Baby Bonus - Is this right???

[BrightSparkles]

We were just haing lunch with friends and they were saying the following about the new BB scheme...

- It paid fortnightly (which we are absolulty fine with )
-Its based on combine income for the 6 months following the birth of bub
- is means tested - you have to earn less than 75K in that 6 months

BUT

That they don't start paying the 5K until bub is 6 months old and you can prove (with paperwork) that you and partner have earnt less than 75k.
This doesn't sound right to me?????

Isn't the point of the baby bonus to help in that time where people are on maternity leavve etc and to help with the cost of raising bub?????

We used ours to make up the short fall to pay rent/food etc while i was on unpaid mat. leave. If this is the case and it doesn't get paid until bub is 6 months old we will be up S**t creek!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[cocobambino]

No, you dont have to wait till they are 6 months..
wonder what gave them that idea

[Trillian]

No, that's not right. You still get it as a fortnightly payment for 13 fortnights (6mths basically) and it is now income tested, so if you earnt over $150,000 combined (I think) then you wont get it, but if you earnt under that, you will. You can check out the FAO website at www.familyassist.gov.au and find out more.

[~Kim~]

I think what might have given them that idea is the letter that the Family Assistance office sends out to those who are close to the line income wise. We got it too and it says that you have to prove your income for the six months following the birth ie payslips which naturally means you can't prove it until after the six months have passed.
I'm actually going to contact FAO tomorrow regarding this so will let you know the outcome.

[Nai]

No, I got my first installment this week and DD is 4weeks old.

[visitor1]

Yep DS is now 9 weeks old and ive already got a few payments for him

[briggsy's girl]

Yep DS is now 9 weeks old and ive already got a few payments for him

at a guess (none of my work buds online at the moment) i'd say it's just if you're close to the limit it might be better to NOT claim until baby is 6months old so that you can confirm income for that time frame and get it then, rather than getting it early and being overpaid as you'd have to pay it back... you have up to 12 months after baby arrives now to claim it.

[Bun]

Hmmmm, can someone clear something up for me? With DH's income we will be close to the line when we have our next bub. I thought that if you earnt under $75k in the 6 months before the birth, you were eligible. It is a little complicated for us because DH gets a bonus of up to 25% of his salary once each year. I therefore was thinking that whether we are eligible or not would depend on when the bub is born, ie - bonus paid in Sept, so if bub born in the 6 months following Sept, we would not be eligible as would have earnt over $75k in that 6 months. But if bub born in the 6 months before Sept, then we would be eligible as would have earnt under $75k in that 6 month period before the birth. Is this wrong? Do they just average out your income over the year to work out whether you are eligible or not? Sigh, this can all get so confusing sometimes!

[briggsy's girl]

Bun

it is the six months immediately AFTER baby is born - so if you're not sure what that income is going to be, you're better off waiting til after the six months has passed, confirming the income, and THEN claiming the bonus. if you claim it at birth and then go over that 75k, you'll have to pay it back

it's based on the time AFTER the baby is born as many mum's work up until baby is born and their combined income in that previous six months would be over the income, but having unpaid or half pay mat leave (or short period of time) would put them under the threshold and they'd therefore qualify for the payment

[Bun]

Thank you so much for that BG,now I understand! That makes sense too if the mum is not working after the birth but maybe was working the 6 months before the birth. I think we will most likely be in the category of people who should wait and see if we are eligible or not after the 6 months.

Thanks again. I hope your little pink gremlin is treating you well!

[~Kim~]

I think what might have given them that idea is the letter that the Family Assistance office sends out to those who are close to the line income wise. We got it too and it says that you have to prove your income for the six months following the birth ie payslips which naturally means you can't prove it until after the six months have passed.
I'm actually going to contact FAO tomorrow regarding this so will let you know the outcome.

I spoke to them nd they are happy to accept a letter from your employer stating what you will both be earning to make their decision.