Looking for some advice on relocating back to Ireland

Hanumanmaman

Hi guys

I'm shortly going to move back to Ireland and looking for some advice on a few things..

1. Does anyone know the best way to transport a mountain bike?
Would it be possible to bring on the plane like a surf board or golf clubs etc? Has anyone tried to send one large item like this as opposed to sending a container?

2. Is it best to bring money back home in (quite a bit of) cash on your person rather than a bank transfer to avoid extra bank charges on both sides?

3. Can you get back funds paid into your super while still here or would you have to apply for it after you leave the country?

4. Is it okay to complete your tax return in early July from overseas and get the money back into an Irish account? Or is there another way of doing this.

Any advice would be appreciated, i know it's probably strange to be asking people who are still living in Oz/NZ but worth a shot...

Thanks

Han

Peregrinus

As far as the bike is concerned, talk to your airline. Most of them will allow you to bring it as checked baggage, but they may (and probably will) require you to pack it in a bike box (which the airline will supply) with the pedals removed and the handlebars either removed or rotated so they are in line with the frame. Let the air out of your tires and leave the valves open. (And be sure to pack a pump and a spanner if you intend to cycle home from the airport!)

So far as bringing money home is concerned, cash in your underpants is not a good idea. Apart from the risk of loss (and must travel insurance policies will not cover significant amounts of cash) you’re unlikely to avoid costs. Banks charge commission when they buy and sell foreign currency, and they mostly charge more commission for buying and selling cash than they do for electronic transactions. (Why? Because they have the costs of handling the cash.) If you’ve got money in an Australian bank that you want to access in euros in Ireland, have your Australian bank convert the dollars to euros and then transfer the euros to your account in your Irish bank. Your Irish bank should make no charge for this, and your Australian bank will probably charge you less than they would charge you to convert to euro cash. Plus, you won’t lose interest for the few days between taking the money out of your Australian bank and depositing it in your Irish bank. Plus, it’s much, much more secure.

Can’t help on the tax or super, I’m afraid.

trixi2011

hi Han
A friend of mine brought home a road bike from NZ in 2010 and was allowed on the plane in a box as her checked in bag the company she flew with wouldnt let her bring any aditional bags tho. Might be worth ringing your airline and discussing it with them.

hussey

Hanumanmaman wrote: »

2. Is it best to bring money back home in (quite a bit of) cash on your person rather than a bank transfer to avoid extra bank charges on both sides?

Use currency fair to transfer your cash it is easily the best and cheapest, any kind of bank to bank usually involves fees and airport charges or counter cash rates are the worst around. If you want to know about currency fair - read the Australian FAQ - some links there

3. Can you get back funds paid into your super while still here or would you have to apply for it after you leave the country?

Back funds? can you clarify? do you mean if your company only pays you every X months, can they still do this? then yes.

4. Is it okay to complete your tax return in early July from overseas and get the money back into an Irish account? Or is there another way of doing this.

You can complete your tax as soon as you leave the country, you do not have to wait till July. You cannot get it transfered to a Irish Bank account, but can get a $ cheque (or lodge it to an Aussie account and currency fair it over to Ireland to avoid more international cheque fee + poor bank rates)

kdevitt

Hanumanmaman wrote: »

3. Can you get back funds paid into your super while still here or would you have to apply for it after you leave the country?

Nope - you can only get it back once you evidence the fact that your visa is cancelled, and you can't be in Australia without a visa!

Don't forget they whip 35% off it.

rsole1

Hope you have a job to come back to, or plenty of cash to last for two years as you won't be getting Social Welfare.

Gregsor

kdevitt wrote: »

Nope - you can only get it back once you evidence the fact that your visa is cancelled, and you can't be in Australia without a visa!

Don't forget they whip 35% off it.

True,i was going to claim mine back the last time leaving here and was told i would have to cancel my 5 year Visa to claim any of it,i wasn't aware of the 35% take though.

Hanumanmaman

Thanks alot everyone, appreciate it.

digiman

kdevitt wrote: »

Nope - you can only get it back once you evidence the fact that your visa is cancelled, and you can't be in Australia without a visa!

Don't forget they whip 35% off it.

Didn't know about this either, is this just the because you are not taxed on this in your salary so they tax it on you then when you leave?

Peregrinus

digiman wrote: »

Didn't know about this either, is this just the because you are not taxed on this in your salary so they tax it on you then when you leave?

Basically, yet. Superannuation tax treatment is not really a tax exemption; it's a tax deferral. At the risk of oversimplifying, you are not taxed on your superannuation when you earn it, but when you receive it. If you stayed in Australia, retired and drew your pension, then you would pay tax on your pension. If you withdraw your money early, because you have left Australia, then you pay tax on withdrawal.