What Government Assistance Is Available To Help Me Financially?
After separation your money situation changes. It is expensive operating two households and if you find it difficult to make ends meet there are government assistance programs to help.
Most of these are made available through:
These agencies offer a range of payments to help support families. Each payment is different and depends on the needs of each family.
What Assistance Is Available Through Centrelink?
Centrelink can help with financial assistance to separated parents in the form of income support payments. They can also provide assistance to parents who want to return to work.
There are a number of different payments and allowances that you may be entitled to including:
- Parenting Payment
- Rent Assistance
- Carer Allowance
- Pharmaceutical Allowance
- Remote Area Allowance
- Telephone Allowance
- Mobility Allowance
- Pensioner Education Supplement
To find out more about Centrelink and it's services click here.
What Is The Family Assistance Office?
The Family Assistance Office provides support to families by helping with the cost of raising children.
Family assistance payments are administered by Centrelink, on behalf of the Family Assistance Office. Each payment is different, depending on the needs of each family, and your family may be entitled to more than one of these payments.
What Financial Help Is Available Through The Family Assistance Office?
There are 4 main payments available to help families with the costs of raising children they are:
1. Family Tax Benefit Part A
This benefit is based on your family's combined annual income and the ages and number of dependent children in your family. The aim is to help you with the cost of raising your children, and is paid per child.
It includes a supplement per child, which is available after the end of the financial year.
2. Family Tax Benefit Part B
Gives extra assistance to single parent families and to two-parent families with one main income. It includes a supplement per family, which is available after the end of the financial year. Single parent families are entitled to the maximum rate of Family Tax Benefit Part B, based on the age of their child and the level of care.
3. Child Care Benefit
This benefit helps with the cost of child care for long day, family day, occasional, outside school hours, vacation, in home and registered care.
4. Child Care Tax Rebate
The childcare tax rebate now covers 50% of out of pocket childcare expenses to working families (Before 1st July 2008 it covered 30%).
What Other Assistance Is Available To Help Single Parent & Shared Parenting Families?
- Rent assistance - to help with your rental expenses
- Health Care Card - a benefit for low income earners and foster parents (including grandparents who are the primary carers of a grandchild)
- Large Family Supplement - assistance for large families
- Multiple Birth Allowance - a payment for triplets, quadruplets, etc
- Double Orphan Pension - assistance for guardians of orphans
- Lower Threshold of the Medicare Safety Net - to help with medical expenses above a set threshold
- Carer Allowance - assistance for carers of an adult or a child with a severe disability or medical condition
- Parenting Payment - a payment to the primary caregiver of a dependent child
What Financial Assistance Is Available If We Share The Care Of Our Children?
If you share the care of your child for 35% or more of the time (128 nights or more a year), you may be entitled to Family Tax Benefit Part A or Family Tax Benefit Part B.
If you care for a child between 14% and less than 35% of the time (i.e. 50 - 128 nights), you're not entitled to Family Tax Benefit. However, you may be eligible for Rent Assistance, a Heath Care Card, Remote Area Allowance, Child Care Benefit and/or the lower threshold of the Medicare Safety Net.
What Services Does The Child Support Agency Offer?
The CSA helps separated parents to establish fair child support payments and ensures that they get paid in full and on time.
To read more about child support
click here
Where Can I Get More Information About Financial Assistance?
Family Assistance Offices are located in Medicare Australia, Centrelink and Australian Taxation Office shopfronts.
To find an office near you or for more information click here or call 136 150.
TOP
