the coalition Federal Government. It worked against Hawke. My old Dad used to say to me, "that when you reach 65, those are Golden Years and every year you live after retirement at 65 is like a diamond". Well they are taking 2 diamonds away from us folks while they can still retire on massive payouts at 60, unlike so called 3rd world countries like Thailand where people work till they drop or take 600THB per month, but back to us, how much does 2 years pension witheld from 65 - 67 amount to? Around $50k maybe. Imagine what you, an old fellah could do with that in your golden years

[Will27]

11 hours ago, 4MyEgo said:

It is my understanding that you have to return to Australia to lodge your application and wait for the 2 years.

 

Having said the above, I suppose you could enquire if you are not able to travel, and they might advise you to apply at the embassy in Bangkok, that said, I would have to quote a famous Aussie saying, i.e. "sounds like your up sheeet creek mate"

There was a poster on here with a disability, although not on the pension, based in Thailand who queried the same thing about the OAP.

 

Contacted MP's, Centrelink and the Ombudsman and was basically told no way.

 

It would open Pandora's box if people living overseas could apply for the OAP IMO.

[4MyEgo]

13 minutes ago, Will27 said:

There was a poster on here with a disability, although not on the pension, based in Thailand who queried the same thing about the OAP.

 

Contacted MP's, Centrelink and the Ombudsman and was basically told no way.

 

It would open Pandora's box if people living overseas could apply for the OAP IMO.

This is why they say you have to lodge it personally in Australia, however I don't believe what people advise me, as it might be what they are told to advise me, so I go to the net and turn tables ups and downs, interesting articles I just found, if you remember where that person with the disability posted and, maybe you can copy and past it to him as a good Samaritan, do doubt he would have to have a medical certificate saying he is not fit to travel, ever !

 

From what I have read, I would say that from the advise that he has been provided, he is being discriminated against, open the Pandora's box I say, after all, we have paid our taxes, no just rocked up and put our hands out, or are ripping the system off as others have and currently are.

 

Time Australia started looking after its own, have a thought how long it took for returned Vietnam veterans to get looked after, sick to the core of the way politicians cut things out, and or change things to suit their budgets !!!

 

Disability Discrimination Act 1992

The Disability Discrimination Act 1992 has as its major objectives to

• eliminate discrimination against people with disabilities
• promote community acceptance of the principle that people with disabilities have the same fundamental rights as all members of the community, and
• ensure as far as practicable that people with disabilities have the same rights to equality before the law as other people in the community.

For further information visit Disability Rights.

 

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Edited March 10, 2018 by 4MyEgo

[simple1]

13 hours ago, scorecard said:

 

 

Working Life Residence for the purpose of Age Pension starts from 16 years of age. To obtain full Age Pension currently you must have lived in Oz for 35 years and reside in Oz at the time of lodging your claim. If you have been living in Thailand for a number of years prior to returning to Oz for the purpose of lodging a claim for Age Pension it would be worth your time to contact Centrelink International to ascertain what challenges, if any, there would be for claiming Oz residency for the purpose of Age Pension. There is an Australian government  site that provides samples of previous ruling for this matter (can't remember where) for the meantime go to the URL below for more detail.

 

http://guides.dss.gov.au/guide-social-security-law/7/1/4

[simple1]

14 hours ago, scorecard said:

 

 

Working Life Residence for the purpose of Age Pension starts from 16 years of age. To obtain full Age Pension currently you must have lived in Oz for 35 years and reside in Oz at the time of lodging your claim. If you have been living in Thailand for a number of years prior to returning to Oz for the purpose of lodging a claim for Age Pension it would be worth your time to contact Centrelink International to ascertain what challenges, if any, there would be for claiming Oz residency for the purpose of Age Pension. There is an Australian government  site that provides samples of previous ruling for this matter (can't remember where) for the meantime go to the URL below for more detail.

 

http://guides.dss.gov.au/guide-social-security-law/7/1/4

[simple1]

If anyone is seriously considering petitioning Parliament it is well worth reading content at URL below.  It's the case presented to Parliament to change Age Pension Working Life Residence from 25 to 35 years and Portability.

 

https://www.aph.gov.au/About_Parliament/Parliamentary_Departments/Parliamentary_Library/pubs/rp/BudgetReview201213/ResidencyPortability

Edited March 10, 2018 by simple1

[Will27]

46 minutes ago, 4MyEgo said:

This is why they say you have to lodge it personally in Australia, however I don't believe what people advise me, as it might be what they are told to advise me, so I go to the net and turn tables ups and downs, interesting articles I just found, if you remember where that person with the disability posted and, maybe you can copy and past it to him as a good Samaritan, do doubt he would have to have a medical certificate saying he is not fit to travel, ever !

