Help With Student Loans - HERE!

Poolie

Meeks70 wrote: »

Poolie

I am paid in stg but I pay PAYE and PRSI the republic of ireland. I pay 21% tax in the republic of ireland because of the new levy. but tha tax rate in northern ireland is 20%, can I claim back? I have heard a few years ago, people in the same position as me, the tax rate in northern ireland was 22% and the northern ireland tax office was tracing those people for the extra 2%....

it is out of my company's legislation to put the student loans company claim through my wages. So do I have to setup a direct debit for theis extra money for the SLC?

Regards

Meeks70

The important question is do you pay UK National Insurance as SLC is based on the ability to pay National Insurance? If you pay UK NI then you need to prove this to SLC, it might be better with a letter from your employer clearly stating what the taxes on your payslip for. What NI Number is on your payslip? UK or Irish? If Irish then you will be classed as overseas because HMRC cannot use this number to retrieve any taxes or SLC money.

It will not matter if you are paid in Sterling in that case.

Regarding UK Income Tax you really need to ask on the Taxation board rather than Student Loans Board. I suspect that HMRC may have to consider you as working overseas also.

Poolie

sixxx wrote: »

Thanks for the advice guys. I have already sent in the payslips and have been asked to pay a certain amount each month.
I have already phoned the trouble paying line and asked them about deferring the loan and the person on the phone sighed rudely like I was trying to get out of the loan and then said she would send me the paperwork. All I got was another form asking for just payslips. The same form I filled in previously :mad:
She said I also had 1 week from the phone call to reply to the letter before they handed it over to the collection agency. I pointed out that a letter sent on 18th December arrived mid January so she would have to give me longer than that! I also never received any notification of making payments until then. Which is also great because I am now 3 months in arrears.
At no point have I been offered any advice about 'trouble repaying' just we want the money regardless. I have had better help from Gas/Phone and Credit card companies in the UK during a tough time :mad:
I didn't expect the SLC to be so unhelpful

Also this is not the UK. There is no unemployment/hardship benefit if one person is earning. However much.
Precriptions are not £7 like in the UK (i wish) My prescription costs are $300+ per month as I am months away from getting a drug plan with my employer.

How much do you get paid by your employer as previous you stated it was a very small amount. If you are earning over £12,000 which would be 20,528.24 Candian dollars then you are not technically classed as unable to pay.

You really need to send in the 6 fortnightly payslips for SLC to be able to calculate the payments if any due.

Send your most recent 6 fortnightly payslips and the form. Remove all the old paperwork from the form first.

I would write a covering letter clearly stating what you get paid in Candian dollars before tax each year to make it easier.

SLC will not consider your prescription charges or living costs or your partner not working.

sixxx

Poolie wrote: »

SLC will not consider your prescription charges or living costs or your partner not working.

Really? Even if this means i physically do not have the cash to pay?
I get paid 28k Canadian so I am above the threshold but as pointed out this is gone on payday every 2 weeks.. The problem I have is that I really don't have the physical cash to pay them. If i skip lunch for a week I could raise $5 to pay them as I only have 79 cent pot noodles as it is. But they won't even accept a token payment for a few months until the situation (hopefully) changes. They do not want to help me in this difficult time.
I thought that they would have some sort of arrangement for these problems? I can't be the only one surely? Things are tough for everyone right now.
Credit card companies have been willing to listen so why not the SLC? It's not like I maxxed a credit card out on a clothes shopping spree in the West End. It was not a reckless loan taken in "error" or a "weak moment" and as I said I am willing to pay when I have the money. I've paid a quarter of it off already. Never lied about my earnings and always tried to pay them back as much as i could.
It just seems that they are not willing to come to any arrangement other than just demanding the money and handing me to debtors.
I get your point about the thresholds and i have no need to send them any payslips as my pay has not changed. Thanks for taking the time to reply to my questions. I will be talking to them again tomorrow so we will see how that goes.

