General Harder and Harder to Understand

[Tammy]

hello again
Alex has just been put on a class A pension. From the paperwork I have recieved this means he gets part payment from one company and part from another (one has something to do with super). Apparently this pension is 100% of his army wage... I am confused because to me it would make more sense to be paid from one group. Why does the defence force seem to stuff people around no matter what? They have also told us that he will be being back paid but that we have to pay an unknown amount back to the group that has been paying him the 75% rate... If any one can help me to understand this, I would really appreciate it, it is confusing the hell out of me. Also, I was wondering what the implications of this class A pension are in regards to the lump sum payout. Is Alex still entitled to that or is it null and void?

 

[Jen]

Hi Tammy have you looked in the section on the forum about entitlements?
It can become very confusing with all the different types of pensions and entitlements. I still have trouble trying to work it out!
Jen

 

[Jen]

Hi Tammy I mentioned your post to hubby he said when he got discharged he thought the Class A pension was Comsuper which recognises his condition for being discharged and covers the medical bills for that condition.
Jen

 

[anthony]

If your talking about the Class A pension from Comsuper, then unless they just changed it, its not 100% of their actual wage, unless new rules have come in since doing mine. I am on a class A pension from comsuper, and its 60% of my wage on leaving the military. Although I am under different schemes from Alex, so that could be a difference. It could have something to do with rank though also... being that Alex was a private on discharge, so that may be the maximum they pay under class A pensions or something, as I was obviously on a lot more with my rank and job. That could have something to do with it, so he could get a 100% of his wage if that is the case. You have the paperwork Tam... maybe just check it, and that could be it. Or combined he gets 100% of his wage.

Why can't they put it all under one umbrella? I asked the same question... all I can say is, "Government departments... each to their own."

Oh, give Alex my congrats please Tam on getting all that sorted out and through. Congrats too you also, as at a guess, you most likely did all the work, as kerrie does for me.

 

[Tammy]

Alex and I went to the MCRS office today to find out what we have to pay them back with the backpay from the super mob... (we apparently get a 6000 payment after tax in Alex's account on Thursday) and according to the bloke from that office we owe them about 7000 but he "can't be sure of the exact amount"! I don't understand how that works. He was getting 1100 a fortnight from them so all up he hasn't even recieved 7000 from them as yet. I am ready to go back and slap him he was so arrogant and even he didnt know what he was doing... all I can gather from the paperwork is that Alex's super fund will now be paying him 860 after tax and that an unknown amount will also be being paid through MCRS... I have tried to figure out what this is all supposed to mean but I simply don't get it...

But thanks for trying to help. Alex and I are thinking of going to see a private lawyer to figure it all out if it isn't done by the end of the week.

 

[anthony]

Yer, I figured they might have made a little mistake Tam. I think what they are trying to do, is fix that MCRS was paying Alex a full wage, where infact because Comsuper are also paying him, between the two, they pay him a full wage, or close too, maybe even more, but it looks as though MCRS has been paying too much, because as far as I know, MCRS only pays a full wage for the first twelve months, or... if a member has been on class 403 or the like, where they are still in but at home permanently until discharge, that time also counts I believe.

The system sucks, no doubt about it. You think their tough... try vet affairs... whoooooooo! They all know how to pile a person in paperwork though, that is for sure. Stupid damn paperwork, one after another, all asking the same questions in different ways to see if answers change. They just suck...

 

[Tammy]

Well, we have tried to sort this out a few times in the last week. MCRS has now cut Alex's pension due to the fact that he didn't hand in a medical certificate or something... We weren't even told we needed one! We rang MCRS to find out whats happening but Alex's case worker wont be in til Thursday... typical. I think they enjoy doing this sort of thing just before Christmas. I am going to ring Pam Rankin tomorrow to see if she can find out more. MCRS took the $6000 and then sent us a letter telling us we owe them 8000; even though on Thursday they said we only owed them 7054; and that after the 6000 they stopped from going into our bank account the rest of it would come from his witheld tax. I am in the process of writing to have this decision reviewed. Do you think they do this sort of thing just so that PTSD sufferers give up and dont worry about it or are they simply as inadequate as they appear? They will surely get a surprise if they think we will give up! Anyway I am sure we'll figure it out. Thanks again for your help.

 

[anthony]

Well Tam, their getting to the payment stage, so I think their just inadequate to be honest. MCRS, Comsuper, Vet Affairs... they have no idea what its like to be on the receiving end. Until they do, they won't learn.