Payments to Single Mums

**fionas** · December 27th, 2012, 01:37 PM

DP and I are talking about separating and Centrelink aren't there today so can't talk to anyone about what I could claim as an interim measure prior to getting a job (currently a full-time SAHM).

I've had a look at the website and it looks like I'm not entitled to Parenting Payment because I'm a homeowner and its asset-tested.

So, from what I can gather I'd be entitled to Family Tax Benefit A as well as child support.

In slight panic about how long we could live off my savings as it might take me a while to get a job.

Any advice, esp from BG, would be great.

**Catastrophic** · December 27th, 2012, 01:50 PM

First of all big hugs xoxox

I suggest to go and do their payment estimator and see what you come up with they are surprisingly accurate xox

**Starfish** · December 27th, 2012, 01:57 PM

Sorry to hear that you find yourself in this situation.

I agree with Cat - go to the website and do the payment estimate. Do you own the home outright or do you and your DP own it jointly? Do you have a mortgage? I am thinking that if you are not earning anything at all, then you would be at least entitled to Newstart or something until you get a job.

GL.

**Ryatha** · December 27th, 2012, 01:58 PM

I wasn't a home owner but I was working when we separated and didn't know if I was going to earn enough.

I went into centrelink and had a big chat and asked about everything I could claim. It was great as there were things I would never have known otherwise.

It's a hard thing to do, but it is possible, and lots of us here with experience I you need to chat.

**LimeSlice** · December 27th, 2012, 01:58 PM

The primary family home you live in is not included in the assessment as far as I remember, I also was a homeowner and it never came into it WRT my eligibility for PP. My home was worth $400k - maybe not enough to tip the balance?

I receive appox $650 a f/n in PPS, plus $145 + $130 ish for FTB A and B a fortnight.
You will also qualify for a Pension card, which applies discounts to utilities, telephone, transport, school fees and all sorts of things.
All told, I receive just under $1000 a f/n with 2 children, including $33 rent assistance - which is effected by the CSA assessment. (As is FTB I think)

Hope that helps.

**fionas** · December 27th, 2012, 02:01 PM

Thanks guys - I can only find the online estimator for child support - not the other payments.

House is in joint names, owned outright but I THINK that DP will agree to sign over to me (long story but bought from my sale of my previous home which I owned solely). I realise that I'm in a better position than most but owning a house doesn't provide me with any money to pay the bills/groceries etc.

Just annoying that they're not there today!!!

**fionas** · December 27th, 2012, 02:04 PM

The primary family home you live in is not included in the assessment as far as I remember, I also was a homeowner and it never came into it WRT my eligibility for PP. My home was worth $400k - maybe not enough to tip the balance?

I receive appox $650 a f/n in PPS, plus $145 + $130 ish for FTB A and B a fortnight.
You will also qualify for a Pension card, which applies discounts to utilities, telephone, transport, school fees and all sorts of things.
All told, I receive just under $1000 a f/n with 2 children, including $33 rent assistance - which is effected by the CSA assessment. (As is FTB I think)

Hope that helps.

That helps heaps thanks Limeslice!!! I hope you're right re the primary home not coming into the assessment.

So you also receive child support on top of that? That's the only figure I can work out at the moment.

**LimeSlice** · December 27th, 2012, 02:13 PM

When he pays it, yes! LOL

Ex earns around $90k a year, the assessed rate of CS was $1340 a month. He is paying (after a huge saga) $1000 a month by my agreement from next month. My advice is go straight to CSA and have it collected from day dot, it will sve you the headaches of having it taken over later, regardless of how amicable things are or aren't, it jut means they deal with it all from the beginning and there is no farting around trying to back date payments and carrying on.

This link may be what you are after to work some estimates out... https://www.centrelink.gov.au/RateEs...mbinedStart.do

I'm sorry you are in this position, but it is doable I think, particularly if you are able to retain the house.

**fionas** · December 27th, 2012, 02:30 PM

LS - you're a lifesaver - have googled around and it seems the principal residence IS exempt from the assets test. That was my biggest worry. So basically, I'd be entitled to Parenting Payment while I'm not working. Phew, phew, phew. Have done the estimator (which didn't include the Parenting Payment).

Will get into Centrelink next week.

Panic over. For now

**diannescruffy** · December 27th, 2012, 02:30 PM

Your home wont come into it hun, I own our home fully and receive parenting payment. I'm sorry you are going through all this

.