Poolie

sixxx wrote: »

Really? Even if this means i physically do not have the cash to pay?
I get paid 28k Canadian so I am above the threshold but as pointed out this is gone on payday every 2 weeks.. The problem I have is that I really don't have the physical cash to pay them. If i skip lunch for a week I could raise $5 to pay them as I only have 79 cent pot noodles as it is. But they won't even accept a token payment for a few months until the situation (hopefully) changes. They do not want to help me in this difficult time.
I thought that they would have some sort of arrangement for these problems? I can't be the only one surely? Things are tough for everyone right now.
Credit card companies have been willing to listen so why not the SLC? It's not like I maxxed a credit card out on a clothes shopping spree in the West End. It was not a reckless loan taken in "error" or a "weak moment" and as I said I am willing to pay when I have the money. I've paid a quarter of it off already. Never lied about my earnings and always tried to pay them back as much as i could.
It just seems that they are not willing to come to any arrangement other than just demanding the money and handing me to debtors.
I get your point about the thresholds and i have no need to send them any payslips as my pay has not changed. Thanks for taking the time to reply to my questions. I will be talking to them again tomorrow so we will see how that goes.

SLC will only come to some sort of arrangement if you are in serious arrears with them. They will expect the payment each month. Failure to pay is only occurring charges on your account. I worked out they are looking for £120 per month from you.

I think you need to look at your incomes and outgoings. If you pop over to the debt free wannabe boards and post up a statement of affairs I am sure people over there will be able to show you where to cut down and help you out.

sixxx

I think you need to look at your incomes and outgoings. If you pop over to the debt free wannabe boards and post up a statement of affairs I am sure people over there will be able to show you where to cut down and help you out.

Thanks for the advice. I used this board to clear all the card debts I had before emigrating. Not sure there is much to cut out this time around????

Incoming pm = $1900

rent = $850
car loan + insurance (including home) = $520
gas = $200
pharmacy = $320 (if i get what I need)

All bills are inclusive with my landlord which is a blessing!
That leaves me $10 so most months i skip some medication which is not good.
Not sure what i can cut down on to be honest

Poolie

sixxx wrote: »

Incoming pm = $1900

rent = $850
car loan + insurance (including home) = $520
gas = $200
pharmacy = $320 (if i get what I need)

All bills are inclusive with my landlord which is a blessing!
That leaves me $10 so most months i skip some medication which is not good.
Not sure what i can cut down on to be honest

For starters $1900 x 12 = $22800 not $28,000 as you quoted earlier. Either your numbers are wrong here so you quoted them incorrectly to SLC. You need to get this adjusted. If your salary is $22,800 then repayments are £81 per month. If $28,000 then £120 per month.


DO you need a car? How far do you travel as $200 on fuel is a large portion of your income? You might need to consider moving somewhere cheaper? Also what about food costs obviously your not living on $10 per month.

littlemissmoney

If it's that bad, can you move back to the UK?

sixxx

Moving back to the UK won't fix anything. I will be jobless and broke if I do that.
Besides that I am not going to give up so easily

I need the car for work so no car means no job. I can move nearer work but will spend the money saved on fuel in rent. I have had a look at the travel bills and its around 200 with gas and other travel costs like bus/tube etc. My partner goes for interviews and job hunting most days.
You have to remember that North America was built with the car in mind. You cant get anywhere without one.
I am not living on $10 obviously but I am not taking the medication I need so I can fund eating.
My take home is $1900 so i have no idea what it was before it was taxed. I thought it was 28k but could be wrong.
This place is weird for tax. nothing like the UK. Even if your employer sorts the tax for you , you are still required by law to do a tax return each year. Just like if you were self employed in the UK. It's odd and most people I ask do not understand it. Nice business for tax accountants here every year though

I spoke to the SLC this morning. I actually got someone who knew what they were doing. I asked to defer payments for 2 months so my drug plan can kick in. I will have $2-300 freed up a month when this happens so I can pay straight away. The best they could do was hold it until the end of February and then we can look at some sort of deal on payments.
So if they can extend that for another month It should all be sorted. I will have the money and so will they.

And finger crossed the other half will have found employment by then

Thanks for the advice chaps. Much appreciated

Poolie

If you were back in the UK, SLC would not chase you for a penny if you were on job seekers or income support until you started work again.

Hopefully things would out for you but SLC may have started to add charges to your account.

Sylvan

My youngest has had 3 rejections so far. If he can't get into uni this year he's thinking of trying to find a one year course in agriculture and applying again next year. If he has to get a student loan for the one year course will he be able to apply for the degree course as well, or will they say he's already had a loan/grant so he can't have another?