Q&A:DOMINIC COYLE answers your personal finance questions

QI’m living in England. My husband and I own our family home here. Over 20 years ago my parents bought a holiday home in Co Wexford. It was bought and registered in the joint names of myself and my sister. My sister lives permanently in the US.

Like myself and my family, she uses the holiday home from time to time. It is not now and never has been let or rented out. Are either of us liable for the €200 charge levied under the recent Local Government (charges) August 2009? I should say that I own no other property in Ireland. However, my sister does own a flat in Dublin which she uses on her trips home to Ireland.

Ms P.P., England

AAccording to the Department of the Environment, from which the Non-Principal Private Residence (NPPR) charge rules emerged, you are liable to the charge if the Irish property is not your main home. In your case, clearly it isn’t. As you own the property jointly, my understanding is that you share the liability and will each have to pay €100. Assuming your sister’s main residence is in the US, she will also have a liability for the Dublin flat, €200 in this case, as she is the sole owner.

The deadline for payment is tomorrow (October 31st) and the best way of registering details of your property as required and paying the charge is via the website www.nppr.ie.

QWhen single I had my own house, now unoccupied. My husband who was a widower had his house (originally jointly with his wife and subsequently on her death in his sole name). Following our marriage I now live in my husband’s house. Neither of us own a second property either solely or jointly. Am I liable for this tax?

Ms M.F., e-mail

AAs I understand it, your former home remains in your possession, albeit unoccupied. On that basis, you are liable for the charge and, as stated above, the deadline is tomorrow. Thereafter you face a late fee of €20, a figure that will escalate over time.

State guarantee on bank deposits

QI was pleased to read in the September 18th issue that the Government had extended the bank deposits guarantee to September 2013. I am now told that this is not the case. I would be grateful to hear from you what the current position is.

Ms M.D., e-mail

AOn September 16th, the Minister for Finance Brian Lenihan published what he has called “an outline of the main elements of the proposed new guarantee scheme for longer term funding”. This was the draft Credit Institutions (Eligible Liabilities Guarantee) Scheme or ELG scheme.

Among other things, it provides that deposits taken before the current bank guarantee expires in September 2010 will continue to be covered until September 2013.

However, as the Minister has stated, the scheme required approval in line with EU state aid rules. As of October 13th, that discussion was ongoing but the Minister has given no indication that he is rethinking the proposal.

My understanding is that it will also require approval by the Oireachtas but I cannot tie that down.

There is almost one year left on the current bank guarantee but the Government will be keen to put any extended guarantee scheme in place as soon as possible to avoid disruption to savers and to the covered banks themselves.

EU regulations on medical cover

QI worked in the UK for 40 odd years and paid UK tax, where I enjoyed the free services for doctors, hospitals and ancillary medical services.

I retired to Ireland five years ago. I now find that I lose my Irish medical card as my income exceeds the financial threshold of €72,000. My question is this? Under EU regulation, should I not be entitled to the same free medical cover in Ireland that I enjoyed in the UK from either the Irish or UK governments.

Mr P.H., e-mail

AThere is nothing in EU legislation to force all governments to offer identical services in this area. Clearly, if you were in the UK, your access to free health services would continue but that does not translate to the Republic.

Capital gains tax payment dates

QRegarding your answer last week to Mr J.B., about whether he could offset an abandoned property deposit against capital gains, you said capital gains tax (CGT) was due to be paid by October 31st (tomorrow). My understanding is the disposal in January 09 falls into the “initial period” of 2009 for CGT Purposes with a payment date of December 15th, 2009, and subsequently declaration of the details on one’s actual 2009 Tax Return due (under present legislation by October 31st, 2010).

Mr B.H., e-mail

AYou are quite right. The CGT payment regime was changed in the last budget cycle – essentially to allow the minister to bring more capital gains tax payments into the 2009 year and, hopefully, help fill some of the hole in the exchequer finances. Where, previously, gains in the first three-quarters of the year had to be paid by October 31st with gains for the remaining three months of the year due by January 31st of the following year, the first payment date is now December 15th for capital gains (for gains accrued over the first 11 months of the year).

For gains made in December, the payment date remains January 31st of next year.

As you say, the return is not due until the 2009 tax return date - ie October 31st, 2010.

Please send your queries to Dominic Coyle, Q&A, The Irish Times, 24-28 Tara Street, Dublin 2 or by e-mail to dcoyle@irishtimes.com. This column is a reader service and is not intended to replace professional advice. Due to the volume of mail, there may be a delay in answering questions. All suitable queries will be answered through the columns of the newspaper. No personal correspondence will be entered into.