Do Australian citizens living in Thailand need to return home to continue receiving the full old age pension?

I'm trying to find out myself

When are you coming over

Opposite side to Patong

Chalong Phuket

Yes

I've been here for 18 months

You don't have to go home. Your pension is reduced.

You must be dreamin'. No chance! The Australian government wouldn't want to miss out on what the grey dollar contributes to the Australian economy. Some pensioners are quite comfortable and spend on local holidays and regular meals out, not to mention what they pay in utilities and taxes. But in a sneaky move; last year the govt planned to "force" expats living overseas to sell their homes in Australia or face losing 60 cents in the dollar in capital gains tax (which I believe is 3 times the domestic rate of capital gains tax) to the govt upon the subsequent sale of said homes by their owners or beneficiaries. Previously a primary residence/family home temporarily not occuppied by the owner was exempt from capital gains tax for 6 years. I think from October last year the plan was to allow ex pats two years to sell their property if they had lived overseas prior to 2017 (i think) without incurring Capital Gains tax. Too bad if you had relocated in 2017 before this was announced. This has huge rammifications for elderly Australian's living overseas who own property and for the beneficiaries of their estate upon passing. It was a sneaky move unlikely to arouse much protest from other aged Australians or the population at large in Australia but was in fact daylight robbery. Australian expat property owners were described as "low hanging fruit" It was no doubt a way of diverting the public's attention away from calls for changes to negative gearing. Surprise surprise a lot of pollies and their families have large property investment portfolios so weren't about to change anything that would affect their income stream. And meanwhile the Australian public remains narcotised by watching Netfix, MKR and Home and Away. Which is just how the politicians want it

Actually Ronald, I don't think the problem with the Australian economy or with Centrelink specifically is to do with refugees but the govt would rather whip the sheeple into a frenzy intimating that they should blame the financial hardships they face living in contemporary Australia on those who are newly arrived in Australia. It is a strategic distraction so that the govt can pass more and more restrictive and punitive legislation through without the populace noticing. And it is greedy politicians who are assured of exorbitantly high pensions when they retire regardless of how long they were in parliament, coupled with tax breaks for the very wealthy, concessions for their corporate mates and lots of huge international companies not paying tax at all. Money spent on refugees is a drop in the ocean in comparrison, given that Australia takes so few refugees anyway.

Ronald Riordan you're right about the chaos it would cause if lots of elderly expats returned to Australia. Presently the government is saving on all sorts of things like rent assistance, the pension supplements and not to mention Medicare and health costs for Aussie expats many of whom pay for their own health care here

@Ronald ********

Riordan.we shouldn't be on here now.

@Ronald ********

. Look up Ted Whiteheads book,"Down Below"

@Ronald ********

. Yep,and a book about his life in the merchant navy and during WW11 was launched here last week. His first ship was torped by a Gerry Sub near Alaska and they spent 3 nights in a lifraft. It's called "Down Below "!

There's a 94 years old near my Soi and he's been getting the OZ pension here for 9 years..!

We move over early next year, our lawyer checked out the information on our behalf, we aren’t able to get the pension for another couple of years so by then knowing our government they will change the laws again

Heeps of them here all busy at a bar in Pattaya.

@Ronald ********

mmm ok just read criteria for getting NZ age pension. You must have 10 years residency from age 20. I do. AND 5 years residency from age 50!! No I don't qualify

Wouldn't hurt to send an email off and find out.

Good luck

@Lance ******

do you think I could apply for one?

@Susan *************

if you had NZ passport why not. My old man lived in Thailand for years went back home collected his pension then off again.

@Lance ******

- I was born in NZ. Any chance of getting pension there instead of Aus???? 😂😂😂

@Susan *************

bummer i hope NZ doesn't follow that. They are talking about raising the age to 70. But the new government wont do that.

I think what

@Susan *************

is saying is correct. In order to receive an Australian pension you need to have been living in Australia for two years prior to lodging application

@Lance ******

no Australian citizen

@Susan *************

you have NZ citizenship?

@Lance ******

my understanding is not just being in Australia when I turn 66 to fill out pension applications but I must LIVE there for two years. I've been living in Thailand for 5 years so I have NO chance of receiving age pension even though I worked 27 years in Australia and 15 years in NZ before that. I'm Australian citizen.

