FHOG

Hi Jules

Here are the rules from the following website

http://www.osr.qld.gov.au/gas/fhog/grant.htm

To be eligible for the base $7,000 grant, you must have completed an eligible transaction in relation to the purchase or construction of a home that is your first home and must satisfy certain eligibility criteria. The eligibility criteria are as follows. (All criteria must be satisfied for you to be eligible.)

You must be a natural person (i.e. not a company or person acting in the capacity of trustee)

You, or a joint applicant, must be an Australian citizen or a permanent resident.

You or your spouse must not have received an earlier grant under the First Home Owner Grant Act 2000 or under an Act of an Australian State or Territory providing for payment of a first home owner grant, unless the earlier grant has been repaid.

You or your spouse must not have previously owned an interest in residential property in Australia prior to 1 July 2000. This includes investment homes.

You or your spouse must not have, on or after 1 July 2000, owned an interest in residential property in Australia and lived in that property.

You must occupy the home for which the grant is claimed as your principal place of residence within one year after the eligible transaction for the home is completed.

Hope this helps?

SuperTed

I believe that the short answer to that would be no, if you owned a property while married to her at any time in the past.

SuperTed,

this section from the WA FHOG Act may answer your question (the Acts for the other states should be similar – check http://www.austlii.edu.au):
Section 7
(2) If the Commissioner is satisfied at the time of deciding an application for a first home owner grant that —

(a) an applicant is legally married but is living apart from the person to whom the applicant is legally married; and
(b) the applicant and that person have no intention of again living together as a couple,
the person to whom the applicant is legally married is taken not to be the applicant’s spouse.

Which may mean that both you and your wife may each separately get the FHOG, as long as all the other criteria are satisfied and none of the disqualifying events occurred before you separated.

You can always give the relevant State Revenue Dept. a call to clarify whether or not you’re eligible, and what kind of proof you need to provide.

Cheers
M

Thanks Elysium-M

You’re welcome guys. Don’t be afraid of asking questions. That’s what this forum is for!

Cheers
M

Hi Rau,

That’s what the law says. And that’s also what the State Rev. factsheets say.

I know it looked like an anomaly the first time I saw it, but it seems quite clear.

The best method to put your question to rest is to call the State Revenue office in your State, and ask them that question. See what they say.

Cheers
M

As mentioned previously; you must intend to live in the property within 12 months of settlement. To be eligible.

However, it does not state, how long you have to live in the property for! You may live in the property for 1 week and you have satisfied the criteria.