[Hannah]

Wonder if anyone who has applied for this can help please.

I've read lots of comments on here advising people who are struggling financially etc. that they can apply for family assistance/tax credits. I notice also in the press recently that you can earn up to about $80k and still qualify for tax credits. Have been on the working for families website and it's not clear (to me anyway) whether you have to have been in NZ for a certain period of time before you can apply. The website talks about meeting tax residency conditions among other things.

2 questions:
1. is family assistance and tax credits the same thing or do you apply for both seperately, and what's the difference?
2. Do you have to have lived in NZ as a resident for a certain period before you qualify (thus meeting 'tax residency' conditions, whatever they might be).

Any advice from those who have applied for these tax credits very welcome! So far i've not bothered applying as i was under the impression that you needed to have lived in NZ for a year or two to qualify - am i wrong?

Cheers, hannah

[nippa&pippa]

1. is family assistance and tax credits the same thing or do you apply for both seperately, and what's the difference?
2. Do you have to have lived in NZ as a resident for a certain period before you qualify (thus meeting 'tax residency' conditions, whatever they might be).

Any advice from those who have applied for these tax credits very welcome! So far i've not bothered applying as i was under the impression that you needed to have lived in NZ for a year or two to qualify - am i wrong?

Cheers, hannah

Yes, family assistance and tax credits is done under one form.

I applied mine 3months after I arrived in NZ with PR, I have known other people applied straight away. They mentioned on website about provide your visa details etc, they never asked for mine!
Did you know about community service card too? to check if you qualify for it?

[Trigirl]

if your child is a NZ resident (ie you are all here on PR not a work permit) and is living in NZ with you then you can claim assistance straight away.

[Cardy]

You can apply straight away if you have pr. you can earn up to $106,000 and still qualify but you will need all your ird numbers. Its arranged quite quickly and i think everyone gets it fortnightly into there bank.If you have a change of income though let them know straight away. you dont want to have to pay any back.

Cardy:nice1

[Sam B]

That's weird, I just got my forms, but it clearly says on them that if you have been a resident for less than a year, then you can't apply. So I recycled them. Aha - just fished them out - I see, if the kids are residents then you can still apply even if you just got here? Is that right? Back to form filling then.

[Cardy]

Hi sam we were only here 3 weeks when we applied and got it straight away

Cardy:exit

[nippa&pippa]

That's weird, I just got my forms, but it clearly says on them that if you have been a resident for less than a year, then you can't apply. So I recycled them. Aha - just fished them out - I see, if the kids are residents then you can still apply even if you just got here? Is that right? Back to form filling then.

You can do it online:nice1

[Marie P]

Only thing that takes time is that you have to apply for a IRD number for each child .

Marie x

[mea]

sorry for butting in if I don't know what I'm talking about...there are 2 different kinds of family assistance, family support (maybe it's not called that anymore) is for each child until they're 18 and I don't know what the 'new one' is called, working for families or something, I believe you can only get that if you're working and earn up to a certain amount.
I get one and not the other.

[marcia]

We had sorted out all our IRD numbers in the uk, so no problems applying here, we get the family assistance which has just changed its name to working for families tax credits, and we got a community card (gives you dicounted rates for doctors visits and prescriptions) and we get Emersons playcentre fees for 3 mornings a week paid for!

We didn't come to NZ to 'sponge', however the low wages mean that you do need to claim these things to 'live', and afterall Kev is working and paying tax into the NZ system, and i will be too when Emerson starts school.

When we applied we still had the section 18a condition on our Visa's but its not a problem. Would suggest going down to your local Work and Income place with all your passports and documents too when you get organised, they photocopy everything for you!!:nice1