FAO Payment - what for?

We got a payment from the FAO about a week after we lodged our tax. We were expecting some money but didn't know how much and are not sure what this is for (we think we get two payments) - how long until I get a letter detailing what the money is for? It's been in my account since probably Tuesday...

Also, we originally told FAO we would claim CCB at tax time... then decided to claim it as we went so applied for base rate about July. Do we have to lodge anything to get the amount from the first half of the year or do they automatically work it out? And if I overestimated our income, do they automatically adjust it or do I have to fill something in? I'm a total novice!

TIA

MG

hard to say exactly what the payment is for if there hasn't been some itemisation on your account. the most likely thing would be that you have been paid your ftba supplement (i assume with you working your income would have been over the thresholds for ftbb) and a top up for any ftba you were entitled to if you overestimated your income (approx 200 for every 1000 you over estimated)


so, if you over estimated by 5000, you'd get your ftbb supplement 667 and your top up 1000

with that payment you would have also received any child care benefit (ccb) top up you are entitled to. when you initially called to ask to have ccb added to your record, it SHOULD have been dated to the day you first put DD into care, so i should back pay you - but i can't promise that has happened. it would all appear in your account as fao payments

one thing i'll let you know though - the payment might be ONLY your child care benefit top up, as the aim is to deliver both your tax return and ftb top ups together, so there might be a delay there for that one...

what i would suggest is, if you don't get your letter tomorrow, give fao a call and ask for an explanation. it's a pita, but if it at least allows you to clear up what the money is... if you're registered for online services with c'link you can view your payment breakdown online


fwiw - if fao generate a payment, it's in your bank within two days (unless it's going via ATO) - your letter gets sent but sometimes (hell, most of the time!) Australia Post don't get the letter to you as quickly as the payment hits your bank

HTH

BG

Thanks BG! If I don't get a letter tomorrow I'll go to the local office when I can this week and ask... hopefully I won't be "waiting" as long as I would on the phone!

MG

a word to the wise

don't go to the office - they are primarily trained in income support payments (so newstart, parenting payment etc) and are highly likely to send you to the phone in the office to call anyway!!! they are seriously short staffed, and any new staff coming in received no FAO training as most FTB stuff is done at central processing centres

go home, make a cuppa, relax, and make the call (FAO are available 8-8 mon-fri) - apparently the queues aren't as bad now as they were in july (i've not been at work for a while...)

oooooooooooo, thanks BG! I might do that tomorrow night if DD goes down at a decent time!

I know this is WAY off track, but BG what are the chances of getting the voice activated thingy off the PP line?? It's really hard when there are kids in the background & all you wanna do is use the self service.

Sorry, but I just had to ask, & I thought it pointless to start a whole new thread...
Yell at me if you need to!

i would suggest you register for online services (net) = they'll never remove the voice self service - they're adding more of a push toward it than ever now...

Bugger. I do have the online, just not used to it yet. & its kinda hard to get an answer to a question that way. I only really ring if I need an answer then & there.
Oh well. I'll just have to let the kids keep trashing the house while I sneak outside.
Or get off BB & work out the online services.

BG - sorry to chrash this thread! When over-estimating your income, do you then get a 'top up' payment of what you should of recieved if you stated your income exactly? I just went on the Family assistance website and according to the calculator thing - we should of been recieving about a $130 more a fortnight that we actually did. It also included FTB part B, which we never originally got becasue of the over-estimate. We over estimated by almost $18,000, due to my change in work situation, and never bothered to fix it, assuming we would recieve it at end of financial year. Or is it more of a base rate (I don't know if that is the right word..). Is it better to over estitmate, or not?

I'm not BG, but you should get it when you get the $600 FTB payment - if you get it.
Once you both do your tax they will cross reference with the ATO & work out if you need to be back paid or not. I've always gone at least $10 000 over JIC.
If you don't need to put in a tax return for yourself, don't forget to ring the FAO & tell them.

Thats with your FTB though. I've never been entitled to PP unless I ring every fortnight & declare DH's earnings for the f/n, so I dunno how that works.

BG knows everything. She'll tell you if I'm right or not. :)

em, you should receive a top up, but it may not be as much as is outlined on the estimator (as it uses 08/09 details, not 07/08) - it will pay automatically once your tax details are received. if you're entitled to it, you WILL receive it.

OK - im going to join the trend and crash this thread too

BG- im pretty sure that we have over estimated our income by a lot - like 10,000+ (maybe even 20K)... when providing details i thought that it was gross income AND as DH is Self employed i wanted to be safe so added a bit more... does this look bad when it comes to doing the adjustments? is there any disadvantage?

Thanks

BG - just wanted to say - you are AMAZING! I have just been looking through some of the other threads and you are the most helpful person ever! Thanks for answering my q. I was starting to think I had really, really stuffed up. :hug: :clap: :hug:

SJ - I've always done that. I'd rather have less during the year than have to pay centrelink back.

& BG you are definetely a very handy person to have around!

BG,
I got my statement today but now I am confused (not hard) and am just wondering... the CCB paid is only for Jan to June30. I can't remember when we registered for CCB but shouldn't it be backdated to when DD started in July 07?

TIA

MG

MG - if ccb was only added in Jan and it wasn't backdated to DD's start date, you will need to do a lump sum claim from start of July. when lump sum claim is lodged, it will show that you've already been paid from Jan so will only pay what you haven't already received (iykwim?)

Sammie - we ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS sugges that people over estimate by at least a couple of thousand dollars, more if self employed or in a variable type job (my hubby for instance, have income that varies by up to $1000 a week, so if someone were discussing that situation, i'd suggest assuming the highest income is what they'd get, and over estimate on that). estimating income is one of the most painful things to do unless you're on a set income - and even then, we suggest you add between 5 and 10% to your income estimate to account for bonuses/overtime/pay rises. it never looks bad to over estimate! serial UNDERESTIMATORS can, and do, have their payment stopped until such time as they provide a reasonable income estimate

Hi,

sorry to jump on here, but seeing if anyone can help..

We received a payment in our bank a/c today and I have no idea why. We haven't lodged our tax yet, and did not estimate wages as we were going to claim all our payments at tax time (my DH's wage is so up and down) and the only claim we have made is the non means tested CC rebate cause the CC centre said we had to..

How did the FAO know what to pay us?

you'll probably find it's the child care rebate for out of pocket costs

the computer will have calculated your out of pockets if you were claiming the minimum child care benefit during the year

IF you get tax done and find that you are eligible for more child care benefit than what you were paid (and therefore less of the child care rebate) it will all be worked out for you. and child care benefit top up will be more than any rebate you owe, so it will balance out

thanks BG..