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Out of pocket

Debt amount: 
$20000
Date debt issued: 
Friday, 7 July 2017
Period debt occurred: 
July 2017 to September 2019
Has your case been referred to a collection agency?: 
Yes
Payment Type: 
Family Tax Benefit
Appealing Debt?: 
No
Tell us about your debt and how has this affected you? e.g. anxiety levels, financial and accommodation stress: 

The first time I received a demand for payment was in 2017.
I commenced repaying $150 per fortnight in 2017 to repay a debt that I did not and could not be explained.

Each tax year my tax return was taken and applied to the "debt".
After I received another the following year I questioned again "how could this happen?"
I refused to pay so they placed interested on the debt and sent me off to deal with Dun & Bradstreet who also refused to provide evidence of the debt.

Along came 2019, and you guessed it another debt yet we had no assistance from DHS since 2017 and once again the tax return taken.
I finally paid off the debt in Sept 2019 whilst on a low income, three children and under the income allowance by tens of thousands of dollars, paying rent and a mortgage.

As a result our home was delayed for years and not built until April 20 due to the financial pressures placed on my family.
Let's not even discuss the years of barely been able to feed my family or not being able to buy birthday or Christmas presents.
Thank you for the unnecessary stress and heart ache caused.

Happy to say that we survived when others did not!

How do you feel about the way the Government has handled this process?: 

Disgusted that low income earners were subjected this process. I hope "their" families had a great couple of years because my kids certainly did not and their primary school years were so horrific that they told everyone in our small town that they are "poor". They will never forget what the missed out on.

Hopefully they start push those repayments back to who you stole them off with interest and compensation for the mental and financial distress.