Hi i have just found out i am pregnant. I already have a 16 and 13 year old. I am concerned with how we will be able to afford the cost of a baby. I am the main earner in the house and am unsure how maternity payments work and centrelink payments. I am scared and so unsure what to do!! Thanks
3 Replies
Firstly, ask yourself: Do you want this pregnancy? Are you happy or more scared?
Figure out your currently financial situation and see how much extra you currently have per week.
Request a copy of your contract from your workplace and see what their maternity policy is. Some places have paid leave (which is additional to Centrelink) and you can negotiate hours so say you got 10 weeks at full pay, you could negotiate 20 weeks at half pay etc.
If you've been there for over a year and are on a contract full time or part time basis, they must hold your position for 12 months once you go on leave.
Centrelink is $740 a week not including tax, so minimum wage I believe. You get this for 16 weeks and it begins after the birth of your baby (can take about 4-6 weeks to come in sometimes). It can either be paid through your employer or directly to you but I opted for workplace as they did all the tax side of things for me.
I didn't get anything from my employer. We found the biggest expense was I started my maternity leave at 34 weeks so had a month and a bit of no wages.
Try and make a decision based on your heart over your head though :)
Thanks so much. I am very scared as i thought my family was complete. I wonder how my children will take the news. We will survive i believe as ive done it before and with less.
I would take 6 months off then work a couple of days a week depending how our finances are then.
It’s a huge decision if I had a 16yr old and 13 yr old, I’m not sure I could start all over again with a baby. I think it would also depend on how old I was and the financial position I was in. Goodluck with your decision sending big hugs xxx