Barbara is selling on eBay some items that she no longer needs or wants, but she’s concerned that Centrelink may treat the money she makes as income.
Q. Barbara
I am on a full Age Pension and have no assets (other than my home), no business or job in the outside workplace.
However, for the past couple of weeks, I have been selling some of my unwanted quilting fabric through a Facebook group, with the buyers depositing their purchase funds into my bank account, to which, of course, Centrelink has access.
I would like to know if this money would be presumed as ‘income’ by Centrelink and whether I have to declare it. What are the rules and regulations of which I should be aware when selling personal items via any medium such as eBay, Gumtree, Etsy or Facebook, where a ‘digital footprint’ is apparent in my bank account?
A. If you’re selling the odd item on eBay, then you’re fine. However, Centrelink does need to know if you’re earning a substantial income from such practices – a sum of $20,000 per annum is what has been quoted previously.
You may find this article on the ABC website useful, and you should always confirm with Human Services if you are unsure or concerned about how much you’re earning.
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