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Parent not paying tax so cannot receive grant, please help.

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  • 24-08-2017 5:57am
    #1
    Imstucklads
    Registered Users Posts: 11 ✭


    How's it going lads.
    So I've just gone though the whole leaving cert and got my offers from cao on Monday. Well I got both my first choices but I'm not sure how to feel due to how stuck I am.
    Turns out my mother (single mother of 5) hasn't been paying tax and I had no idea right up until I asked her for her details when I was applying for the grant. The result of this is that I can't apply for the Susi grant and I'm pretty much ****ed. I can't tell anyone either Incase she gets reported . We're not well off or anything (we own nothing apart from a 2005 car that's falling apart) and I really don't know what to do. I've told her to sort it out multiple times but she just won't. I can't apply as independent either until I'm 23. Is there anything I can do in this situation. I don't know where else to ask


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    #2
    spurious
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Education Moderators Posts: 27,139 CMod ✭✭✭✭spurious


    Do you know is her income enough to require her to pay tax? Perhaps she does not come into the tax net.

    Does she have a business? Its kind of hard as a PAYE worker to avoid tax.


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    #3
    Imstucklads
    Registered Users Posts: 11 ✭Imstucklads


    spurious wrote: »
    Do you know is her income enough to require her to pay tax? Perhaps she does not come into the tax net.

    Does she have a business? Its kind of hard as a PAYE worker to avoid tax.

    Yep she has a business. I don't believe she has anything registered. She pays rates though.


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    #4
    spurious
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Education Moderators Posts: 27,139 CMod ✭✭✭✭spurious


    Imstucklads wrote:
    I don't know. How much would that be? She works 20 hours a week

    If she is in a low paid job she could well be below the threshold. I'm not at the PC now to check the actual amount at which you pay tax.

    Lots of children of unemployed people who do not pay income tax get SUSI grants and go to college. She pays lots of other taxes - VAT etc.. Do not let that stop you applying. They can only say no, but they probably won't.


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    #5
    spurious
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Education Moderators Posts: 27,139 CMod ✭✭✭✭spurious


    If her business does not make much of a profit you might still qualify. At the least put in an application.


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    #6
    Pawwed Rig
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Home & Garden Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators Posts: 22,321 CMod ✭✭✭✭Pawwed Rig


    For the SUSI application they will request the family income. Where self employed they have been asking for the assessment from Revenue.

    As Spurious says there may not be much of a liability in getting this sorted depending on how much she earns. However if she refuses to do it then there is not much you can do.


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    #7
    Imstucklads
    Registered Users Posts: 11 ✭Imstucklads


    Pawwed Rig wrote: »
    For the SUSI application they will request the family income. Where self employed they have been asking for the assessment from Revenue.

    As Spurious says there may not be much of a liability in getting this sorted depending on how much she earns. However if she refuses to do it then there is not much you can do.

    Yep the problem is that shes not registered with revenue. Her excuse was that she "doesn't know how to do all that" im so ****ing mad at her. She's being of no help to me in any way. I spent the whole summer working (registered) to try get money for college but it wouldn't be enough to even pay my contribution fees.


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    #8
    Bubbaclaus
    Registered Users Posts: 4,461 ✭✭✭Bubbaclaus


    This is outrageous. Breaking the law. Hope she gets caught soon.


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    #9
    Del2005
    Registered Users Posts: 18,924 ✭✭✭✭Del2005


    Imstucklads wrote: »
    Yep. I hope she does. I've thought about reporting her allot since I found out.

    Reporting her will only make it worse. Keep at her to regularise her business.


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    #10
    judeboy101
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 3,246 ✭✭✭judeboy101


    Imstucklads wrote: »
    Yep. I hope she does. I've thought about reporting her allot since I found out.

    If you found out she was abusing children, would you report her? No crime is victimless, be it tax dodging or sexual abuse. If you wish to avail of the help of the state via susi, you must help the state by reporting her.


