Jan is approaching retirement and isn’t sure how her super will be assessed.
•••
Q. Jan
Is your super balance taken into consideration when you apply for the Age Pension? How much can you have in savings as a couple to receive the Age Pension? Is super riskier than bank savings? We are coming up to retirement and would appreciate some honest advice as we are having difficulty getting an unbiased viewpoint.
A. Once you have reached Age Pension eligibility age, your superannuation is assessed under the income and the asset tests. The balance of your superannuation fund, or the amount used to purchase an income stream is assessed as a financial asset and deemed to earn income.
Your spouse’s super is assessed under the income and asset tests only once they have reached Age Pension eligibility age or commence the pension phase – where the super fund pays an income stream or pension.
In terms of your savings, you need to pass the assets test to be eligible to claim an Age Pension.
Asset test limits are used to determine whether you qualify for an Age Pension and if so, at which rate it will be paid. Your fortnightly Age Pension payment is reduced by $3 for every $1000 you exceed the asset limit. Once you exceed the limits for a part Age Pension, your Age Pension payment will cease.
You also need to be wary of reducing your assets in order to qualify for an Age Pension, as Centrelink considers this a deprived asset under gifting rules and will assess it as such. The limits for gifting are $10,000 in any financial year, but limited to $30,000 over five years. Deprived assets are assessed for five years.
Asset limits for full Age Pensions are indexed each year on 1 July and the limits for part Age Pensions are indexed in March, July and September of each year. The current asset test limits are listed below.
Centrelink asset test limits for Allowances and full Age Pensions from 1 July 2019
|
Situation |
Homeowners |
Non-homeowners |
|
Single |
$263,250 |
$473,750 |
|
Couple (combined) |
$394,500 |
$605,000 |
|
Illness separated (couple combined) |
$387,500 |
$594,500 |
|
One partner eligible (combined assets) |
$394,500 |
$605,000 |
Centrelink asset test limits for part Age Pensions – effective from 20 March 2019
|
Situation |
Homeowners |
Non-homeowners |
|
Single |
$572,000 |
$782,500 |
|
Couple (combined) |
$860,000 |
$1,070,500 |
|
Illness separated (couple combined) |
$1,012,000 |
$1,222,500 |
|
One partner eligible (combined assets) |
$860,000 |
$1,070,500 |
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