Centrelink have announced changes to the Age Pension payment rates and also to the income and asset thresholds. This means more money in the pockets of Australian Seniors. So what are the changes? Pension Rates The full Age Pension rate for a...
Centrelink Age Pension Articles
What gets better with age?
The Age Pension gets better Some things just get better with age. Some cheeses, great Australian red wines, and the Age Pension. How’s that, you ask More people are eligible at older ages. And many people move to a higher Age Pension as they age and...
Will Age Pension rates increase in March?
Last September, for the first time since 1997, Age Pensioners didn’t receive an increase in their pension rates. The reason for this was that both inflation (CPI) and the Pensioner and Beneficiary Living Cost Index (PBLCI) were negative. One of...
A Universal Age Pension – This is what you told us
We asked - This is what you told us A few weeks ago we asked our readers what they thought about the idea of a universal age pension. The results were overwhelming. More people responded to the survey and commented on our article than any other piece we...
How could an inheritance affect your entitlements?
Many of our customers have asked us this question. As life expectancy increases it is no longer unusual for people to receive an inheritance much later in life. If you do receive a lump sum inheritance, or any lump sum, you need to be aware of a few...
Should Deeming Rates be Lowered
What’s happening with deeming rates? Interests rates are now at record lows with the Reserve Bank cutting the official rate to just 0.1%. Deeming rates are now also the lowest they have ever been. The lower threshold is at 0.25% with the upper...
Can you increase your income and entitlements in retirement?
Can you increase your income and entitlements in retirement? Last week we covered a couple of simple things people might want to consider to improve their Age Pension entitlements. Namely, paying off a mortgage, renovating the family home and gifting. Here...
Optimising your pension
Optimising your pension Many of our customers often wonder why they don’t get as much Age Pension as their friends. The obvious reason is that their financial circumstances are different but often people aren’t aware of some simple things that could change...
Should we have a universal Age Pension?
In Australia eligibility for the Age Pension is means tested. The rationale for this is two-fold. Firstly it helps ensure that Government entitlements go to those who need them most and secondly by putting a limit on the number of people that are eligible...