America/Australia March Posting

[VanessaTony 3,567]

Has anyone given thought to your Super fund? With no Australian employer adding funds the total maybe eaten up by fees and charges. I just checked with mine -sunsuper-and there is a $4 a day fee plus percentages of the total balance. Does anyone know what we can do with this?

I'm trying to think of all the stuff I need to wrap up here in Aus before I go overseas to live. If anyone has any hints, maybe things I didnt think of please let me know.

This is old but I investigated this a LOT before I moved.

There are SOME cases in which they'll permit you to remove the money (here's a website): http://www.fido.gov.au/fido/fido.nsf/byHeadline/Early%20release%20of%20superannuation%20funds but in short:

1. Compassionate grounds

2. Severe financial hardship

3. Incapacity

4. Terminal medical condition

5. Leaving Australia permanently (don't get excited, Aus & NZ cits don't qualify for this)

So as a 27 year old, I need to wait 33 years before I can access my super (unless something changes between now and then in the legislation to allow me to take it out :S). My only option was to make sure I had a good super fund with good returns. I'm with REST and for the 2009 financial year I made just over $600 in interest or whatever, $300 of that was taken for fees :S So I have since minimised my "insurance" options to only include death. I previously had income protection and disablement (or something like that) as well as life insurance so if i'm going to have it sitting there, I may as well have the option to give my family money when I die :S I didn't think the other two options really mattered to me seeing I'm not there and i doubt US employment will permit me "income protection"...

I WISH I could just roll it over to a US 401K or something. Or if it was under a certain amount they'd let you take it out. Seems I just wait.. and hope in 30 years I have a decent nest egg just sitting there.. though I doubt it :S (33 years x $500p/a = $16,500)

[empyre84 0]

Hi Vanessa,

Yeah, I looked into it - my super - Sunsuper- said that there is no way for me to withdraw it and invest in America's 401K. The best thing for me to do was to drop the life insurance and work insurance as they do not pay out if you are overseas wich took $4 a week of the fees I was paying. They suggested to invest funds into the account to keep it increasing rather then getting eaten away by interest and fee. think when I am working to even put $10 into the account a week. But then I wil need to work out how I get the funds to this Aus account without costing me.. hmm.

Other news.. I'm settling into Virgina's crispy weather, I tried to make baked beans that didnt include all the High fructose corn syrup, sugar etc and meat chunks. Failed. But I never really liked them anyway.. To fill in time while I sit at home I have decied to go home made on a lot of things as I'm scared to get the American buldge. Everything is so sweet. Damn five grain bread even. :-)

Marriage in just over a month and then I can get started on the AOS.

Everyone keep us posted on how they are going with that..

[Gyspy 0]

OMG Emp, the high fructose corn syrup is such a killer. I have searched all the breads in Walmart, Dillons and the Bread shop and they all have it. I finally found a variety at Dillons called California Sough Dough and although it cost a bit more and has less in it, it DOES NOT have sugar/syrup/fructose of any type in it. (Yay can enjoy my vegemite with out feeling like I used the honey knife)

Super:

Before I left i rang them and asked what i should do, they suggested i contacted them and speak to a finance coach when i finished work. Problem was I was still "employed" but on holiday leave when i came here and having no landline phone decided to email instead.I emailed REST several time about what to do and they have been sending me generic mail back.

Will have to just send them one saying I WANT to drop insurance and Death n Disability.

DL:

In Kansas it seems quite easy to get a transfer. I just have to take proof of residency, passport and visa, marriage certificate for proof of name change. Only one I might have problems with is proof of residency but i'm off to get my SSN today so hopefully that takes care of that.

Congrats to all who have recently been married (me included lol) and good luck to those who are still waiting to be with loved ones.

Edited December 8, 2010 by Gyspy

[Gyspy 0]

Just logged into my REST account and under the Insurance tab you can change the rate or your death/disability/income protection. I changed my IP to $0 but left my death/disability until i can find out whether I am covered over here by it.

[Gyspy 0]

Ok guys, went down to get an SSN today.... OMG /fail.

Seems that now i am married I cant use my Fiance visa to obtain an SSN.

I found out not long ago that i could of applied 2 weeks after i landed.

Because it wasn't long before i was getting married thought i would wait until after

i was married that way i didn't have to go back and change my name.

Now i find out that i cant apply because i am no longer a fiance so the fiance visa is

no longer valid. I now have to wait for my EAD or AOS (which ever comes first) to apply.

So for the next 3 months I am a nobody.

They really don't want anyone knowing how to get one here. No information anywhere except the

hard fought info VisaJourneyers have found and shared with us.

So the moral to this story is get your SSN between 2 weeks after you arrive (that way you

are definitely in the system) and before you get married or wait until you get your EAD or AOS.

Hope this helps future Journeyers.

[CareBear 18]

Hey Gypsy - congrats on the wedding I had heard a rumour it was difficult to get after marriage. I wanted to get mine before but the wedding was 2 weeks after I landed. Tried to get it on the Friday before the wedding (day 13 after landing) but there was about a 3 hour wait in the queue and I had family here from Oz that I wanted to spend time with so I didnt. So like you I know have to wait for the EAD or AOS.

However the bank and Ted's medical insurance both allowed me to be added without a SSN. It was simply a case of asking and they said yes.

Will be filing the AOS at the end of the month as we're going away next week for 10 days to Arizona, will deal with it on return. Cannot wait however to get EAD, so disgustingly bored at home!!!

Hope you and the others are faring well.

[USAand OZ 2]

Hi Gypsy and care Bear ...Hope your wedding went well on the 27th Nov Our's was the same day and it was a fantastic day all went smoothly......There is no consistency in the government offices here similar to Australia really ..I went after arrivign in the States to get a Social Security number and there was no way they would give it to me they said I had to wait for my AOS to happen. The bank wouldn;t let me open an account or be added to Bill's acct as i didn't have a SSN. I couldn't get my drivers lic once again because no SSN,,,,,Last Friday we took our mariage certificate to the SS office and guess what they issued me a SSN in my other name they wouldn't do it in my married name I received it today. Now I have it I can take it in with my marriage certificate and they will then issue me one in my married name. A whole lot of ####### i think.,

Well all the best with your AOS...our went in last week so now it's back to the waiting game.

All the best to everyone Kathy