- Banned
- #3,526
Scumbag organisation who hold you accountable but never admit fault themselves.
We have young children and receive family tax benefit and as is the norm every year, after doing our tax returns they reconcilliate and balance it.
As a habit we always over estimate our income to avoid a debt.
Last year my Wife went to the local office and whilst there was told she would be receiving almost 8k. She questioned this as it had never been anywhere near that much and after checking again was told it was correct, 2 days later it turned up in her account.
Fast forward to early January this year and she receives a letter saying we owe them almost 8k and pay up.
So we head down the office, nope not interested call this number.
2 hours later we'd been accused of underestimating as id changed mine 3 times, i said thats because my income changed, i went from working, to out of a job when COVID hit and a month later on to Jobkeeper so i adjusted accordingly and accurately, what more can you do.
Then they said my Wifes tax return was submitted late so they didnt get notification from ATO, nope, tax return submitted on 2/7 day after mine and finalised in 17/7.
Then they said they paid her the 8k because she hadnt worked in that financial year, nope, you dont do tax returns if you dont work.
It was then that the penny dropped, they did the reconcilliation without receiving one of the two triggers their system uses, either confirmation from ATO of tax return finalised or notification of being a non lodger.
I asked why that would happen as its never happened before, their answer, dont know, you can lodge a review of decision but as you werent entitled to the money you'll still have to pay it back regardless of how you got it.
So there you go, we did nothing wrong, were accused of doing everything wrong and when pushed to admit it was their mistake, washed their hands of it and said pay up.
I dont have a problem paying it back, we shouldnt have received it, but fair dinkum, own your mistake and stop treating people like criminals.
Yep its never their fault - and the whole system of finding out way things happens is impossible. They want you to contact them but no-one ever wants to hear from you and handball it to another person who doesnt want to handle it. Its the way with all government departments.
Luckily you hadnt spent the money. To anyone out there, things like Family Tax Benefit or other benefits, if it sounds way to good to be true, it probably is and youre best not to spend it for the first 6-12 months as, like in this case above, they'll work out they ****ed up and come a-knocking.