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News10 Ways To Collect Cash, Grants and Rebates
10 Ways To Collect Cash, Grants and Rebates

10 Ways To Collect Cash, Grants and Rebates

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We’re always on the look out for ways to save our members money and this week we’ve cherry picked the top ten perks to get money or save it thanks to Money Magazine July issue….

Age Pension – Up to $873.90 a fortnight

The Australian government recognizes work is harder as you get older so payments are made as your work reduces or ceases. To be eligible for this payment you must be 65 plus. From July 1, 2017, the age requirement becomes 65 plus 6 months, increasing by 6 months every two years. The age pension also entitles you to a pensioner concession card which gets you discounts on council rates, water and electricity as well as vehicle registration and drivers license.

Seniors Card

Each state and territory has a seniors card scheme. The program encourages you to keep active and engaged by providing incentives and by making it affordable to get out and about. To be eligible you must be 60 years or older, not working more than a specific number of hours a week in paid employment and be a resident of the state you’re applying in. It gives you concessions on transport and discounts on goods and services.

Carer Payment – Up to $873.90 a fortnight

Centrelink provides income support to those who care for others. The carer payment is available to carers who personally provide constant care in the home to someone with a severe disability or medical condition or who is frail aged. The payment is income and assets tested for both the carer and the person being cared for.

Carer Allowance – Up to $123.50 a fortnight

The Carer Allowance is not means tested, so can be paid to those with greater means. To be eligible, a medical report must be completed by a medical professional and you must be an Australian resident.

Carer Supplement – Up to $600 PA

The Carer Supplement is an additional payment made to those receiving either the carer payment or the carer allowance on July 1.  Those receiving both the carer payment and carer allowance will receive two payments of $600 each. You do not need to apply to receive the supplement, it will be paid automatically if you’re eligible.

Residential Respite Care

Caring for an older parent or someone with special needs can be demanding. Carers sometimes need a break and this is where residential care comes in. It is not quite free but for only a small daily fee (currently$48.25), fully supported care is provided in a residential care facility with all meals included. You can access up to 63 days of respite car a year but it may be limited to periods of a week or two at a time. The first step is to have the person approved for respite by an aged care assessment team. Go to myagedcare.gov.au

Financial Counselling

Financial Counselling is a free service offered by community groups or government agencies to help you with money problems. The service can help you manage your monthly budget and help set up a plan. They can also negotiate revised payment plans with creditors. The Financial counseling hotline is 1800 007 007

AddsUp

Save $500 and get $500 for free! It’s called AddsUp and has been developed by NAB and Good Shepherd Microfinance and is designed to help people on low incomes develop positive savings habits. It’s only available to people who have paid off a NILS loan or previous StepUP loan through an accredited AddsUP provider. Savings of $500 over 6 to 12 months are matched dollar for dollar and can be used for any purpose. Go to goodshepherdmicrofinance.org.au

No Interest Loan Scheme

These loans have no fees, no interest and no charges. The No Interest Loan Scheme (NILS) offers people on low incomes fair and affordable loans to pay for essential items such as white-goods, furniture, education and medical expenses. Loans are not paid in cash. Loans of between $300 and $1200 are available at 636 locations across Australia and to be eligible you’ll need a health care card or earn less than $45,000 a yea (after tax). You must have lived in your current premises for more than 3 months and be able to repay the loan. Go to nils.com.au

Restart Wage Subsidy

Our workforce is ageing and that puts increased pressure on pension and health benefits. Australia is trying to retain older people in the workforce by supplying a payment of up to $10,000 (including GST) if you employ eligible mature-age job seekers for 12 month or more.

To read the full article in Money Magazine's July issue click here

 

Originally posted on .

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Bruce
Bruce from QLD commented:

one saving that Centrelink doesn't widely promote, is the low income healthcare card, I'm not sure exactly what the wage threshold is, but if you do comply, ( you have to submit 8 weeks payslips, to prove your meagre income) you get your prescriptions at the discount rate, I pay $5.20 per script, plus some other medical type benefits 

Jean
Jean from QLD commented:

Thanks Marianne - however first and foremost I did not get a redundancy payment as my employer had less than 20 employees - and as far as husband is concerned he drives a truck and just in case you are unsure the wages for truck drivers are quite minimal unless you driver interstate and his days of doing that are long gone as he is 63 years old. Am, I to understand, based on what you are saying that I should access my super and then when it runs out I can apply for Centrelink payment as I won't have any money, so as far as the means testing goes I should be able to get some sort of pension. Don't forget the Super Guarantee came in late for people my age and I have already been contributing salary sacrifice to help boost it so that I may possibly be able to have a reasonable standard of living when and if I retire. My mother worked for the Government and she also had a good retirement as they really look after their employees - such as yourself and your husband. Unfortunately the private sector doesn't always do that with its employees 

neil
neil from WA commented:

With my 60th approaching, I thought I would check out the seniors card application. Just like the pension age going up, so is the eligible age for this card. Now 62!!! I hope I read it wrong. Neil 

Jon
Jon from NSW commented:

G'day, You mention a Pension up to $873.20 we're on a Disability Pension and the only sum that matches is the $123.50 Carer Allowance. We're on $658.70pf quite a difference. How can we get this $873.90 Regards, Jon 

Jean
Jean from QLD commented:

I just got made redundant in March this year and tried for the Restart Wage Subsidy to help me get employment as I am 56 years old - but I can't access it because I am not on a Centrelink Pension. Apparently you have to be unemployed and collecting a pension so the government can show you are coming off their books and actually working. I have paid taxes since I was 14 years old and feel I should be able to seek help in getting employed, but I can't as my husband is working (not enough money to cover us both) so they say I am not eligible 

Marianne
Marianne from NSW replied to Jean:

Jean, all you need to do is reassess your standard of living. The taxes you have paid over your lifetime have nothing to do with accessing Restart Wage Subsidy, Centrelink Payment or anything else to do with employment. Your taxes have paid for roads, education, hospitals, defence, welfare and this is only part of what our taxes go towards. You can most certainly use Centrelink resources to write job applications, look for advertised jobs, the subsidy you are talking about was designed for those who have been unemployed and receiving unemployment payments. Your situation is not desperate as your husband is still working and you have your redundancy payment, at 56 yrs you may also be able to draw down on your superannuation. Perhaps if you made an appointment with a Financial Information Services Officer at Centrelink who can go through your financial options with you it might be helpful. When you say your husband does not earn enough money to cover you both, it makes me think that perhaps how you spend your money is something for you to revisit. My partner and I have a good quality of life and a really great lifestyle, with are both on part pensions and my superannuation is $25,000.00 before tax (I still pay tax on my super and always will as a past government employee). So in essence what I am saying to you is adjust your life style to your current financial position. 

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