Should child benefit/children’s allowance be taxed?

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118532550#Comment_118532550

Boards did, where if you are on welfare you’re literally worse than Hitler.

riclad

It's a payment for basic expenses Re having children clothes shoes food it would be pointless to tax it I think a couple with a salary over 60k should not get it. Its ridiculous to be giving an allowance to someone on 80k or 100k they can afford to buy food clothes books etc

Fandymo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118531857#Comment_118531857

I've work full time. I've no kids as I cannot afford them. I've a decent job. I rent a room in a house share. I've multiple monthly bills. I've no Sky, no car, haven't been away on holidays longer than a weekend since 2005. I've to pay €65 if I want a 15 minute consultation with my doctor.

Some of mother's neighbour's, in the council estate I grew up in and who I went to school with, haven't worked a day in their life. They have council houses at a fraction of the rent I pay. They have kids. They have Sky. They have cars, i'd say 70% at least. 3 of the families hit Benidorm together in June of every summer, I've an open invite that I can't afford. They think I'm saving for a mansion and don't believe me when I say I can't afford a proper holiday.

They must think I'm some mug.

Ray Palmer

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118533678#Comment_118533678

No it isn't ridiculous at all. The people you think earn enough pay the majority of the taxes for everyone else and should get something for their taxes. Child benefit is for all children living here and that will not change nor should it. A couple on a salary of €60k aren't even earning the national industrial wage and that is not much money if living in Dublin. You may not know many people on higher wages but they aren't rich and are taxed very heavily.

MakersMark

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118533678#Comment_118533678

You'd change your tune if you earned more.

My tax bill last year paid the dole for approx 6.3 people.

And you think my children allowance should be taxed?

I already pay WAY too much in tax.

dxhound2005

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118533678#Comment_118533678

It's not a payment for basic expenses, because there is no means test. The woman (and it is a woman by default in the legislation), can use it for whatever she likes.

Ray Palmer

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118535822#Comment_118535822

Most of his posts about money seemed to illustrate he doesn't know anyone who isn't in poverty and thinks the whole of Ireland live like himself and friends. The idea of somebody earning a good salary to him seems to be offensive.

Ray Palmer

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118535563#Comment_118535563

I hear these stories over and over again but how realistic is it? Are they making income from somewhere else?

There is no way these people are living like this on social welfare payments what they are is criminals. They either work a job for cash in hand or selling "things" to make money. If it bothers you report them. There is no way they are living a good life. If you are on a decent wage and can't afford a decent holiday then it is not a decent wage. You could be saving for a house but 17 years with out a holiday doesn't add up with decent wage and saving.

Fandymo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118536126#Comment_118536126

Maybe revise the decent to average wage, it's decent for where I'm from, minus tax, minus rent, minus bills and helping pay for a sister through university equals feck all savings unfortunately. I'll never own or rent a property of my own in Ireland. My hope is that if I keep an AVC topped up, I'll have enough of a lump sum to buy a place in the sun when I decide to retire. I've been on a few holiday, maybe 2 weekends a year, but nothing for a week or so.

The ones I know might do the odd bit of hairdressing, or labouring here and there, but no whiff of anything long or even medium term. No dealing or anything like that. They just know how to milk the system.

dxhound2005

The good part about living in close knit communities like that is the amount of information everyone knows about their neighbours. And that is good for law abiding citizens who are concerned about neighbours living beyond their means. They can be reported anonymously to Social Welfare and/or Revenue.

https://www.gov.ie/en/service/report-suspected-social-welfare-fraud/

https://www.ros.ie/online-enquiry-web/goodCitizen;rjsessionid=DE87616018DE52B9DFBA08AD654C66E2?execution=e1s1

Tow

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118536126#Comment_118536126

Often they are not only on social welfare payments, it is all about milking the system. A common one it not paying their electric/gas bill until they receive a notice of being cut off. Then it is down to see the local Welfare Officer/SVDP with cut off notice in hand and children in tow. Bill gets paid and the process is repeated, year in year out.

dxhound2005

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118535883#Comment_118535883

Well of course she can? (It’s a woman by default by the way, cos it’s paid to the mother automatically)

much the same way rent allowance is for paying rent, but plenty of folks spend it on everything but. It’s like any money, you can give it and detail it’s for a specific purpose, thing is, they can’t make you spend it a certain way.

dxhound2005

Rent Supplement is means tested, unlike CB. But yes, we can agree that any income can be spent however they like, even if another poster thinks CB is a payment for basic children's expenses. Again impressive knowledge about what plenty of folks are spending their rent money on. I wouldn't have a clue what my neighbours are up to.

Rent Supplement is paid to people renting from private landlords. Not to be confused with people renting council houses, where the rent is set according to a household's ability to pay.

bejeezus

That’s the problem -boards generally know very little of the reality of poverty.

And it’s child poverty that is really the important aspect of this discussion: its money that’s really needed by more vulnerable children. The type of kids that get left behind and don’t end on on boards.ie of an evening.

Ray Palmer

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118536196#Comment_118536196

If you are paying for somebody going to college then that is a hefty expense. Saving a lump sum for retirement purchase now is a terrible financial decision. You are getting not tax relief on it and getting little to no interest. Put into a pension fund and get the tax credit and you get a lump sum on retirement. It is also a big assumption that property in the sun remains affordable.

Those odd jobs are tax free and on top of their payment so adds up to a lot more money than you. They aren't milking the system they are cheating the system and criminals in the process. I wouldn't let it bother me and just report them. That is your tax money they are stealing. Selling and buying on adverts is a big thing and money is made on it.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118536904#Comment_118536904

im not sure why that’s being directed at me when I’ve done nothing but defend CB as a vital payment that should be left well enough alone. Any nonsense about people having babies for CB is just that- nonsense.

bejeezus

Sorry Alena Colossal Timber ! I took your sarcastic comment as literal there. Just a misunderstanding! I’ll take your name off and leave it as a general comment

Eclectic Dan

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118499028#Comment_118499028

€1400 a year would pay for a hell of a lot of doctors appointments and prescriptions.

B.A._Baracus

Isn't it a bit silly to tax children's allowance?

Our tax pays for it. So we would be taxing something that tax paid for. People would then moan and complain it should be higher. But as it stands, with the cost of living going up, the allowance will go up over time.