 

From what I have read, I would say that from the advise that he has been provided, he is being discriminated against, open the Pandora's box I say, after all, we have paid our taxes, no just rocked up and put our hands out, or are ripping the system off as others have and currently are.

 

Time Australia started looking after its own, have a thought how long it took for returned Vietnam veterans to get looked after, sick to the core of the way politicians cut things out, and or change things to suit their budgets !!!

 

Disability Discrimination Act 1992

The Disability Discrimination Act 1992 has as its major objectives to

• eliminate discrimination against people with disabilities
• promote community acceptance of the principle that people with disabilities have the same fundamental rights as all members of the community, and
• ensure as far as practicable that people with disabilities have the same rights to equality before the law as other people in the community.

For further information visit Disability Rights.

 

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The purpose of the present Convention is to promote, protect and ensure the full and equal enjoyment of all human rights and fundamental freedoms by all persons with disabilities, and to promote respect for their inherent dignity.

Persons with disabilities include those who have long-term physical, mental, intellectual or sensory impairments which in interaction with various barriers may hinder their full and effective participation in society on an equal basis with others.

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I don't agree with you on a few points.

 

The fella on here said he was well off and didn't need the OAP.

From memory he's been in Thailand for well over a decade.

How is he being discriminated against?

Someone living in Thailand couldn't just apply for the OAP and get it granted

without coming back and applying.

 

I don't think the guy's disability was too severe to travel, he just didn't want to do his penance in

Australia for 2 years.

 

Also, I could imagine the scams.

It wouldn't be too hard getting a medical certificate like in the old days for workers comp.

 

[sceadugenga]

I've found that this is a very simple procedure and puts the issue into the best place to get attention.

 

https://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees/How_to_make_a_submission_to_a_Senate_or_Joint_Committee_inquiry

[tigermoth]

On ‎11‎/‎01‎/‎2008 at 8:15 PM, gburns57au said:

If you are penalised.....the rate of pension you receive is linked to the cost of living in the country where you are staying. In Thailand that means you will get stuff all.

That is Bull.....t. You get almost the full pension if living in Thailand less about $60 or thereabouts.

[4MyEgo]

35 minutes ago, Will27 said:

I don't agree with you on a few points.

 

The fella on here said he was well off and didn't need the OAP.

From memory he's been in Thailand for well over a decade.

How is he being discriminated against?

Someone living in Thailand couldn't just apply for the OAP and get it granted

without coming back and applying.

 

I don't think the guy's disability was too severe to travel, he just didn't want to do his penance in

Australia for 2 years.

 

Also, I could imagine the scams.

It wouldn't be too hard getting a medical certificate like in the old days for workers comp.

 

Can't say I disagree with you, however I was referring to those less fortunate and genuinely not being able to return.

 

Scams, yes they are worldwide and naturally every application would have to be scrutinised, and each person checked by an Australian government doctor as the do back in Australia for cases that look suspect.

 

If he is well off and doesn't want to do his 2 years penance, then he would be one of those wanting to scam  the system, but I am sure there are others out there who are genuine, so we cannot tarnish them all, because of the few IMO

[tigermoth]

To clear up some of the previous misconceptions about this pension subject. For a start the pension has nothing to do with your working life. Australian citizens, if born in Australia receive their full pension at 65 or 67 years of age, depending on when you were born. This is to go up to 70 again depending on your birth date. You receive the full pension while overseas unrelated to any agreements between countries. There are restrictions depending on the value of assets you have.

 

Non Australian citizens also receive the full pension living overseas but you have to have permanent resident status and have lived permanently in Australia for 35 years. If you have only lived for example 20 years you will only receive 20/35ths. If you have been outside Australia for a number of years, I think either 5 or maybe 7, you have to return, apply for the pension, and live permanently in Australia for the next two years, a very restrictive law potentially a very inhumane requirement likely to break up families and partnerships. This law also applys to citizens. There are a few exceptions to the 35 year rule with some countries which have agreements with Australia, i.e., New Zealanders who have permanent resident status need to have lived in Australia for 25 years. I believe Greece may have a similar agreement. You also have to provide evidence of your contribution to Australia in areas of economics, i.e., maybe paying tax, type of work and also culture if possible. Some may have extensive family connections in Australia,

 

A person with permanent resident status will be required to renew this status yearly although you can do this without returning. If you are outside of Australia for more than five years you will lose the permanent resident status and thus will be required to return every 26 weeks to retain your pension. I'm not sure what affect the recent change from 26 weeks to 13 weeks has on the pension payments for non permanent residences.

