We've applied for a low income health care card and today Andrew received a letter from the Tax office saying that he might not have been eligible for the 2010 Education tax refund that he claimed as they state he did not have a child in his care during that time, because he did not receive Family Tax Benefit Part A.
All family tax benefits come in my name only. I don't know why that is, it just does. Andrew's name has always been on every single piece of paperwork we have ever filled in for centrelink. Does that mean we're not allowed to claim the Education Tax refund on his tax return? I don't lodge a tax return because I don't work. I am freaking out now that we have to pay back a pile of money. Which the letter states we do if he is not entitled.
My name and the kids names are always all over his tax returns as his spouse and dependants.
Online services are currently down and I am on an over 10 min hold to the family assist office. I have to wait for him to get home for him to follow up the taxation end, which is where the letter has come from.
I would think that it is just missing a link somewhere, and should be easily sorted.
Family Tax used to be in DH's name here, and then when we decided to claim it fortnightly, I had to prove that DH was entitled to live here and claim it.. Just because a certain link didn't carry through and we were changing from his name to mine.
ETA - so even though the systems are all linked to a certain extent, sometimes cause some things are in one name with ATO, and the other spouse with Centrelink, they don't always carry all information through to another system.
It's a pain being on hold, but it really could be a simple matter to sort out over the phone. I was a tax accountant & I've seen similar letters about interest not being reported as taxable income but it turned out the bank had the wrong TFN & we were able to sort that out over the phone. Hopefully this would be a similar issue. I'm not sure of the exact laws around this rebate as it came in after I stopped working in tax. Hopefully someone else will know more for you. Also, I would call the tax office first since the letter is from them. ETA didn't read your last sentence properly - yes your DH would have to talk to the ATO. Get him to add you as a contact. Then you can talk to them too. I do this for my DH.
Yep I just got off hold. She said 'oh no not another one'.
She is going to send a letter of reconciliation??? for the 09/10 financial year, that he can forward on to the tax office and that should hopefully get us out of the loop hole. But she said this year I have to claim the Education Tax Refund myself. I said "I didn't even know you could do it separately"
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