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Post by dave3478 on Dec 8, 2015 15:19:03 GMT 7
God Help us .or maybe a lotto win. Because no Government will. We dont even show up on the political radar. Your not 65 and your unemployed.Looks like the poms got it right sending the crims to Australia because current governments sure are treating us like crims .Lets move to Finland or Norway ,they at least have common sense and dont use Social security as a weapon to keep you in control.
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Post by Banjo on Dec 8, 2015 16:10:22 GMT 7
It's the new lost generation isn't it?
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Post by bgbazz on Oct 17, 2016 14:47:40 GMT 7
I think the government has a certain duty to inform all citizens or PRs approaching retirement age of their obligations under the Act. I realise that many would be hard to contact now but a start would be including information in every new passport like customs do and maybe a leaflet with the immigration departure cards. The law is ridiculous anyway. Apart from one rather cryptic letter from DVA about 10 months ago, I've not received any correspondence from any Govt dept for many years. Even the ATO ignores my requests regarding my lost TFN. I was born in Australia in 1948, both my parents were born there and I lived and worked there until 2006. I served as a full time member in both the RAAF and the ARA for 12 years...includes service in Vietnam and Thailand. I was diagnosed with various medical conditions (PTSD and a number of others) about 14 years ago and awarded a modest pension. This amounts to about $207 per week and represents the sum total of my income. I've been residing in Bulgaria with my wife and two children for the last 10 years or so and life, at times can be very hard. I'm led to understand that there is no chance of getting the age pension, or any increase in the one I have, unless I return to Australia. Seems that I am stuck between a rock and a hard place. I am 68 years old.
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Post by chris on Oct 18, 2016 0:30:25 GMT 7
I think the government has a certain duty to inform all citizens or PRs approaching retirement age of their obligations under the Act. I realise that many would be hard to contact now but a start would be including information in every new passport like customs do and maybe a leaflet with the immigration departure cards. The law is ridiculous anyway. Apart from one rather cryptic letter from DVA about 10 months ago, I've not received any correspondence from any Govt dept for many years. Even the ATO ignores my requests regarding my lost TFN. I was born in Australia in 1948, both my parents were born there and I lived and worked there until 2006. I served as a full time member in both the RAAF and the ARA for 12 years...includes service in Vietnam and Thailand. I was diagnosed with various medical conditions (PTSD and a number of others) about 14 years ago and awarded a modest pension. This amounts to about $207 per week and represents the sum total of my income. I've been residing in Bulgaria with my wife and two children for the last 10 years or so and life, at times can be very hard. I'm led to understand that there is no chance of getting the age pension, or any increase in the one I have, unless I return to Australia. Seems that I am stuck between a rock and a hard place. I am 68 years old. Right. I will be 67 in November. I have not reported back but will do so in March 2017. My case is well known to forum members. Travel back and forth from Bulgaria is the first major hurdle you would face. And whatever income you do have is deducted from the OAP at 50 cents on the dollar. After the $164 fortnightly exemption. For a starter (if I am you) I get the Centrelink Toll Free Number and start calling with you questions. Number is different for each country so look it up. I will not suggest anything because your case is complicated. Do as much research as possible on the subject then decide.
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Post by bgbazz on Oct 18, 2016 2:01:44 GMT 7
Thanks for your input mate.
As I wrote earlier, my total income is $207 per week, give or take. From that princely sum, rent to be paid, a family to feed, two children in school, day to day expenses, water electric, gas etc...putting aside money for a trip to Australia and funds to meet expenses while I am there, jumping through the hoops is something that is just not achievable at any level. Add to that little hiccup...I can only travel with a carer and she will need a visa to enter the country (another $2500 approx).
Your advice about the toll free number sounds good if taken at face value...might work fine on the Oz end, but this country still charges the caller for an international call. I learned this the hard way...calls to the Westpac bank a couple of years ago (on the overseas toll free number) cost me $8 per minute and I am still paying that bill off!!
Anyway, as I said, I'm between a rock and a hard place....and pretty much resigned to it.
Thanks again.
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Post by Banjo on Oct 18, 2016 7:56:09 GMT 7
At the moment the system pretty well has you pinned down, it would serve them right if you moved back to Australia with your family and their financial responsibility to you went up to over $100K a year for wife, kids, education, medical etc etc. There's no free call for Bulgaria, you can try this if you like, www.humanservices.gov.au/customer/contact-us/message-centrelink#a1give them your phone number and ask them to call you. Bulgaria sounds interesting, I'd like to hear more about it.
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Post by chris on Oct 18, 2016 13:49:15 GMT 7
Thanks for your input mate. As I wrote earlier, my total income is $207 per week, give or take. From that princely sum, rent to be paid, a family to feed, two children in school, day to day expenses, water electric, gas etc...putting aside money for a trip to Australia and funds to meet expenses while I am there, jumping through the hoops is something that is just not achievable at any level. Add to that little hiccup...I can only travel with a carer and she will need a visa to enter the country (another $2500 approx). Your advice about the toll free number sounds good if taken at face value...might work fine on the Oz end, but this country still charges the caller for an international call. I learned this the hard way...calls to the Westpac bank a couple of years ago (on the overseas toll free number) cost me $8 per minute and I am still paying that bill off!! Anyway, as I said, I'm between a rock and a hard place....and pretty much resigned to it. Thanks again. Leave the family there and let $207 per week go to your wife. Go to Australia. Stay with family or go to a backpacker for about a month. File your claim and you should get your first benefit in 28 days. It will be tough but you could live on that. I'm not going to go into ways to beat the system because there aren't any. Once you get your first payment you are back in the game. When you are in Australia a new range of possibilities do exist. My situation would be similar. I would live on the OAP while allowing my family to live on my US Pension plus allowances. After 24 months I can resume my life as before. While following the rules at the time.
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Post by Denis-NFA on Oct 19, 2016 20:17:45 GMT 7
I was born in Australia in 1948, both my parents were born there and I lived and worked there until 2006. I served as a full time member in both the RAAF and the ARA for 12 years...includes service in Vietnam and Thailand. I was diagnosed with various medical conditions (PTSD and a number of others) about 14 years ago and awarded a modest pension. This amounts to about $207 per week and represents the sum total of my income. G'day bgbazzIf it is DVA related then there are a number of Veteran groups that may be able to help you sort some things out without first taking a trip to Australia. Don't give up just yet awhile. Cheers Denis
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