 

This is all an explanation for certain possible situations. Many cases may have different circumstances. I found Centrelink next to useless for information as the staff are not well enough trained in a subject that the Australian govt., has made over complicated. I was given false info, even told I should lie about my situation by one person. I was forced to study the social security act for hours and weeks until I became an expert on it. The problem of course the govt. keeps amending it and publishing these amendments in the govt gazette which if you are elderly and aware, need a magnifying glass to read the tiny script and even find the subject among scores of others.

 

If you seem to be getting nowhere with centrelink I suggest you contact an Australian lawyer who specialises tn this area.

[giddyup]

7 minutes ago, tigermoth said:

 A person with permanent resident status will be required to renew this status yearly although you can do this without returning. If you are outside of Australia for more than five years you will lose the permanent resident status and thus will be required to return every 26 weeks to retain your pension. I'm not sure what affect the recent change from 26 weeks to 13 weeks has on the pension payments for non permanent residences.

What does this mean? I have been out of Australia for 8 years, how do I renew my status without returning? I have to return every 26 weeks to retain a pension? I have never returned in 8 years yet still get paid my pension regularly. This is confusing.

Edited March 10, 2018 by giddyup

[Groove]

51 minutes ago, Will27 said:

I don't agree with you on a few points.

 

The fella on here said he was well off and didn't need the OAP.

From memory he's been in Thailand for well over a decade.

How is he being discriminated against?

Someone living in Thailand couldn't just apply for the OAP and get it granted

without coming back and applying.

 

I don't think the guy's disability was too severe to travel, he just didn't want to do his penance in

Australia for 2 years.

 

Also, I could imagine the scams.

It wouldn't be too hard getting a medical certificate like in the old days for workers comp.

 

Yes, traveling is hard for me as I get severe head pains from the lack of blood getting to my heart & head ever since I had the blood clot & heart attack. They haven't got Codiene here, so I'm prescribed Morphine tablets here & have to check into a hotel after 300 kms if doing a visa run. If I had money I wouldn't need to do visa runs as if one deposits 800kTHB into a Thai bank account, they then just have to check into their local province's immigration police every 3 months, but mate, that 700km trip really kills me & it's been taking me 2 days for a number of years now as I have to check into a hotel after 300kms & lye down & take my Morphine tablets, (for some it's more than 1,000kms round trip) & to return to Australia I'd have to rent a room in the cheapest area which is usually poverty stricken & full of drunk couples having domestic violence. I experienced this in Caboolture & my landlord lived there as well, who rented me the room, was an alcoholic diabetic number 2 (well the one where have to inject insulin everyday) & sometimes he'd go off the wagon & used to miss the toilet so the small room was like a swimming pool full of urine (I sometimes mopped it up for the poor bastard but other times I just pissed in the garden,) then he threw me out so he could get pissed by himself (I cannot for medical reasons, drink, so I had to come back here as I was homeless for 3 days until my flight took off, lucky I persuaded the hospital guest accomodation to take me in for 3 nights, I spent the 4th night sleeping at the airport.  Neighbours on both sides were drunks. At the back road behind us some young bloke did in his car what they call a "Doughnut" or a continuous 360 going around & around til one of his wheels blew off. THe wheel either went through somone's roof of disappeared down the road, am not sure if the car overturned or went through someone's house because the area was surrounded by police. It's just what all the kids were telling me, like the driver was some kind of hero & the constant sound of big bikes revving right up & dragging down the street. The landlord said the local kids all called him a dog because he used to ring and complain to the police a fair bit. He said someone ripped one of his pickets off of his fence in the middle of the night & flung it onto his roof. Someone was stabbed to death in the park across the street 2 years before I arrived, the killer I'm led to believe was an Aboriginal fellah who got mad when he was refused 50cents & the guy ran home, got a big kitchen knife & stabbed the guy to death in the middle the park. I tried to avoid TV, but the landlord always had it on & there were daily accounts on the 7 & 9 news of guys throwing coward punches, but it's not 2 years of that that bothers me, it's what my loved one would do here. I could ask if she could come, but then again someone said that'd cost at least $200 a fortnight. I think she gets her 600THB just before I turn my OAP age of 66 & half years, no, I'm thinking of her more than myself 

[giddyup]

4 minutes ago, Groove said:

Yes, traveling is hard for me as I get severe head pains from the lack of blood getting to my heart & head ever since I had the blood clot & heart attack etc, etc

Is there some kind of point to this ramble?

Edited March 10, 2018 by giddyup

[Groove]

2 minutes ago, giddyup said:

Is there some kind of point to this ramble?

There's no point in talking to you that's for sure. So enjoy your life & believe me, that's what I experienced in Oz. PLease, I've said enough so no need for a reply eh?

[giddyup]

Just now, Groove said:

There's no point in talking to you that's for sure. So enjoy your life & believe me, that's what I experienced in Oz. PLease, I've said enough so no need for a reply eh?

