The first big mistake is assume you are not entitled to anything. Two thirds of Australians will be entitled to a full or part Age Pension at some stage in their life. And for the remaining third of Australians who do not currently qualify, at least half will qualify for another form of government assistance.
The range of entitlements for retirees is extensive. But the rules attached to these entitlements are often complex and confusing.
Cutting through the confusion and complexity is what the team at Retirement Essentials does.
How does this work?
Firstly, we assist with your Age Pension eligibility, given that 65% of retired Australians will qualify.
Our free calculator helps you to do your own sums up front. If you believe you will qualify, you may choose to apply independently.
Or, for a modest fee, Retirement Essentials can process the application for you, follow it up on your behalf and check that your expected entitlement is received.
Our consultants are very experienced at this process and determined to get the best outcome on your behalf.
So what did Paul do?
Paul recently contacted us as he was disappointed to get a knockback on his pension application,
When we checked on his behalf, we learned that his file at Centrelink could not be located. We followed up quite a few times and finally Paul’s application was located and lodged and his entitlement was granted. His subsequent pension was backdated by 12 weeks, to reflect when he filled in the application. He did not give up. Instead he allowed us to pursue this on his behalf.
He and his wife were so happy with the outcome he offered to shout all of our support team out to lunch. Lovely gesture. Naturally we couldn’t accept, but that’s how much the final resolution meant to him.
Remember, your entitlements are not just related to Age Pension eligibility. With nearly 30% of retirees self-funded, the acquisition of a Commonwealth Seniors Health Card (CSHC) can save you thousands of dollars each year in medical costs. It’s based upon your income, not your assets, so knowing how these thresholds work is a real bonus.
Our team has assisted hundreds of Australian retirees to lodge their CSHC applications. Why not let us help you as well?
And clearly support with any age pension entitlements is our bread and butter.
So what is the next big mistake?
