Dear Editor
Lately I got married at 72. I immediately got on line and informed WINZ as it affected my pension.
About four days later I got a call from a young WINZ lady who wanted me to fill out various forms about my wife’s status in New Zealand and I told her she was born here.
Not convinced that the matter had been sorted I again informed WINZ and around four days later I got a call from a young lady who told me she would send me out a form.
I then again wrote a letter to WINZ laying out what had happened to make sure my pension was adjusted correctly.
When the form she had sent out arrived and it was totally inappropriate as it was a partner’s residence form.
Confused I went on MyMSD and noted that my pension amount had changed and after going a little further they were taking $10.00 per week for an overpayment they had made?
I wrote them an email and came away with the advice that they could take money off my pension even if they had made the mistake and I didn’t have to be informed of this. To this, I strongly objected as they had all the advice and still got it wrong and I am not given a chance to say how much they can take from my pension or how much I need to live on.
I wonder how many other seniors are having the same thing done to them and like me are blissfully unaware? In my mind what WINZ is doing is illegal and is tantamount to stealing.
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