Education Tax Refund Q

Yes, I'm getting in early.
'10 already downloaded, dad's set up waiting, about to do DH's, lol.
One question though. Last year friends & I claimed the education tax refund. All of us had a child who'd been at school the whole year, so were able to claim for 365 days.
This year, some of our kids have started kinder. So only half the year. How many days do we say we are eledgable for this time? I've been searcing the ato site to find out, but can't see anything that will help.
Anyone have an idea? Or should I just split 365 by 2??
TIA

You are still able to claim the full amount. If you read the information pages that come with the form, for the school requirements, is does say if your child was enrolled in school between July 1 2009 and December 31 2009 and then 1 January 2010 and June 30 2010 then they meet the requirements for the full year.

Have you had a look at this form http://www.ato.gov.au/content/downlo...n726210610.pdf. Might help.

Ok, thanks :)

Can i jump in here and ask a question as well, i never claimed last yr, i had 2 in school last yr and 3 is school this yr, cause its for 09-10 yr, how many children should i be claiming for? im searching the tax site now for info, and can i claim last yrs?

you can't claim for last year, but you can claim for each child you have at school and you are receiving FTBA for. for each child in high school it is $779 and for each primary child is is $390

:yeahthat: You'd claim for the 3 this year :)

ok, excellent, now next question, can u claim online? i cant seem to see it anywhere, and i noticed that it said school uniforms were not eligable to claim? why is that?

You can't claim online, but you can phone them - that is how I have done mine and you get the refund in 14 days. You need to download and print the form and fill it all in and have it in front of you when you call. You can only claim things that relate directly to the education of the child, so uniforms etc aren't included because they aren't directly related to education.

oh okies, thanks trill, ive run outta ink in the printer, so looks like i wont be doing that today, lol

just look at the form online and see what you need to write down and call them anyway. its just handy to have the form filled in while you do the call so you know you have all the info you need right there instead of having to think of it off the top of your head.

Yeah, we rang in last year. Its an automated service & pretty simple.
Just look over the form, write down the few things you need to remember & ring in.
I think its really only confirming ID, TFN, how many primary kids you are claiming for & how many days & how many secondary kids & how many days.
I'm pretty sure it didn't ask what I was claiming for (ie net, computer etc), but can't remember 100%

No, never asked anything about what you are claiming.

ok cool, thanks trillian and clover!
Ill have another looksie and might call later!

:

---

Schooling requirement
If the student was enrolled or registered in a primary or
secondary school course (at school, home or TAFE) and
attended that course, or received the home schooling, for at
least one day:
■ between 1 July 2009 and 31 December 2009, then they met
the schooling requirement for every day in that period
■ between 1 January 2010 and 30 June 2010, then they met
the schooling requirement for every day in that period
■ in each of those two six-month periods, then they met the
schooling requirement for the whole year.

---

This is the quote from the form and I read it that if they were only enrolled from 1 Jan 2010 till 30 June 2010 then they are only eligable for the period. My DD started Kindy this year too, so I think you would just divide the 365 by 2.

From the way I read it, they are only eligible for hte whole year if they were at school for both periods stated above! Am I reading it wrong?

No, I take it to mean that if your child was enrolled in either of those two periods, then they qualify for the entire year. Pretty crappy if they excluded children who only started school this year because your education costs will be the same kwim?

:

---

You can't claim online, but you can phone them - that is how I have done mine and you get the refund in 14 days. You need to download and print the form and fill it all in and have it in front of you when you call. You can only claim things that relate directly to the education of the child, so uniforms etc aren't included because they aren't directly related to education.

---

If you post it to ato, u have to include receipts for proof right?

If you phone them, how do they check your claims are true?

Its the same as any tax claim. You keep any reciepts in case they need to be seen in the future.
I do etax online every year & the same goes. Any deductions, you would keep the reciepts for. There is a time period, I think its 5 or 7 years you'd need to hold onto them.
Even an accountant doesn't necessarily need to view the reciepts when they do your return. Not last we went to one anyway, that was about 5 years ago now though.

Siraulo, I have no idea - I've only done it by phone and have never been asked to prove if the expenses were legit - they were because I have the receipts, but I'm sure by not asking for them leaves it open to rorting.

Oh ok

its only for those in primary and high school though? not kindergarten?

I claimed for DD2 in kindy... I'm sure it would count. I would've got the $50 if they still did it at the start of the year, so I'm assuming this counts too?
It does say, on the last page, if they only attended for any one day out of those 2 6 month periods you are entitled.

I just lodge my application by phone, it says it would be processed within 14 days, how long did it take for you guys to get the refund?

Thanks

Siraulo, it took the full 14 working days to get it :)

Oorki, it is just for children enrolled at 'big' school, not prep/kinder/preschool

I'm pretty sure it took the 14 days last time.

Yeah, sorry Oorki. Primary school starts at kindy here.

ok thanks

hopefully i get it sooner

Mmmm, my BIL is an accountant. We didn't get much at all last year and DS1 was in school the whole year. There are alot of things you can't claim such as School Fees, Uniforms. I would have a good look at the ATO site at what is eligible to claim.
We missed out on claiming our computer as we purchased it 2wks before school started (he was in prep last year).

Heather do you know you can claim internet costs?

Thanks Clover, you just jogged my memory..I think last year as he was only in Prep for the first 5mths of the Financial Year it didn't amount to much. This financial year will be better as we have the whole 12mths to claim from July last year to June 30 this year.

Darn, was hoping to have mine today... Maybe tomorrow.

i just got my edr

another question, i did not claim last year, can i still claim the 2008-2009 edr?

thanks

I think you can do a reconcilliation claim, but I don't know anything about it.
As far as I know, its the same as any tax claim & once the year is over its too late.

I finally got mine, 17 days after putting in my claim! Oh well. Best find out about this last return of DH's now so I can hopefully get his tax in...

did you lodge by phone?

when i lodged mine, i think i made a mistake and when asked which financial year, i said 2009

i got the money, 10 days later, but im not sure if either:

a) they fixed the mistake, changed it to 2010, because previous years cant be claimed
b) it is possible to claim edr 2009, so i will now claim the 2010 edr

I lodged by phone. Wasn't too worried, I'd say its just the way it happened :)
I'd ring the ATO & ask, coz I'm 99% sure you can't claim for previous years.