Taxation, Health insurance, family allowance
May 24th 2005, 11:38 am
#1
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Taxation, Health insurance, family allowance
Have tried searching the site but can't seem to find an answer to these questions in full.
1. Taxation: My wife is unlikely to be working (initially at least) - what can I do with her tax allowances (if anything?).
2. I have had a look at a private health insurance site which seems to suggest that the cost of private medical insurance would be in the region of $250-300? Does this seem about right? It seems very cheap to me (considering the cost in Germany). Is the cost of private medical a valid tax deduction?
3. Does family allowance exist in Australia? If so how much is it and is it means tested?
That'll do for starters.
1. Taxation: My wife is unlikely to be working (initially at least) - what can I do with her tax allowances (if anything?).
2. I have had a look at a private health insurance site which seems to suggest that the cost of private medical insurance would be in the region of $250-300? Does this seem about right? It seems very cheap to me (considering the cost in Germany). Is the cost of private medical a valid tax deduction?
3. Does family allowance exist in Australia? If so how much is it and is it means tested?
That'll do for starters.
May 24th 2005, 12:32 pm
#2
da Bonehead
Joined: Jan 2004
Location: Lion in da jungle
Posts: 22,767
Re: Taxation, Health insurance, family allowance
Originally Posted by MartinH
Have tried searching the site but can't seem to find an answer to these questions in full.
1. Taxation: My wife is unlikely to be working (initially at least) - what can I do with her tax allowances (if anything?).
2. I have had a look at a private health insurance site which seems to suggest that the cost of private medical insurance would be in the region of $250-300? Does this seem about right? It seems very cheap to me (considering the cost in Germany). Is the cost of private medical a valid tax deduction?
3. Does family allowance exist in Australia? If so how much is it and is it means tested?
That'll do for starters.
1. Taxation: My wife is unlikely to be working (initially at least) - what can I do with her tax allowances (if anything?).
2. I have had a look at a private health insurance site which seems to suggest that the cost of private medical insurance would be in the region of $250-300? Does this seem about right? It seems very cheap to me (considering the cost in Germany). Is the cost of private medical a valid tax deduction?
3. Does family allowance exist in Australia? If so how much is it and is it means tested?
That'll do for starters.
What type of visa will you be on ?
Permanent or temp ?
May 24th 2005, 12:39 pm
#3
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: Taxation, Health insurance, family allowance
Originally Posted by MartinH
Have tried searching the site but can't seem to find an answer to these questions in full.
1. Taxation: My wife is unlikely to be working (initially at least) - what can I do with her tax allowances (if anything?).
2. I have had a look at a private health insurance site which seems to suggest that the cost of private medical insurance would be in the region of $250-300? Does this seem about right? It seems very cheap to me (considering the cost in Germany). Is the cost of private medical a valid tax deduction?
3. Does family allowance exist in Australia? If so how much is it and is it means tested?
That'll do for starters.
1. Taxation: My wife is unlikely to be working (initially at least) - what can I do with her tax allowances (if anything?).
2. I have had a look at a private health insurance site which seems to suggest that the cost of private medical insurance would be in the region of $250-300? Does this seem about right? It seems very cheap to me (considering the cost in Germany). Is the cost of private medical a valid tax deduction?
3. Does family allowance exist in Australia? If so how much is it and is it means tested?
That'll do for starters.
2: $250-$300 per month ? sounds as if it could be about right, but depends on cover and situation.
3: Yes, it varies and Yes. Have a look at http://www.abcdiamond.com/brisbane/viewtopic.php?t=54
May 24th 2005, 3:33 pm
#4
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Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 532
Re: Taxation, Health insurance, family allowance
Originally Posted by Bix
Martin,
What type of visa will you be on ?
Permanent or temp ?
What type of visa will you be on ?
Permanent or temp ?
May 24th 2005, 11:51 pm
#5
Retired
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 34,649
Re: Taxation, Health insurance, family allowance
Originally Posted by MartinH
I will initially be on a four-year temporary employer sponsored visa but during the time I am in Australia my employer will also be putting through an application for permanent residency.
2. Check http://www.centrelink.gov.au for information on Family Tax Benefit but don't be surprised if you're entitled to nothing at all as a temporary resident.
