Warning- Family Tax Benefit

[Brenda Irwin]

I am posting this to warn others of how the Family Assistance Office calculates you income.

In a normal tax system your rental income is offset by your expenses and it may appear as a negative figure or a loss which you then offset against any wages income.

The FTA does NOT recognise a negative figure and the entire figure is ADDED ON to your income. They also do not recognise a 'Taxable income' figure.

For the struggling families with rental properties which may be negatively geared, "you will not get any sympathy from the FTA".

I have been issued with a "pay it back" notice for the last 12mths of FTA even tho I have NO wages income (only negative losses) and have 2 children and a husband who does have wages of $56,791 GROSS.

Cheers Brenda