Ronald Riordan, yes I saw that episode of Embassy too and I thought it was a bit strange. Was he trying to pretend to Centrelink that he was living in Australia, when he was clearly living in Thailand? Bit silly given that immigration dept computers are linked with Centrelink. Anyway these scenarios on Embassy are more than 3yrs old-like the episode n the 3rd series about the people in Chiang Mai teaching Chinese students online, being deported for not having work permits. I think you have the correct advice already about the full aged pension being reduced after 26 weeks spent outside of Australis

@Lance ******

Paton.as I stated.

@Jim ******

your a kiwi?

@Jim ******

ok miss that one fat finger small phone. I thought you were talking about pension money.

@Lance ******

.incorrect.

@Lance ******

.wrong. It's 65,000 a month!

@Jim ******

from the information i got in November when i was home last.

@Lance ******

.wrong for Kiwis,totally..!

It's worse here. But non o visa is ok if you can meet the financial requirements 800k in bank seasoned for 2 months or 60k per month income for investments.

@Tod ********

has that visa he can explain in more detail for you. Good luck mate.

Non o visa based on being over 50 is not a problem flying in and out you just buy a reentry permit 1000bht i think.

@Ronald ********

if you have to fly back every 3 months your lucky. It cost half as much to fly to NZ

Pretty sure NZ is the same system as Aus and i checked too. You must be in the country when you turn 65 to fill out e every thing then you're free to go where you like. Enjoy your retirement.

Gone are the days in Australia when everyone was entitled to the aged pension. It is assets tested and is only available to those who qualify by not having enough in a superannuation fund or similar. With a top heavy population of elderly and aging citizens Australia can no longer afford to pay a pension for what might be 20 years of each elerly person's life

@Nick **********

.You're full of it..!

Im out boys have a good one.

@Nick **********

, I didn’t get the impression that you were. After all it’s an opinion and I get your point of view.

@Nick **********

so not everyone is entitled to a pension even hard workers. But there are many ways around it legally.

@Gigi *******

by law i not entitled to it...

so it`s stuff the ppl who bust there balls

and Oh you poor man have some money...

not arguing or anything

But ppl think its a entitlement and there owed something...

Lance Where i work,we have 3 generations of ppl who receive welfare.. and drive better cars than me,ppl never worked in there life..

Nick, yes agree. There are also conditioning factors that don’t help those that can not pursue the same willingness and motivation that you had. After all it’s about a measly pension that, by law, people are entitled to. :)

Going bitcoins etc... and just walk away from it all lol

Nick Mulchrone i would put everything in a trust then. Get a small mortgage before you retire then you can get a pension. Just an idea.

@Lance ******

Aussie mate 🤗

@Gigi *******

we all make our fortunes, i work 12 hours a day, and when first started ,I had NO money to live on etc...after 9 years of 12 hours a day and paying huge sums of tax..No holidays etc..

I "should" be entitled to something?

@Nick **********

where do you live?

@Lance ******

I wouldn`t qualify because of income and assets

I pay a shit load and no pension

@Nick **********

so, if a person is not as fortunate or able, due to circumstances then your conclusion is that they are “lazy bastards”? Is that your assessment? Just to understand

Lance we both forgot Lazy Pricks and Politicians ...

Yes but we are talking about retirement. Meaning stopping work. I know what you mean. But lazy pricks dont get the same pension as those how worked. It's like that in NZ not sure about other countries.

I`m not because of what i earn,

Pension is for lazy bastards who expect hand outs? and thats what a pension is..

Because you failed to look after yourself and plan you need the money to live?

um no ,Is everybody entitled to a pension?

Pension etc...

You actually work your whole life to pay for roads,Schools,Airports,Defense etc...

@Tom ****

👏👏👏👏 did your mum help you

@Mark ******

You should better know your shit. So far I can only tell you're shit. :D

@Tom ****

your one ugly bastard

Jason Walsh What have peas to do with receiving a pension?

i.e pay taxs

It isn't stealing as every Australian person aged 65 or older is entitled to a pension provided they satisfy certain criteria.

@Ronald ********

and there is always a peadophile