Working & payments

I've just started a new casual job. Did 3 days last week & am yet to call c'link. I'll do it tomorrow after work if I get home before kids finish school.

I looked at an online calculater for rates, to get an estimate of how much I'd loose, but I'm hoping it was wrong.

I'm on carers payment, allowance & FTBA & B at the max rates. No CSA income as yet. I have 1000 working credits.

Can anyone tell exactly what dollar amount I can earn (when working credits are used up), before I start losing c'link money & how many cents to the dollar I'll lose? From what the calculater said, if I earn $600 a fortnight, I'll loose $300 a fortnight. If that's the case maybe its not worth me working?? To do 15 hours a week, with DD3 with me bored to tears, make $300, then lose $150, what's the point? That $150 a week will be awesome, but at the costs to my family (that many hours a week out of the house, DD not really being happy or whatever for those 15 hours etc, me being tireder (not a word, I know :lol:) & more stressed about keeping the house in order...

Is it really that much, & would anyone else think its worth it? I need that income to get by, but not sure its enough for the sacrifices with DD being so little IYGWIM.

I'm sure someone will be able to answer properly, but I *think* I remember it being something like that when i first started work after studying (that was a different payment though, so maybe it will be different - and it was 9 years ago!).

First 152 doesn't impact your payment at all, then reduces 50c in the dollar. There are also limits to the hours you can work on carer payment if the person you are caring for isnt with you.

Income test for pensions

Im only working during the hours dd is at school (person im caring for), but I didn't know that. Will look into it this arvo. Thanks. And is that 152 a week or fortnight?

Ok. I've just read about the 25 hours a week & I'm confused. DD is at school 30 hours a week. Should I be entitled to my payments then? I'll be working 15 - 20 hours, but was thinking of starting studying as well at some point.

So even though DD is at school for 30 hours, I can't just make up to that 30 hours in study. I have to stick to the 25. Unless its studying from home... which it would be. I understand they need a minimum number of hours you need to be caring for someone for, but when I can't even use the extra hours she's at school to do something productive (volunteering even), I feel a little ripped off. An hour a day volunteering at DD's school, but not in her room, would put me over the limit some weeks...

Just trying to make sense of this all, coz I really had no idea :( Better let the boss know, coz I'm not risking my main income for a few hours a week.

If you work 30 hours per week you'll be asked how you are meeting your care requirements for that child. All you need to say is that she is at school. But be aware that travel is also taken into it. If you out the child you gets carers for in afters school care due to work, it may become an issue with you meeting responsibilities. I would check for sure with a carers consultant how that would impact you and make sure to get a receipt number of the conversation in case it comes up later.

As to the dollars - everything is done on a fortnightly basis

Thanks heaps BG. I wouldn't have known any of this otherwise. There is no out of school care here, and my boss knows I can't work out of school hours, so that won't happen no matter what.
Very greatful for the heads up.