No, seriously. I just don't understand why you are talking about your landlord in Australia, teenagers doing donuts, and people getting stabbed etc. I'm sure if you have a serious question pertaining to Aussie pensions someone will be happy to respond.

[Kimber]

14 hours ago, 4MyEgo said:

It is my understanding that you have to return to Australia to lodge your application and wait for the 2 years.

 

Having said the above, I suppose you could enquire if you are not able to travel, and they might advise you to apply at the embassy in Bangkok, that said, I would have to quote a famous Aussie saying, i.e. "sounds like your up sheeet creek mate"

You left the rest out,   "up shit creek in a barbed wire canoe without a paddle."

[Old Croc]

17 hours ago, Kimber said:

On ‎1‎/‎11‎/‎2008 at 5:04 AM, Nignoy said:

Sorry to be the bearer of Bad News, my wife and I are both australian old age pensioners, we were leaving australia on the 21st of september last year on a 6 month tour of asia and europe, we were informed by immigration at Brisbane if we stayed out of australia for more than 13 weeks we would both lose our age pension and have to wait a further 3 months before being eligable to apply again,so we cut short our trip and returned after 12 weeks,when we returned on the 3rd of december we contacted a solicitor to check up on this new regulation, uptil now all we are getting is conflicting informationas soon as we hear something definite in writing we will post it here Nignoy

 

Question, how long did you reside and pay taxes in Australia ? 

 

The Australian aged pension (OAP) varies depending on the years you resided and paid taxes here, as I recall it's around 35 years and more.  Less than that and your OAP is adjusted lower, that's what you need to look for on the Centerlink website. 

 

In my own case (now 65 and on OAP plus TPI Veteran pension) when I relocate to Thailand I only lose the "Energy supplement"  and a couple of lesser supplements that total just over $160 a fortnight.  

 

Apart from Army deployments overseas and holidays  (no effect on pension) I've always lived in Australia (born here), according to DVA (govt department who manage veterans pension among other things) if I relocate to Thailand I should still pull just under 100,000 tb monthly with no tax. 

The post you're quoting was written in 2008. Legislation has changed and Nignoy hasn't posted for a couple of years. (I hope the old bugger is still with us, we had a few mainly good natured exchanges back in the day)

From memory he is a duel British citizen and wouldn't meet the full residency requirements in the current legislation.

[Kimber]

1 hour ago, tigermoth said:

To clear up some of the previous misconceptions about this pension subject. For a start the pension has nothing to do with your working life. Australian citizens, if born in Australia receive their full pension at 65 or 67 years of age, depending on when you were born. This is to go up to 70 again depending on your birth date. You receive the full pension while overseas unrelated to any agreements between countries. There are restrictions depending on the value of assets you have.

 

Non Australian citizens also receive the full pension living overseas but you have to have permanent resident status and have lived permanently in Australia for 35 years. If you have only lived for example 20 years you will only receive 20/35ths. If you have been outside Australia for a number of years, I think either 5 or maybe 7, you have to return, apply for the pension, and live permanently in Australia for the next two years, a very restrictive law potentially a very inhumane requirement likely to break up families and partnerships. This law also applys to citizens. There are a few exceptions to the 35 year rule with some countries which have agreements with Australia, i.e., New Zealanders who have permanent resident status need to have lived in Australia for 25 years. I believe Greece may have a similar agreement. You also have to provide evidence of your contribution to Australia in areas of economics, i.e., maybe paying tax, type of work and also culture if possible. Some may have extensive family connections in Australia,

 

A person with permanent resident status will be required to renew this status yearly although you can do this without returning. If you are outside of Australia for more than five years you will lose the permanent resident status and thus will be required to return every 26 weeks to retain your pension. I'm not sure what affect the recent change from 26 weeks to 13 weeks has on the pension payments for non permanent residences.

 

This is all an explanation for certain possible situations. Many cases may have different circumstances. I found Centrelink next to useless for information as the staff are not well enough trained in a subject that the Australian govt., has made over complicated. I was given false info, even told I should lie about my situation by one person. I was forced to study the social security act for hours and weeks until I became an expert on it. The problem of course the govt. keeps amending it and publishing these amendments in the govt gazette which if you are elderly and aware, need a magnifying glass to read the tiny script and even find the subject among scores of others.

 

If you seem to be getting nowhere with centrelink I suggest you contact an Australian lawyer who specialises tn this area.

 

"For a start the pension has nothing to do with your working life."

 

"You also have to provide evidence of your contribution to Australia in areas of economics, i.e., maybe paying tax, type of work..."  

 

Contradictions,     BTW only income earning Australians pay Tax.  

Care to define "working life" ?