B03/1992 1992 income limits for a student child and earnings limit for an employed child

DATE OF ISSUE:  13 January 1992

1992 income limits for a student child and earnings limit for an employed child

Student children

A service pensioner may receive additional benefits in respect of a dependent child by way of:

.guardian's allowance;

.a dependent child add-on (formerly known as APC);

.an additional income free area (formerly known as an income deduction) for pension assessment purposes;

.an additional amount of rent assistance;

.an additional free area for rent assistance assessment purposes;  and

.an additional amount of remote area allowance.

2.For the purposes of determining eligibility for these benefits, a child may be regarded as wholly or substantially dependent on a person where the child's income within the 1992 calendar year does not generally exceed:

.$4050living at home;  or

.$6150living away from home.

3.These figures represent an increase in last year's limits of $150 for children living at home and $250 for children living away from home.

Employed children

4.Subsection 5F(3) of the VEA says that a child under 16 cannot be a dependent child - and therefore cannot attract the benefits listed in paragraph 1 above - if the child is an "employed child".

5.An "employed child" is defined as someone who is:

.not receiving full-time education;

.receiving income from employment;  and

.receiving income of a specified amount.

That specified amount is indexed annually.

6.The income limits for an employed child have increased:

.from $107.70 a week ($215.40 a fortnight)

.to $111.35 a week ($222.70 a fortnight),

with effect from 1 January 1992.

PETER HAWKER

NATIONAL PROGRAM DIRECTOR

BENEFITS

   January 1992