by Jeremy Duffield | Jan 20, 2022 | Centrelink Age Pension
Sometimes, we need to remind ourselves just how lucky we are. A friend’s note did that for me the other day. Brian Jones runs a business based in the Philippines from Australia and he shared how grateful he is to be living here, particularly during the Covid...
by James Coyle | Jan 14, 2022 | Centrelink Age Pension
In addition to your age there are three major considerations upon which your eligibility for the Age Pension is assessed; the income test, the assets test, and your residency status. Today we share the first of a three-part explanation of how these critical tests work...
by James Coyle | Jan 14, 2022 | Centrelink Age Pension
Taper Rates: Understanding the Age Pension sliding scale This often misunderstood term applies to a sliding scale which sits between entitlement for a full Age Pension, a part Age Pension and no pension at all. When applied to your assets, it means that the value of...
by James Coyle | Jan 14, 2022 | Centrelink Age Pension
Can you get free RATs test kits? It’s hard enough to keep up with frequent changes to health rules, let alone changes to your entitlements. So you may have missed the recent announcement of free rapid antigen tests (RATs) for all Australian concession card holders....
by James Coyle | Dec 23, 2021 | Retirement Income
Three ways to fund yourself Many people assume retirement income comes down to being on a pension or not. But it’s not quite as clear cut as this. The recent Treasury Intergenerational Report (IGR) shows that about 65% of retirees will be on full or part Age Pensions,...
by James Coyle | Dec 23, 2021 | Centrelink Age Pension
How can you know what you don’t know? There’s an old saying that an assumption is a gateway to a mistake. And thinking that your already know all the rules is a proposition that is worth challenging. There is a reason that the financial planning industry exists and...
by James Coyle | Dec 23, 2021 | Centrelink Age Pension
Three retirement assumptions that lead to mistakes And the myth busters that explain why these assumptions are wrong: It’s mainly about the money It’s all about you and your needs You already know the rules And here are the myth busters that explain why these...
by James Coyle | Dec 23, 2021 | Retirement Income
Stopping retirement in 2022? Maybe you are planning on ‘unretiring’ in 2022. It could be because you need some extra income. Or because the type of work you want is now available. This is increasingly likely with Australian unemployment numbers heading much lower than...
by James Coyle | Dec 22, 2021 | Retirement Advice
Meet Nicole and Jodi With more than 50 years combined financial services experience, Nicole Bell and Jodi Seaton are just the right people to assist Retirement Essentials members with affordable financial advice. The team at Retirement Essentials realised quite some...
by James Coyle | Dec 21, 2021 | Centrelink Age Pension
Not everyone is aware that they may have a Centrelink debt. The Department of Social Security (DSS) paused debt activity in August 2021 to alleviate hardship, with many parts of the country in lockdown due to the Delta outbreak. This pause is scheduled to be lifted...
