FAO peak time coming up

[briggsy's girl]

whatever option you have in place on july 4 is there for the year. it's not too late until the COB on friday BUT, you may find you're charged in advance so you don't get CCR for the first couple of weeks, or it will have to be sorted out fees wise later

FTB advances are all changing on july 1 - you will get one advance with your first payment in july - after that you'll need to renegotiate a continuous advance in january if you want it to happen again then (it only has to be re setup once)

[StrawberryFields]

BG - when does the peak period usually let up? I want to put in our forms for FTB and baby bonus as early as I can (on that note, when is that because I've been told 3 months prior to EDD, I've been told 1 month prior, and I've been told I have to wait until I have the birth certificates. Three different people at the same Centrelink office told me these things ), but if its going to take just as long because its that time of year, I'll just wait because I'll probably end up with a billion questions lol.

I'm just thinking its going to be super hectic once the babies arrive so I'd like to not have to be fart arsing around with extra paper work that could have already been done. Of course, if Centrelink person no. 3 is right, then I'll just have the forms all filled out and ready to go so it can be sorted asap. It would just be nice to know if they need anything extra or whatever so I'm not trying to chase it up while dealing with two newborns.

[Just Me]

Using FAO online is awesome!!! So much quicker and easier than a phone call

[briggsy's girl]

SF, you can apply online for baby bonus and ftb up to 3 months before EDD. claim will be assessed and processed "pending proof of birth" - when you deliver your twins, you fill in the paperwork that is given to you at the hospital (which does seem to double up some of the information, but it has to be done!), and submit that. will take about 3 weeks to process your claim from that time. you can send in the reply paid envelope, and when FAO finish with the forms, they will forward to medicare to add twins to card. IF there is a chance you will need to see a pead or anything before you get that registration info back, you can submit form at medicare, and they can add babies while you wait, giving you a temporary "receipt" which is the same as your card. i had to do this when DD was born as she had to see the pead a couple of days after discharge from hospital and we weren't in a place to pay out a couple of hundred dollars and wait weeks for medicare refund

[StrawberryFields]

Awesome! Thanks for that, I wasn't sure! I take it login details are the same as the Centrelink ones?

[briggsy's girl]

yes - centrelink/fao online services are exactly the same

[*Twinkle*]

BG I have a question regarding tax and centrelink. My DP has done his tax already through e-tax and I was on centrelink online and his income is already there in the family income 2010-2011 actual income column for your partner! This is in record time, and probably an obvious question but does this mean ATO have already sent centrelink his actual income(as in have done his tax return?)?? I am so confused as to why one day later his actual income is there...maybe I should feel grateful that its been looked at so quickly!lol

[briggsy's girl]

yes be grateful! the channels opened up yesterday for reco rsesults so his may have snuck through straight away

[*Twinkle*]

Oh wow that is awesome.... Thanks babe.xo

[BeautifulMadness]

BG: i didnt know you could do that with the baby bonus hmm interesting....makes it easier to do it before bubbs is born.

im hoping this year everything goes smoothly....

[briggsy's girl]

If you already get ftb for other children you don't need to do the claim for baby bonus. The form at birth is all you need to do

[Beach Mama]

Thanks for the all info BG! Quick question from me - we claim FTB as a yearly payment instead of fortnightly etc. Do we need to do something, or will it get paid automatically? Also, is it dependant on our tax returns going in or will it come on a certain date - I should actually look at the site shouldn't I?! Sorry for the basic questions..>Slinking off to find something myself

[e_p]

Thanks for the all info BG! Quick question from me - we claim FTB as a yearly payment instead of fortnightly etc. Do we need to do something, or will it get paid automatically? Also, is it dependant on our tax returns going in or will it come on a certain date - I should actually look at the site shouldn't I?! Sorry for the basic questions..>Slinking off to find something myself

Two possibilities - you're either 'current' in the FAO system, but opt to receive zero payments during the year and get everything as a lump sum at the end of the year, OR you lodge a 'Lump Sum Claim' every year.

If you're current FAO but zero rate, once your tax returns have been done, the information will be sent from the ATO to FAO and they will automatically calculate your entitlement and pay it (this is called 'Reconciliation').

If you're NOT current FAO, you need to lodge a Lump Sum Claim (can be done online) once you and DH have lodged your tax returns. In previous years there was an option to claim the lump sum within your tax return but that no longer exists. You can do a Lump Sum Claim for up to 2 financial years in the past.

HTH!!

[briggsy's girl]

yeah, what Eutra said!

can't believe you're 22 weeks already Eutra!! awesome!

[e_p]

its flown by huh!! won't be long until I have to decide whether to claim PPL or BBY and lodging claims etc!

[Beautiful Disaster]

if I was getting the PPL can I do a tax return without my c/l group certificate cause I have my accountant apt next week and i have no idea when its going to come

[briggsy's girl]

it should be available on auto fill next week - you can ring up and get the numbers on the day if need be and then provide the accountant the piece of paper later

[Beautiful Disaster]

it should be available on auto fill next week - you can ring up and get the numbers on the day if need be and then provide the accountant the piece of paper later

Sorry BG what is auto fill? I have no idea and ive been bawling so cant think straight.
and i should say that my final PPL payment was yesterday