Working Mummies Support Group #2

[wysiwyg]

Hugs MN - you aren't a loser - we were told it takes the average person 3 months of solid looking to find a position. We were also told not to apply for too much stuff as it takes your focus and also the knockbacks will affect your confidence.

I found the redundancy help we got very useful - so much so that I contemplated in my last large break seeing a career counselor who I found on the course to try and focus my efforts - I had just got in touch with her when I found my next role (maybe I would have been better off seeing her as my last two jobs have not really gone that well). There was quite a bit of focus on defining what you want next, and also the challenges of being made redundant (lots of people had been in the jobs a long time and that can have particular challenges).

BD - I hope your DD is still doing ok.

Teeki - I hope whatever the exciting stuff is it works out ok.

OP - the hours thing sounds tough - that is the only positive thing I have found about contracting - when they pay me by the hour and combined with the fact I am very clear I will not do any work between 9-5 on my two days off from home - it seems to work out ok. I know when I was a permanent staff member - people didn't really get it. If urgent stuff comes up they have to gmail or text me (and I will attempt a reply) - I won't accept phonecalls (I can never hear properly when the kids are around or concentrate anyway).

My job is soul destroying - I am being treated like I am a 23 year old office admin - not really that sure of my next move, and I can't see any logic in what they are doing at all. If I see out this contract then I will be looking for work Dec Jan which is bad timing for finding work, but maybe I should just stick with it and hope I get some of skills out of this 6 months that I took the job for (but it is destroying my faith that I people ever do the right thing as opposed to what suits their own agendas). I could pull Cerys out of daycare completely which would make not having a job slightly more viable, as will be starting school and if I found something would probably be able to get her back in for those two months anyway.

I was checking out what might happen if I wasn't working and I realized something I don't think I knew before, that when you fill out the online rate estimator you have to separate out the income per person not just put it in as one - e.g. if I put in 95000 split over two people there is a small amount of FTB A and energy supplement etc but if you put it in as one persons income you also get FTB B and energy supplement (120 dollars a fortnight difference). I don't quite get the logic in that - shouldn't the thresholds be the same family income is family income - why should it be different? - if anything you would think given the cost of childcare that if it takes two incomes to reach 95000 then they would be more in need of the assistance. I mean I knew that FTB A cuts out way before FTB B, which I always thought was odd but I thought that was then only impacting the higher income ranges, but I hadn't really realized that income is not treated equally.

I think I must be being taxed as if I am full-time - meaning I will get some money back at the end of the year - I would rather have it now to be honest - not sure who I would address it with - e.g. my payslip says annual salary rate which would equate to a 40 hour week rather than a 24 hour week - presumably if I got agency to change that it would change the rate at which I am taxed?

[Astrid]

wysiwyg - FTB A is on combined income and FTB B is on the second income. I found that you have to look at the everything, such as how much each income is taxed along with the FTB to see what is better overall. 1 working or 2 working. Ages ago I had a spreadsheet that I put on the varying scenarios to see what we better.
As for taxation, they should not be taxing you as a full timer. They should be taxing your actual gross pay for that pay period. Go onto to the ATO website and use their calculator to check. They cannot just tax you extra or less, the should be taxing you as per the criteria on your TFN declaration.
If you are labour hire, then use the labour hire one:
https://www.ato.gov.au/Calculators-a...alculator.aspx
Otherwise use the standard indivual one:
https://www.ato.gov.au/Calculators-a...alculator.aspx

[wysiwyg]

wysiwyg - FTB A is on combined income and FTB B is on the second income. I found that you have to look at the everything, such as how much each income is taxed along with the FTB to see what is better overall. 1 working or 2 working. Ages ago I had a spreadsheet that I put on the varying scenarios to see what we better.
As for taxation, they should not be taxing you as a full timer. They should be taxing your actual gross pay for that pay period. Go onto to the ATO website and use their calculator to check. They cannot just tax you extra or less, the should be taxing you as per the criteria on your TFN declaration.
If you are labour hire, then use the labour hire one:
https://www.ato.gov.au/Calculators-a...alculator.aspx
Otherwise use the standard indivual one:
https://www.ato.gov.au/Calculators-a...alculator.aspx

So the amount looks right - I think I am confused by the Tax Free Threshold - as I was looking at the situation based on what I would earn by end of this contract if I didn't earn any more this tax year. So if by end of contract I am under the Tax Free Threshold then I would get the tax I have paid back right?

Still not sure of the logic of it - if one of you earns 114,000 you need FTB B and the Energy Supplement - but if two of you combined earn 114,000 you don't need any FTB B and the Energy Supplement - I can see why a spreadsheet is useful. The fact is that in the end I am not sure what the finances would have to say for me to think better to not be working as I am too worried about prospects for the future if I don't.

MN - I wouldn't have taken a permanent role like you outlined either - I am doing about 50 mins each way now and away for about 10.5 on the three days and there is no way I would want to do it permanently or 5 days. I am sure your best case scenario will come along.

[Astrid]

So the amount looks right - I think I am confused by the Tax Free Threshold - as I was looking at the situation based on what I would earn by end of this contract if I didn't earn any more this tax year. So if by end of contract I am under the Tax Free Threshold then I would get the tax I have paid back right?
.

Yes, if you have paid more tax than you need to, then yes you get it back. It is just that an employer can't technically tax you less as you may only work a part year. What you can try to do is do a Withholding variation with the ATO to reduce the tax you pay now. They do an assessment, then send the employee a Witholding Variation notice that is valid for the Financial year. I have seen execs do this a fair bit as they tend to have to much going on to reduce their tax.

It is a sucky thing about not working consistently over the year. I had that issue when I did a temp role. Got us some extra money now, but it meant that FTB was reduced for the remainder of the year as I had to up my original Income declaration. It was almost not worth working temp, as we relied on that FTB each fortnight.

Teeki - awesome news on the other job.

AFM: One of the painful staff members is leaving!!! I am feeling so much more relaxed now a work. Whilst I did not work directly with her, I struggled with the vibe she brought into the office environment. On top of that she was not suited to the role and thankfully for the business she has recognised that. A huge relief