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    #11
    Teyla Emmagan
    Registered Users Posts: 5,641 ✭✭✭Teyla Emmagan


    judeboy101 wrote:
    If you wish to avail of the help of the state via susi, you must help the state by reporting her.

    I think you'll find it won't work like that and instead the OP will find himself out on his ass.


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    #12
    judeboy101
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 3,246 ✭✭✭judeboy101


    Teyla Emmagan wrote: »
    I think you'll find it won't work like that and instead the OP will find himself out on his ass.

    True, but its a cheek to ask the state for financial help via susi while condoning potential tax evasion


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    #13
    august12
    Registered Users Posts: 1,275 ✭✭✭august12


    Have you any idea what she is earning, is she claiming social welfare, if so, easy enough to get this from social welfare office, has she any property other than your main home? What business has she, should be relatively simple to contact accountant in local area and get the ball rolling, in the meantime, submit application to Susi. At least you will be in the system.


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    #14
    Imstucklads
    Registered Users Posts: 11 ✭Imstucklads


    august12 wrote: »
    Have you any idea what she is earning, is she claiming social welfare, if so, easy enough to get this from social welfare office, has she any property other than your main home? What business has she, should be relatively simple to contact accountant in local area and get the ball rolling, in the meantime, submit application to Susi. At least you will be in the system.
    No idea what she's earning. She's not receiving any social welfare either.


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    #15
    august12
    Registered Users Posts: 1,275 ✭✭✭august12


    Imstucklads wrote:
    No idea what she's earning. She's not receiving any social welfare either.


    Well that simplifies it even more, should be straight forward to register with revenue, a good accountant should be able to do this and she could give him/her breakdown of income/expenses for 2016 which is the year Susi will need for assessment, this grant if you are eligible covers 3000 reg. Fee and the possibility of another 3000 maintenance depending on how far your home is from college.


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    #16
    Imstucklads
    Registered Users Posts: 11 ✭Imstucklads


    august12 wrote: »
    Well that simplifies it even more, should be straight forward to register with revenue, a good accountant should be able to do this and she could give him/her breakdown of income/expenses for 2016 which is the year Susi will need for assessment, this grant if you are eligible covers 3000 reg. Fee and the possibility of another 3000 maintenance depending on how far your home is from college.

    This is what I needed. Thanks! I'll keep at her anyway.


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    #17
    Imstucklads
    Registered Users Posts: 11 ✭Imstucklads


    august12 wrote: »
    Well that simplifies it even more, should be straight forward to register with revenue, a good accountant should be able to do this and she could give him/her breakdown of income/expenses for 2016 which is the year Susi will need for assessment, this grant if you are eligible covers 3000 reg. Fee and the possibility of another 3000 maintenance depending on how far your home is from college.

    Also, wouldn't revenue want to know why she hasn't been paying tax for a couple of years? This is what she's worried of I believe


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    #18
    august12
    Registered Users Posts: 1,275 ✭✭✭august12


    Imstucklads wrote:
    Also, wouldn't revenue want to know why she hasn't been paying tax for a couple of years? This is what she's worried of I believe


    Check with the accountant, it may be possible to register and pay tax going forward, the issue of back tax may not arise, if she is a single parent, then she may have extra tax credits, not sure on this, any way, 6000 of a grant is not to.be sneezed at, she either pays 3000 reg fee and probably another 150 per week to keep you in college or else sort her affairs and hopefully get a grant of 6000. Is she getting maintenance from an x partner/husband, this can complicate things with grant as would need to provide separation documents and maintenance agreement. Have you a rough estimate of income?


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    #19
    irishgrover
    Registered Users Posts: 2,496 ✭✭✭irishgrover


    Yes, reporting your mother, helping to get her potentially arrested, procecuted, maybe even jailed, is surely the best way to normalise everything and ensure getting yourself a grant...


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    #20
    spurious
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Education Moderators Posts: 27,139 CMod ✭✭✭✭spurious


    She's better off getting everything regularised, grant or not. She may not even owe them that much.