Jeremy
May 25th 2005, 9:04 am
#6
da Bonehead
Joined: Jan 2004
Location: Lion in da jungle
Posts: 22,767
Re: Taxation, Health insurance, family allowance
Originally Posted by MartinH
I will initially be on a four-year temporary employer sponsored visa but during the time I am in Australia my employer will also be putting through an application for permanent residency.
On a 457 temp visa your employer has a responsibility to meet the health requirements of you and any dependants.
Have a read of this thread and the link in it to another thread....
http://britishexpats.com/forum/showt...light=457+visa
My sponsor took out visitors cover with Medibank covering the 4 of us. Cost AUD 311.40 per month. There is a more expensive plan with more bells and whistles.
I don't know if my employer was able to put it against tax or not.
As a temp visa holder you basically have no rights in Aus other than to pay full tax !
As a PR holder private health is cheaper and I believe the government gives you one third of the cost back. Of the fee that is, not any treatment costs.
Why won't your employer sponsor you for PR now under ENS / RSMS ?
Sponsorship visas do have a good level of priority so are processed quite quickly in comparison to skilled ones for example. Usually it's 3-6 months but we just got lucky and received ours in 33 days.
It sounds to me like your sponsor is shirking his responsibility on the health thing so what guarantees do you have he will support a PR application ? When you are over here working on the temp you are totally locked into him so maybe he will like that and decide not to progress a PR.
You may also like to search the forum about LAFHA = living away from home allowance. It's all about ligitimate tax "avoidance". There have been a few threads on that topic. I knew nothing about this until it came up on here and by that time it was too late for me.
Good luck.
May 25th 2005, 9:09 am
#7
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Thread Starter
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 532
Re: Taxation, Health insurance, family allowance
Originally Posted by Bix
Martin,
On a 457 temp visa your employer has a responsibility to meet the health requirements of you and any dependants.
Have a read of this thread and the link in it to another thread....
http://britishexpats.com/forum/showt...light=457+visa
My sponsor took out visitors cover with Medibank covering the 4 of us. Cost AUD 311.40 per month. There is a more expensive plan with more bells and whistles.
I don't know if my employer was able to put it against tax or not.
As a temp visa holder you basically have no rights in Aus other than to pay full tax !
As a PR holder private health is cheaper and I believe the government gives you one third of the cost back. Of the fee that is, not any treatment costs.
Why won't your employer sponsor you for PR now under ENS / RSMS ?
Sponsorship visas do have a good level of priority so are processed quite quickly in comparison to skilled ones for example. Usually it's 3-6 months but we just got lucky and received ours in 33 days.
It sounds to me like your sponsor is shirking his responsibility on the health thing so what guarantees do you have he will support a PR application ? When you are over here working on the temp you are totally locked into him so maybe he will like that and decide not to progress a PR.
You may also like to search the forum about LAFHA = living away from home allowance. It's all about ligitimate tax "avoidance". There have been a few threads on that topic. I knew nothing about this until it came up on here and by that time it was too late for me.
Good luck.
On a 457 temp visa your employer has a responsibility to meet the health requirements of you and any dependants.
Have a read of this thread and the link in it to another thread....
http://britishexpats.com/forum/showt...light=457+visa
My sponsor took out visitors cover with Medibank covering the 4 of us. Cost AUD 311.40 per month. There is a more expensive plan with more bells and whistles.
I don't know if my employer was able to put it against tax or not.
As a temp visa holder you basically have no rights in Aus other than to pay full tax !
As a PR holder private health is cheaper and I believe the government gives you one third of the cost back. Of the fee that is, not any treatment costs.
Why won't your employer sponsor you for PR now under ENS / RSMS ?
Sponsorship visas do have a good level of priority so are processed quite quickly in comparison to skilled ones for example. Usually it's 3-6 months but we just got lucky and received ours in 33 days.
It sounds to me like your sponsor is shirking his responsibility on the health thing so what guarantees do you have he will support a PR application ? When you are over here working on the temp you are totally locked into him so maybe he will like that and decide not to progress a PR.
You may also like to search the forum about LAFHA = living away from home allowance. It's all about ligitimate tax "avoidance". There have been a few threads on that topic. I knew nothing about this until it came up on here and by that time it was too late for me.
Good luck.
They will certainly sponsor the PR as I have it in the written offer, I think the temp visa is just to get us going as we're likely to be moving relatively short terms.
In any event it sounds like it will be a lot cheaper than in Germany where we currently pay about €1,200 per month :scared:
