by James Coyle | Mar 25, 2022 | Planning for Retirement
The recent significant changes to Age Pension rules and rates have firmly renewed the focus on retirement income affordability. But in the push to fully understand every aspect of retirement incomings, we run the risk of missing the other half of the equation – and...
by James Coyle | Mar 25, 2022 | Centrelink Age Pension
The 20 March Age Pension increases have unleashed a huge number of comments from Retirement Essentials members. You have let us know, in no uncertain terms, how difficult it is to survive on the current rate of the pension, or when you are squeezed out of eligibility...
by James Coyle | Mar 18, 2022 | Centrelink Age Pension
Last Sunday, March 20, the highest Age Pension increase for nine years was enacted. The majority of the 3.9 million older Australians in retirement live on a full or part Age Pension. So this is a significant, across the board, income boost. But it is more than just...
by James Coyle | Mar 18, 2022 | Centrelink Age Pension
As you are no doubt aware, qualification for the Age Pension is dependent upon meeting both the income and assets tests, and whichever test delivers the worse outcome – the lowest amount of pension – is the one upon which your Age Pension entitlement will...
by James Coyle | Mar 18, 2022 | Centrelink Age Pension
Also known as pension disqualifying income limits, this is the amount of money that you are allowed to earn before your Age Pension entitlement is removed completely The new income disqualifying limits have been increased by $40.20 per fortnight for singles and...
by James Coyle | Mar 15, 2022 | Centrelink Age Pension
Biggest increase in nine years The March 20 Age Pension increases have been announced, with the highest increase for nine years soon to hit retirees’ pay packets. Current inflationary tendencies have had a marked impact on the rate of the Age Pension with...
by James Coyle | Mar 11, 2022 | Planning for Retirement
On International Women’s Day last week, a flood of statistics about gender inequities were shared. It’s fair to say that overall the financial situation for women is slowly improving. But it’s also true that most indicators are coming off such a low base, anything but...
by James Coyle | Mar 11, 2022 | Commonwealth Seniors Health Card
If you think that your health care costs are rising faster than ever, sadly, you’re right. There’s a lot of complexity attached to health care costs so it can be difficult to understand exactly what is causing your medical bills to rise so sharply. Last week the...
by James Coyle | Mar 11, 2022 | Retirement Advice
There are two different ways to understand the concept of ‘financial hardship’: The official definition which is used by government agencies to assess whether you are eligible for extra or emergency support or special eligibility consideration. The unofficial, more...
by James Coyle | Mar 7, 2022 | Superannuation
How can these rule changes increase your income? Big things are happening to super on July 1. These changes have the power to significantly improve income for older workers, Age Pensioners, and those aged 60-75. Here’s a summary of what you need to know about...
