Jessie James

Does anyone know whether we will be entitled to the full one-off maternity payment (formerly the baby bonus) if our baby is born in Oz but we return to the UK a few months after the birth?

From what I have read on www.familyassist.gov.au you are entitled to the payment if you meet the residency requirements, have a dependent child and there seems to be some emphasis placed on being the carer for the first 13 weeks which is also termed 'eligibility period'.

Providing we are in Australia for the first 13 weeks do we get the payment or is it tied to a tax return and you claim it back at the end of the tax year?

I'm just trying to figure out if we could claim all of it, if so is there any danger of having to pay some back if we move back mid-tax year or is it better to cut our losses and leave well alone?!

Thanks

Geordie George

Have you looked on the Centrelink site?

http://www.centrelink.gov.au/interne.../maternity.htm

It seems that their advice is to call them.

Jessie James

Yeah, that's where I started! I guess I shouold just call and ask, it's just that I have been misinformed so many times here I wondered if anyone who had been through similar could shed some light on how it works

clougherty family

Hi,

I had my baby in October and applied for it straight away. It went straight into my bank within 2 weeks of his birth. Don't think there are any restrictions, can't see how they could ask for it back really, hope not anyway as we will hopefully be going back to the UK before the end of the tax year and wasn't planning on having to pay Centrelink back!

JO

Jessie James

Thanks Jo. So it does go straight into your bank account and isn't claimed when completing the tax return? I just remember always seeing the question on the tax return 'are you claiming the baby bonus' so assumed that's when you did it. Perhaps it's changed?

I'm also not sure what you do about lodging a tax return for the tax year you leave part way through of?

It would be so amazing if we were entitled to it - what a help!

JAJ

You are still expected to lodge a tax return, although you do not have to include non-Australian income arising after you cease to be resident.

How to file? - http://www.ato.gov.au has information, but you should be thinking about either by mail or electronically. And keep open an Australian bank account for any refund.

clougherty family

Hi,

The baby bonus is another payment that you get each year when you do your tax return. I think it's about $600 per child.

Jo

Jessie James

Thanks Jo, I called family assist and we are entitled to the maternity payment which is amazing news! That's certainly a weight off now that my earning capacity is on a time-line, the credit cards will be paid off when we go!!

Thanks JAJ for tax return info. I guess it's pretty much like lodging here on-line. Must remember to have my end of year info sent to Blighty instead.