Regards,
Dianne

**LimeSlice** · December 27th, 2012, 02:36 PM

Glad to help, Fionas.

You can receive PPS until your youngest is 8. Once you go back to work, you can earn $174 a fn before you payment is affected.
For me, the biggest issue has been child *care - there simply isn't any. Period. So I can't work until I can get DD2 into care, at least 4 days a week, or it will cost me more in lost PP and CC costs than I would be making. :/

I am studying FT though so have access to the Pensioner Education Supplement, which is about a days cost of CC each fn.

**nothing2lose** · December 27th, 2012, 02:38 PM

Forgive me if I am wrong but doesn't child support reduce the amount of PP and/or FB you receive??

**LimeSlice** · December 27th, 2012, 03:06 PM

It can, yes - the *assessed* amount, not the amount you *actually* receive impacts rates of ome payments.

**briggsy's girl** · December 27th, 2012, 03:45 PM

LS is right with the primary home not being an asset provided you are residing in it (and if he makes you move out, you can apply to have it exempted under hardship grounds until you sort things out)

pps would be around the 640 mark per fn - off the top of my head, i can't recall exact figures

ftb would be (maximum - provided no entitlement to child support at all and greater than 65% care) - ftba 165 per child per fn, ftbb 140 (so approx 470 per fn) - child support may reduce your ftba each fortnight, based on the assessment child support agency make. it will reduce by up to 50c in the dollar for every dollar over the maintenance income free area (about 1800 per year for two kids from memory).

if you are seperating, notify centrelink on the day it happens (or next day) - if you complete all the paperwork for pps within two weeks, you will be paid pps from that date. if you wait, the pps will NOT be backdated to the date you seperate. ftb can be but pps will not be backdated.

hugs hun - i hope it doesn't come to the point of having to go through with this, but if it does/is/has, please contact c'link asap. and make sure you leave yourself a good hour or more for the call. if it's a busy day, it can take a while to get through, and it can take up to half hour or more for the call if you get an inexperienced cso. make sure you have with you the details of all your bank accounts (including balance on that day), assets (car/caravan/boat/rough estimate of value of your household and personal effects, including jewellery), shares, any interests you have in businesses or private companies/trusts. it will make it much faster if you have that at hand

**fionas** · December 27th, 2012, 06:57 PM

Thanks heaps BG, that's really helpful.

LS, that completely sucks that you're not getting CS. Given that DP always paid child support to his ex, without fail, I'm confident he would do the right thing. How does your ex get away without paying? I though CSA had the power to garnish his wages.

Can I go on and off Parenting Payment? I'd prefer to work part-time but part-time jobs in my occupation are in short supply so I may decide to take a full-time contract position for 3-6 months just to get some money in the bank. It would kill me emotionally to put DD2 into full-time childcare but I may decide to do that for a short stint if it meant I could stay home with her after that until she goes to school. But could I then claim PP after the contract ends or would it be Newstart Allowance?

**LimeSlice** · December 27th, 2012, 07:33 PM

Yeah they can but they will 'work with' the other parent and give them a fair bit of leeway for payment pplans and things. But I made the mistake of not going straight to the CSA to collect from day one. We have just sorted it in the last week after months of stuffing around and game playing. P.I.T.A!

I don't know about going on and off, but you can go on and then just report your income each week I think and they will pay or not as your income dictates afaik.

**fionas** · December 27th, 2012, 07:41 PM

well, that's good it's finally been sorted - now just to find childcare spots I guess. Where are you most likely to be working? I'm just thinking if it was in the CBD, would it be worth checking there as a last resort? When I lived in Melbourne (Northcote), it was impossible to get a spot in a council-run childcare centre but no-one I know had a problem getting a spot in a for-profit centre.

**LimeSlice** · December 27th, 2012, 07:46 PM

Pretty much! She is on a few waiting lists, so just to see where the chips fall. If I can't get her in full time then I will just up my study load to fast track my degree.
I think it is my area, there are just simply no places for 2 year old. I think it was 30 CC centres I called - FDC was a no go too. I was shocked, TBH, we had no issues are all finding a place for DD1 at the same age in Perth.

Are you parents or his parents an option for care? I don't have any family that can watch them during the day, but would be so much easier if you have them I think.

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