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    #21
    august12
    Registered Users Posts: 1,275 ✭✭✭august12


    spurious wrote:
    She's better off getting everything regularised, grant or not. She may not even owe them that much.


    Yes, absolutely agree here, prolonging this will cause further issues down the line, as you can see now, it is preventing you accessing financial aid which you maybe entitle to and numerous other benefits, please sort as soon as possible, it will be a relief for all the family.


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    #22
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 5,121 ✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    Your/her biggest problem might be a lack of records if she has been ignoring it.

    It might be worth your while to find an accountant who could ask some questions to estimate how much work/cost might be involved to put it right.


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    #23
    gauchesnell
    Registered Users Posts: 938 ✭✭✭gauchesnell


    also check with your college about registering etc with just the susi reference. Requirements vary per college. You should be prevented from starting college while waiting on SUSI - again check with the requirements of the college you hope to attend


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    #24
    jimmycrackcorm
    Registered Users Posts: 14,331 ✭✭✭✭jimmycrackcorm


    Imstucklads wrote:
    Yep she has a business. I don't believe she has anything registered. She pays rates though.

    Here does she manage to pay rates yet not be registered.

    Is your father in the picture, if so can't you go via his details?


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    #25
    groovyg
    Registered Users Posts: 1,049 ✭✭✭groovyg


    If you can't get your grant sorted for this year, could you defer your place ?


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    #26
    Bandana boy
    Registered Users Posts: 4,325 ✭✭✭Bandana boy


    I would be talking to a credit union to borrow the fees and urgently start positioning a part time job.

    You could also look at night degrees and get a full time job.


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    #27
    Imstucklads
    Registered Users Posts: 11 ✭Imstucklads


    jimmycrackcorm wrote: »
    Here does she manage to pay rates yet not be registered.

    Is your father in the picture, if so can't you go via his details?

    He walked out on my mother and 4 brothers and sisters when I was 3. I have no contact with him what so ever. He wouldn't even know what I look like.


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    #28
    Imstucklads
    Registered Users Posts: 11 ✭Imstucklads


    Bandana boy wrote: »
    I would be talking to a credit union to borrow the fees and urgently start positioning a part time job

    I'm currently in a full time job. I'll hopefully be able to stay on there for Saturdays and Sundays weekly to make money. I don't have a credit Union account either. I'm going to open one asap though. Will they grant me a loan straight away or how does it work with them?


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    #29
    Sam Kade
    Registered Users Posts: 12,313 ✭✭✭✭Sam Kade


    august12 wrote: »
    Check with the accountant, it may be possible to register and pay tax going forward, the issue of back tax may not arise, if she is a single parent, then she may have extra tax credits, not sure on this, any way, 6000 of a grant is not to.be sneezed at, she either pays 3000 reg fee and probably another 150 per week to keep you in college or else sort her affairs and hopefully get a grant of 6000. Is she getting maintenance from an x partner/husband, this can complicate things with grant as would need to provide separation documents and maintenance agreement. Have you a rough estimate of income?
    Either way revenue will want accounts going back 6-7 years and if there was tax due they will be demanding payment.


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    #30
    Effects
    Registered Users Posts: 9,761 ✭✭✭Effects


    judeboy101 wrote: »
    You must help the state by reporting her.

    Wow, sounds like you would be a great family member to have.
    This isn't East Germany. She needs help to get her on the right track, not reporting.


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    #31
    Bandana boy
    Registered Users Posts: 4,325 ✭✭✭Bandana boy


    Imstucklads wrote: »
    I'm currently in a full time job. I'll hopefully be able to stay on there for Saturdays and Sundays weekly to make money. I don't have a credit Union account either. I'm going to open one asap though. Will they grant me a loan straight away or how does it work with them?

    open an account asap
    Make an appointment and explain your predicament simply - Ie no need to go into your Moms tax affairs just say not eligible for grant and Mom cant afford to pay.
    Small loans like this is what they exist for.


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