How Superannuation Affects Your Age Pension
Understand the Rules, Find Out What Counts, and Check Your Pension Eligibility
Many Australians approaching retirement ask: Will my superannuation reduce my Age Pension? The answer: Not always — it depends on your age, your partner’s age, and how your super is structured.
We explain how superannuation is treated under Centrelink’s Age Pension rules, and how you can estimate your pension amount using our free Age Pension calculator.
Superannuation and the Age Pension — What You Need to Know
Super is designed to support your retirement lifestyle. The Age Pension is there to supplement it.
You may be eligible for both, but Centrelink uses income and asset tests to determine how much pension you will receive.
Before You Reach Pension Age (Currently 67)
- Your superannuation is not counted in the Age Pension asset test
- It’s exempt from the income test
- You can still use a retirement calculator or pension calculator to plan ahead
Once You Reach Age Pension Age
Your super fund becomes assessable, and may affect your Age Pension eligibility in two key ways:
Assets Test
- The balance of your superannuation is included in the pension asset test
- Applies whether your super is in accumulation or pension phase
Income Test
- Withdrawals from your super may be counted as income
- May affect how much Age Pension you’re entitled to
- The Centrelink Age Pension calculator can help estimate your impact
If your partner is also of Age Pension age, their super is assessed too.
Key Age Pension Rules to Remember
- You must be 67 years or older (check with our retirement age calculator)
- You must meet Australian residency rules
- Super is exempt before Age Pension age, assessable after
- Your relationship status, fund structure, and withdrawal method all influence outcomes
Want to Know How Much Pension You Could Get?
Our pension calculator Australia helps you:
- Check your Age Pension eligibility
- Understand how your super affects pension payments
- See how much pension you’ll get
- Prepare for your Centrelink pension claim
Use Our Free Age Pension Calculator Now
Find out what you’re entitled to and apply for the Age Pension with confidence.
You May Still Qualify for the Age Pension
Think your super balance is too high to receive the Age Pension? You could still be eligible for a part payment.
Centrelink assesses your total income and assets — not just your super. We’ll help you understand how superannuation is treated, what rules apply, and how much pension you may be entitled to.
Use our free Age Pension calculator to check your eligibility in minutes.
Your questions answered
How accurate is your Age Pension Calculator?
Our Age Pension Calculator provides a high level estimate of your eligibility for the Age Pension based on the current eligibility rules set by Centrelink and it is based on a limited number of questions. The estimate will be reassessed and refined as you answer all the questions in your Age Pension Application with us.
Our Age Pension Calculator has been rigorously tested by a large professional services firm.
Can I get a detailed report of my eligibility and benefits?
When you have calculated your eligibility using our Age Pension Calculator you will have the option to receive your personalised Eligibility Report by email. Your personalised Eligibility Report provides a summary of how we’ve determined your eligibility as well as helpful information about applying for and keeping your Age Pension.
How long does the application process take?
Generally, we find that it takes our members less than one hour to complete our online Age Pension application. Of course this is in instances where members have all the necessary information on hand. Members with more complex circumstances may take a little longer. Once finalised, Retirement Essentials will prepare your completed forms within 2-3 business days and lodge them once you have set us as your Correspondence Nominee.
Centrelink advise that claims can take up to 13 weeks to be approved however this can vary greatly depending on the complexity of your financial situation, the quality of your supporting documents and Centrelink’s own backlog of claims to be assessed.
Why don’t I just go to Centrelink and apply there?
You can apply for the Age Pension directly with Centrelink. If you prefer doing it on your own, we can email you a helpful guide to assist. Simply check your eligibility using our Age Pension Calculator and we’ll send you the guide along with your personalised Eligibility Report.
You may be interested to know that we have conducted research with Australian retirees. The majority of retirees we surveyed who’ve applied for the Age Pension via Centrelink say they have found it frustrating and many got so frustrated that they simply gave up.
The SMH reported in October 2023 that between July 1, 2022, and January 31, 2023, two-thirds of calls to Centrelink went unanswered. So of the 25 million calls made during this time, only 8.35 million were answered. At the same time, Women's Agenda has also reported that in 2023, call wait times have ballooned to over 45 minutes on average. At Retirement Essentials we know there is a smarter way. Our Age Pension application process guides retirees through the application requirements without having to fill out the Centrelink forms – we do this for you! With only one visit to Centrelink and access to online and call-centre support. Our smarter technology is enabling more Australians to access the Age Pension.
Retirement Essentials also provides our members with ongoing support and advice to navigate keeping their Age Pension.
Calculate your eligibility for free
How We Help You
We take the stress out of understanding how superannuation impacts your pension eligibility with:
Simple online pension calculators — including superannuation and asset test tools
Clear guidance on income and asset rules from Centrelink
Step-by-step help with Age Pension claims and updates
Take the First Step Toward Clarity
Use our Centrelink Age Pension calculator to see how much you could receive.