How does the income test work?

How does the income test work?

Last week we defined the Assets Test and rules which are applied to your assets for Age Pension entitlement. This week we look more closely at the Income Test, one of the three aspects by which an Age Pension entitlement will be assessed. Put simply, Centrelink...
Are we the lucky country?

Are we the lucky country?

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...
How does the assets test work?

How does the assets test work?

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...
What are taper rates?

What are taper rates?

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...
Free RATs for concession card holders

Free RATs for concession card holders

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....
How to pay yourself in retirement

How to pay yourself in retirement

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,...
You probably haven’t got it covered

You probably haven’t got it covered

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...
Heading back to work?

Heading back to work?

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...