It's all connected to my 2014/15 tax return when I worked two jobs for half the year. I have not lodged my return because I owe money I can't afford ($7K) and don't agree with the return my accountant prepared. I've got letters from the tax dept demanding payment for work I never did on some stupid formula that makes no sense. I pay sooo much tax (apparently $34K that year was not enough) and declare everything I just don't understand it all.
I know I should have dealt with it by now, I've been frozen coz I had a really shit time in 2015/16 (ripped off my boyfriend, break up, job stress, break down, sick child, asshole tenants), so many other bills, a huge mortgage and kids to support. When this assessment came in mid year when I went into meltdown and froze.
I work full time, both my kids have jobs and we rent out rooms in our home but its not enough everything is going up. Everyone wants more and more money - especially the bank who want me to now pay an extra $700 per month on my mortgage which already takes over half my salary because I accessed hardship assistance last year.
Since 2015 I've been getting no assistance from the Govt, they sent me a letter saying I earn too much, and hardly any child support. We have no concessions. So I was very surprised to get the letter.
The consequence of all this is that I am now forced to sell our home I've worked so hard for, and because the market is crap where we live it looks like we will lose money so I don't know if we'll have enough of a deposit to get another place. I might lose all of the $100K I put into it from my first property. I don't know what the future holds for us, it's very stressful, I am thinking for a while at least we will need to go back to renting, after 15 years of home ownership :(
The Govt and Westpac bank have a lot of my hard earned money and as a middle aged woman with teenage kids who has worked her gutz out I may end up nothing, but I will have the knowledge I have done the very best I can to raise my kids in circumstances stacked against us.
This is all compounded and has had a huge impact on my personal well being. I've been seeing a psychologist since August (after that shit year) and that is helping, I am starting to deal with it all now. The letter received in November was just another layer of stress. Dad and I ended up spending Christmas eve eve sorting through all my receipts and previous tax returns to figure it all out. We're seeing my accountant on Thursday and my house will go on the market next month. I've not contacted Centrelink (frozen) and even though the bill was due on 5 Dec it hasn't gone to debt collection thank god.
I cry most mornings when I wake and realise I am still here dealing with it all. I can't kill myself because my kids need me. I hope and pray we can get out of all this and that 2017 is a better year. I'm tired of working so hard on this treadmill of Australian life as a single mum.
I find all my interactions with Human Services difficult but as a separated single mum I've had to rely on them.
I've only ever applied for the dole once when between jobs, but then after realising how difficult it was I got a job as a cleaner to get us through until I could get something better. I know I am lucky that I can get and hold down a good job, but it's also coz I work hard.
I supported myself through uni - all 12 years of it while I was raising my kids. Thank god I have no debt there. I have paid my HECS.
I've had some support through Family Assistance for the kids. It used to be really good, and getting those payments before Christmas after the financial crisis was a god send. I couldn't believe our luck. Such a different government now though. I'm pretty sure I don't owe them a cent as I actually over estimated my income to avoid any overpayments, but its the proving it that takes so much time, emotion and energy. I am hoping it will disappear once I do my taxes.
I've also had problems with Medicare recently, although I must say that the medical care for my kids (my daughter has health conditions) has been wonderful. I hope that bulk billing for kids remains. I started accessing counselling through a mental health plan, being careful to ensure we completed all the forms and assessments, but the process of claiming back through Medicare hasn't been easy, and my pysch has had problems trying to register her business so they can deduct Medicare payment automatically without all this messing about. I've also had problems claiming back allergy care for my daughter. Only one of my eight claims worked online so I had to call and spoke to a lady who said I either needed to go into Medicare (and join the Centrelink cue) or makes copies of all the receipts, send originals and write stuff on the back, there was no way to email the documents. It cost me $5 to send registered post, I'm hoping to get at least some of the money back. I wouldn't have accessed the counselling if I wasn't getting the rebate.
My experience with the Child Support Agency has not been great. I always get screwed, with an ex who declares minimal income. When we initially had equal shared care I had to pay him, causing poverty for me and the kids while they were with me, having fled our family home that he remained in. But then once the kids became teenagers they lived full-time with me, where the financial burden was even greater. I feel sick every time I get communication from CSA. It always brings up strong emotions connected to the separation and abuse. I'm glad for the online letters now so I don't have to read and open them. I occasionally see a little bit of money in my account. It always varies. I don't bother challenging it anymore it is wasted emotion and time. I am so grateful my kids are older now. It is nearly over.
It seems to be a trend of the government to make it very difficult to claim anything. I think it is their strategy in sacking so many staff and moving to this data matching and various other policy decisions. If it's all so hard to do, people will give up.
The problem is that a good social security system is supposed to more equally distribute wealth to people who need it so we can have a more fair and prosperous community. As a single mum I actually need support to raise my kids. A person with a disability needs support. The elderly need support and so on.
Sadly the opposite has been happening in Australia with the divide between the rich and poor growing more and more every day, we hit a 75 year high last year.
The way the current Liberal Government have been operating is outrageous on so many levels. They continually attack the weak and vulnerable and have no concern for the impact those actions might have on human beings. They continue to make things harder for us. They offer no relief to our woes including excessive housing and utilities costs, increasing costs of everything, with no increasing wages. All that is happening is the rich getting richer and the rest of us becoming slaves to the system, up to our eye balls in debt. It is all cruel and sinister and with such a draconian approach I worry about where we are headed as a nation and society.
That's my vent over thank you for the opportunity to share. I've cried several times in writing this its been really cathartic and I've enjoyed reading other people's stories. It's made me realise things could be a lot worse for us, that I just need to do my taxes and sell my house and we will be ok, even if we do lose a lot of money. I feel for all the people struggling being treated in this way and hope the inquiries underway will provide solid outcomes for us all.