2) The husband does the bank dealings, but before he went overseas, he left some money with the wife to use for household needs. When he returned, he asked for the money that was remaining and from this, the wife kept a little for herself before returning the unused money. Can the wife keep this without her husband’s knowledge?
Answer:
Based on the above criteria, if the money belongs to you, you do not need permission of your husband to spend the money; infact, your husband cannot use this money unless it is with your consent. On the other hand, if the money belongs to your husband, you need his permission to use the money.
2) Based on the above criteria, if the money belongs to your husband, you cannot keep any portion of the money without his permission – as he did not make you the owner of the money he gave you before going overseas; he merely allowed you to use whatever was needed from it for household needs. If, on the other hand, the money belongs to you, you can keep it. Therefore, the important thing is to determine who the money belongs to. And to determine this, clarification from Centrelink may be needed.
Mufti Faizal Riza
22/10/2011