The Age Pension and your retirement plans

Most people intend to retire between ages 65 and 66, according to the latest data and, surprisingly, despite growing superannuation balances, the Age Pension is the main source of income for many retirees.i 

The intended retirement age has increased significantly in the last two decades, from just over 62 years on average in 2004.

Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) figures show that, in 2022-23, a government pension or allowance was still the main source of personal retirement income. This was followed by super, an annuity or private pension.

More than 60 per cent of those aged over 65 years were receiving the Pension in 2021ii

Am I eligible?

It is important to remember that, while you may not meet the eligibility requirements today, you may qualify later in life.

In 2021, only 44 per cent of people aged 65-69 received either full or part Age Pensions but this increased to 81 per cent for those aged 80 to 84 years.iii

Veterans who have served in the Australian Defence Force may be eligible for pensions or benefits from the Department of Veterans Affairs.iv

You are generally eligible for the Age Pension if you:

  • are over 67 years (depending on when you were born)
  • are an Australian resident and have lived in Australia for at least 10 years
  • can meet an income and assets test

What are the income and assets tests?

The Age Pension means tests considers your income and the value of any assets you own. If the value of your income and assets exceed certain limits, your payment will be reduced.

Income includes money from a job (including salary packaging), other pensions or annuities, earnings from investments and any earnings outside of Australia.v

Assets are items of value you or your partner own or have an interest in such as investment properties and artworks; caravans, cars, and boats; shares; and business assets. While your family home isn’t included in the assets test, your pension may be affected if you sell it.vi

Can I still work?

Singles can earn up to $212 per fortnight without their pension being affected. For every dollar over that amount, their pension will be reduced by 50 cents. Couples can earn up to $372 per fortnight and for every dollar over that amount, 25 cents in the dollar will be deducted from their pension payment.vii

If your income in a fortnight goes over a certain amount, you will not receive a pension payment. This cut-off amount is $2500.80 for a single person and a combined $3,833.40 for a couple. There are other higher cut-off allowances for those affected by ill-health.

The Work Bonus may help you earn more from working without reducing your pension. You don’t need to apply for it, the Bonus will be automatically applied to your eligible income – you just need to declare your income.viii

What does the Age Pension pay?

There are different rates of pension for singles and couples.

The current maximum basic rate for a single person is $1047.10 per fortnight. A couple would receive 1,578.60 per fortnight. With extra supplements, those on a full Pension could receive a fortnightly total of $1,144.40 for singles and $1,725.20 for couples.ix

Get in touch if you’d some help to work out your eligibility for the Age Pension and other government entitlements.

Retirement and Retirement Intentions, Australia, 2022-23 financial year | Australian Bureau of Statistics (abs.gov.au)

ii, iii Age Pension guide | SuperGuide

iv Eligibility for benefits and payments | Department of Veterans’ Affairs (dva.gov.au)

Income – Age Pension | Services Australia

vi Asset types – Age Pension | Services Australia

vii Income test for Age Pension – Age Pension | Services Australia

viii Who can get the Work Bonus – Work Bonus | Services Australia

ix How much Age Pension you can get – Age Pension | Services Australia

Priyanka Kumar

Financial Adviser

Priyanka is a financial adviser with experience across various areas of advice including superannuation and retirement planning, wealth creation and personal insurance. Her education includes a Bachelor of Applied Finance from Macquarie University and a Graduate Diploma of Financial Planning from Kaplan.

Priyanka enjoys strategising and working towards creating valuable solutions for our clients. She loves meeting our clients, both existing and new, and getting to know them on a personal level and hearing the unique stories they have to share.

Ashish Thadani

Director & Financial Adviser

Financial Adviser / Director of Investlink Group & Excalibur Wealth Group

Ashish has over 20 years of experience as a financial adviser and is passionate about educating his clients on their finances and the financial strategies that he recommends to them.

With a “client comes first” philosophy for the business, Ashish operates with patience, transparency and with the best interests of his clients always in mind.

Authorised Representative No. 290396

Investlink Group Pty Ltd Corporate Authorised Representative No. 442305