Living Away From Home Allowance
Oct 11th 2005, 2:45 pm
#1
Just Joined
Thread Starter
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 1
Living Away From Home Allowance
Can anyone give me any information on the Living Away From Home Allowance that you can get when working in Australia?
I've tried finding out about it on the internet but have found it hard to find much information and the bits i have have been in jargon. I really know very little about it - I have a job starting on the 24th Oct so need to know what I can expect/make sure I get in terms of the allowance.
any help much appreciated!
Anna
I've tried finding out about it on the internet but have found it hard to find much information and the bits i have have been in jargon. I really know very little about it - I have a job starting on the 24th Oct so need to know what I can expect/make sure I get in terms of the allowance.
any help much appreciated!
Anna
Oct 11th 2005, 2:53 pm
#2
da Bonehead
Joined: Jan 2004
Location: Lion in da jungle
Posts: 22,767
Re: Living Away From Home Allowance
Hello Anna.
Welcome to the forum.
Here's some reading for you........should be a some useful info in one of these threads I reckon.
http://britishexpats.com/forum/search.php?searchid=9279
Welcome to the forum.
Here's some reading for you........should be a some useful info in one of these threads I reckon.
http://britishexpats.com/forum/search.php?searchid=9279
Oct 12th 2005, 7:29 am
#3
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Jun 2005
Location: Ayr then Hampshire; Now Beaumaris, Melbourne
Posts: 1,034
Re: Living Away From Home Allowance
Originally Posted by asellwood
Can anyone give me any information on the Living Away From Home Allowance that you can get when working in Australia?
I've tried finding out about it on the internet but have found it hard to find much information and the bits i have have been in jargon. I really know very little about it - I have a job starting on the 24th Oct so need to know what I can expect/make sure I get in terms of the allowance.
any help much appreciated!
Anna
I've tried finding out about it on the internet but have found it hard to find much information and the bits i have have been in jargon. I really know very little about it - I have a job starting on the 24th Oct so need to know what I can expect/make sure I get in terms of the allowance.
any help much appreciated!
Anna
I moved to Melbourne 5 weeks ago on a 457 visa and have been employed on a 4 year contract basis to allow me to qualify for LAFHA. I am allowed 30% of my salary as an allowance - not sure if this 30% is specific to my employer.
I'll explain how my employer pays me this allowance. Not sure if this is standard across all employers.
If you were to earn $100,000 a year you would be eligible for a $30,000 allowance. My employers are able to change my Annual Salary to $70,000 and I would be taxed on this new smaller gross income. After taxation I am then paid a tax free amount of $30,000. Essentially the LAFHA allows you to reduce your tax liability which has considerable financial benefits. We are renting a place for $900 a week but taking into account our allowance we are effectively only paying about half that.
I have all these calculations on an Excel spreadsheet. If you send me a PM I would be happy to email you this.
Good luck !
Col
Oct 12th 2005, 2:40 pm
#4
Forum Regular
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 30
Re: Living Away From Home Allowance
Originally Posted by haggis supper
Hi Anna,
I moved to Melbourne 5 weeks ago on a 457 visa and have been employed on a 4 year contract basis to allow me to qualify for LAFHA. I am allowed 30% of my salary as an allowance - not sure if this 30% is specific to my employer.
I'll explain how my employer pays me this allowance. Not sure if this is standard across all employers.
If you were to earn $100,000 a year you would be eligible for a $30,000 allowance. My employers are able to change my Annual Salary to $70,000 and I would be taxed on this new smaller gross income. After taxation I am then paid a tax free amount of $30,000. Essentially the LAFHA allows you to reduce your tax liability which has considerable financial benefits. We are renting a place for $900 a week but taking into account our allowance we are effectively only paying about half that.
I have all these calculations on an Excel spreadsheet. If you send me a PM I would be happy to email you this.
Good luck !
Col
I moved to Melbourne 5 weeks ago on a 457 visa and have been employed on a 4 year contract basis to allow me to qualify for LAFHA. I am allowed 30% of my salary as an allowance - not sure if this 30% is specific to my employer.
I'll explain how my employer pays me this allowance. Not sure if this is standard across all employers.
If you were to earn $100,000 a year you would be eligible for a $30,000 allowance. My employers are able to change my Annual Salary to $70,000 and I would be taxed on this new smaller gross income. After taxation I am then paid a tax free amount of $30,000. Essentially the LAFHA allows you to reduce your tax liability which has considerable financial benefits. We are renting a place for $900 a week but taking into account our allowance we are effectively only paying about half that.
I have all these calculations on an Excel spreadsheet. If you send me a PM I would be happy to email you this.
Good luck !
Col
Sorry going to jump in on this thread as this is something i am a little confused on myself!
I start work in Sydney on 31st Oct on a 457 visa (4years) but my employer has not mentioned a LAFHA. Before i start querying them on it..is everyone entitled to it on this visa scheme do you know or is it specific to some situtations etc.
Any advice appreciated..
Thanks
Oct 13th 2005, 8:29 am
#5
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Jun 2005
Location: Ayr then Hampshire; Now Beaumaris, Melbourne
Posts: 1,034
Re: Living Away From Home Allowance
Originally Posted by SarahJane
Hi there
Sorry going to jump in on this thread as this is something i am a little confused on myself!
I start work in Sydney on 31st Oct on a 457 visa (4years) but my employer has not mentioned a LAFHA. Before i start querying them on it..is everyone entitled to it on this visa scheme do you know or is it specific to some situtations etc.
Any advice appreciated..
Thanks
Sorry going to jump in on this thread as this is something i am a little confused on myself!
I start work in Sydney on 31st Oct on a 457 visa (4years) but my employer has not mentioned a LAFHA. Before i start querying them on it..is everyone entitled to it on this visa scheme do you know or is it specific to some situtations etc.
Any advice appreciated..
Thanks
My employer also failed to mention it to me also. It was only when I started to question the salary being offered and that it was less than I expected did they mention LAFHA. However, I believe you need to be on a contract to qualify. At least that is what my employer has done - I'm now on a 4 year contract.
Perhaps ask your employer if this could be made available to you and what the implications would be.
Good luck.
Colin
Oct 13th 2005, 10:32 am
#6
da Bonehead
Joined: Jan 2004
Location: Lion in da jungle
Posts: 22,767
Re: Living Away From Home Allowance
Sarah,
I think it is a negotiable item purely between you and the employer.
It costs the employer nothing other than he has to do some paperwork but probably only once as when set up I guess it's done.
Some employers use it as a way of paying less wages out of their own pocket as the employee is getting a tax break to "make up" the wage.
I think it is a negotiable item purely between you and the employer.
It costs the employer nothing other than he has to do some paperwork but probably only once as when set up I guess it's done.
Some employers use it as a way of paying less wages out of their own pocket as the employee is getting a tax break to "make up" the wage.
