only 42cents this week?

[Liz]

OK, today we decided to change to receiving FTB fortnightly and have it go straight into savings, rather than get the lump sum at the end of the year (and to also be eligible for the $2k in december )

So I did a rate estimate, and it told me we would get about $136 per fortnight. OK.. so I updated our estimated income for 2008/2009 and the payment schedule says I'll get paid $0.42 on the 29th. LOL - what the??! I zoomed in for details, and it just said that was for FTB part A.

Where in the online services thingo can I check to see that we'll be paid both Part A and Part B fortnightly? Can't find anything to change Payment Choices? and is that 42c a pro-rata thing for this fortnight just gone?

Thought I'd ask here, coz I can't be bothered ringing I'll ring them if future payments look a bit strange though.

[briggsy's girl]

it would be for the number of days in this fornight - given that your being paid on the 29th, payment will have to be generated today, so you only get one day of pay

there is somewhere to update choices on the website, but given i'm not at work, i have NO idea - it's possible that you have ftbb turned off, and have only turned on part A, which is giving you the small amount of payment

FWIW - as long as you were current on the system on Oct 14th (you could be at nil rate) and your estimate showed you would be eligible for the $1000 you didn't need to turn payment on. anyone with estimates over the thresholds on Oct 14th won't be eligible until tax time. i confirmed this with work colleagues today...

sorry Liz - can't tell you how to check choices though - i've run a complete blank without work toys to play with - how sad!

[Liz]

No worries. We kinda decided to switch to fortnightly anyway to earn whatever compound interest we can on the payments, and hopefully not spend it! LOL.

But this is what the family assist site says:

What if I don't get fortnightly payments?

If you claim your Family Tax Benefit Part A as a lump sum at the end of the financial year, the payment will be made at the same time as your Family Tax Benefit Part A payment.

Please note: If you were eligible for Family Tax Benefit Part A on 14 October 2008 and you would like the payment earlier you can change to fortnightly payments.

So if I want it in December rather than when we do our tax returns, it seemed pretty clear I had to switch to fortnightly.

hmm.. I guess I shouldn't have said 'eligible' in my OP. I know we were eligible for the payment.. I just want it earlier

hmm... ok.. just re-read your post.. our estimates in the system were for last year which would indicate that we wouldn't be eligible for part A at all.. but my new estimates make us eligible.. so does that mean I still have to wait til tax time for the $2000? doh! Aah well.

[briggsy's girl]

you may still have to wait hun - i don't honestly know what is happening with people that change their estimates

[Liz]

Never mind. Its not urgent, just would have been nice hehe.

I guess by making it that you were eligible on their system at that date stops people changing their estimates just for the money and then sorting out all the norty people that shouldn't have received it! hehe.

[Liz]

Got the paperwork the other day, and yeah, it was a part payment for that fortnight. And it says I've told them not to pay part B (hah - yeah.. never told them that.. but anyway!) so i guess I've got to hit the phones and ask for both parts coz I can't find it on the website!