Claiming the 50% CC

[C~Q]

Apologies if this has been asked before but how do you claim the 50% out of pocket expences for CC? Do they do it automaticly or do you have to apply? Or does it come with your tax? What if you don't work so you don't file a tax return??

Questions, questions, questions

Thank you

[MantaRay]

If you are already getting CCB or CCTR then you should have got a letter about this. It will be automatic. If you didn't get the letter you might need to ring the FAO to find out why.

[PinkPalace]

yes i got a letter yesterday ... i am only entitled to 40% rebate . But as to how i get the money i dont know yet as DD starts next month

[MantaRay]

PP, I think you'll find that letter is the CCB (Child Care Benefit). That is paid straight to the day care centre and your fees are reduced by that amount. Bear in mind that it is NOT 40% of your fees. It is 40% of the "standard" rate as determined by the government. It will work out to be a lot less than 40% of the actual fees.

Rachel is asking about the CCTR (child care tax rebate) which is different. This is paid through the autmated payment system straight to your bank account each quarter. It is 50% of your out of pocket child care fees (the difference between what the cost is and what you get back in CCB), up to $7000 per child. That letter went out a week or so ago.

[PinkPalace]

oh i wonder why i didnt get that letter?
do i have to apply for it as well.... or is is automatically calculated?
i didnt realise we got more! lol

[C~Q]

We don't get anything from Centrelink at all (except a letter telling us we won't be getting anything!) so would they already have sent out the letter about the rebate?

[Lulu]

O man, we are all waiting for BG to get home from work!!!!

[mrsmac]

I spoke to a lady in centrelink today and she said that the CCR will be sent out in September for the 30% we are entitled to for the year ending JUne 2008. Then in Oct we will get the 1st of the 50% every 1/4 payments.
HTH

[briggsy's girl]

here she comes to save the day!!!!

the child care rebate (ccr) ONLY applies to families where BOTH parents are working/studying/training (or otherwise automatically qualified) - it will be paid automatically if the child is registered for child care benefit. as MR did a brilliant job of explaining, CCB and CCR are very different - everyone is able to qualify for CCB based on their income estimate (well, as long as they're under the income thresholds) - not every family will qualify for CCR


Rachel and PinkPalace - i'm wondering if perhaps you don't qualify for CCR, and that is the reason you haven't received a letter about it? in most cases, SAHP's that aren't studying won't qualify (unless they're on mat leave with a set return date, have a disability or are caring for an adult/child with a disability)

[MantaRay]

Thanks bg. I totally forgot about the work/study rule, seeing as we pass that one!

[PinkPalace]

Briggsy
I work 16 -32 hrs a fortnight... so not sure why i would be considered a stay at home parent.... and they are well aware of my predicted earnings... so i dont think that would be it... not sure what is going on...

[Pandora]

I qualify and I havent got a letter.
The nice FAO ladyI spoke to today said I would recieve a letter shortly (we definitely qualify) and that I would be able to choose whether to get it quarterly ( i will) or have it paid as a lump sum at the end of the financial year.

[briggsy's girl]

if you're registered with online services, you can check on your centrelink record if you're listed as meeting that criteria PP - i wasn't saying that was the case - was just a generalised comment as i know there is a lot of confusion about it!!

if you're not registered, you'll need to check with FAO - but don't sweat on it now - it doesn't get paid til sept (last years 30%) or oct (this years 50%), so no urgency to wait in queue's straight away!

[PinkPalace]

i know you werent BG
It doesnt make sense . I went online to look and it said i wasnt registered for CCR... so like you said will wait it out to see (honestly DD was only in care 1 day last financial year so i really don thave to worry until 2009 )lol ... and i dont plan on working much longer with the next one due in 3 months anyhow

[C~Q]

I called and told them I was studying and I was told that we qualify. I had to take DD out of daycare to go to England though but we should dtill get it for when she was there shouldn't we?

[briggsy's girl]

yep you'll still get it - but just to let you know - being that it's the PAST financial year, not the current one, you'll only get 30% of your out of pockets rebated, not 50...