Question about CTF

I was wondering since I'm not a citizen yet, and shortly after the baby is born, I'll be applying for my FLR, if my daughter will eligible for the Child Trust Fund, since my soon to be hubby is a British citizen (we will be married before she is born)
I am aware that I am unable to apply for the pregnancy benefits after shes born, but I'm unsure about this,since I'm not sure if its considered a benefit or not

Yes your child will be eligible for child benefit because dad is a Brit, therefore also qualifies for the child trust fund.  Yous husband (to be!) will need to claim child benefit (everyone gets it, not means tested or anything) and then he wil lautomatically receive the CTF stuff as well.

Thats good to know,thanks!

Don't forget your hubby will be able to apply for tax credits as well.

BIG warning about those credits: PLEASE do yourself a HUGE favour and make photocopies of ANY and everything you send the IR.  DO NOT do any business w/them by phone and if you do make a record of the date and time you called and whom you spoke with - and hang onto it for dear life.  Better yet, do everything by recorded delivery letter. 

If your income as a couple if £14,000+, you are ineligible for Working Tax Credit.  If they pay it to you, or overpay you, put hte money into a high-interest savings account and do NOT spend it.  They can and will ask for it back - with interest. 

We were overpaid b/c of their errors.  They came back 2 years later and wanted £1900.  Luckily we kept everything in writing and recorded delivery, but the appeals process required both an adjudicator and our MP, and took almost a year.

And we were just one of about a hundred thousand families left living below the poverty line - after tax - due to their computer's errors. 

Be all means apply, but CYA! 

Thanks for the advice expat!

Don't forget to have your husband apply for Child Benefit as soon as you have the birth certificate in hand.  They'll give you the forms in hospital when you give birth. 

What is Child Trust Fund?

What is Child Trust Fund?

starting in the past year or so the UK puts £250 into an account for the child. Neither the child or the parent can touch it until the child is 18yrs old,you can also put money into the account yourself

It's available for British children born in 2003 and beyond.

Oh, also, England's, you can phone the US Embassy in advance and have them send over the packet of forms you need to process your child's American citizenship.  You'll need a 'long form' birth certificate from the Register.  There's an additional charge for this, however.

For her British nationality, she doesn't need to do anything.  You can pick up a British passport app for her from a post office.  Your husband will need to countersign for her, as she gets her nationality through her father.

Remember, she needs a British passport to exit and enter the UK; an American one to enter and exit the US.

Am I required to process her as an American citizen? Both me and Dale decided we don't want to automatically make her a dual citizen, we feel this decision should be up to her. Is it okay to do this? Or am I required by law to make her a dual citizen?

You are required if you ever wish to take her to the US. 

I work with a man who was born in the US to British parents, and they all came back to the UK about 25 years ago.  He has not renewed his US passport since, but he has also not visited either.

Well, if it's a lawful requirement, I'm breaking the law.  I haven't reported by son's birth and don't have any intentions of it.

Well, if it's a lawful requirement, I'm breaking the law.  I haven't reported by son's birth and don't have any intentions of it.

There's been some discussion about it in the Visa section.  Check the archives.

I have problems w/it as well, Cait, especially the tax ramifications for someone who's never lived there and the draft thing.