Changes To The Age Pension Rules – Will You Be Affected?

Changes To The Age Pension Rules – Will You Be Affected?

 
From 1 January 2017 Government changes to the age pension are likely to reduce pensioner entitlements. It’s important that you understand how the changes could affect you.

Increase in the assets test threshold
The assets test threshold is the amount of assets pensioners can hold before their pension starts to reduce under the Centrelink assets test.

Assets test thresholds from 1 January 2017
Family Situation Assets Test Threshold Estimate Assets Test Cut-Off
Single, homeowner $250,000 $547,000
Single, non-homeowner $450,000 $747,000
Couple, homeowner $375,000 $823,000
Couple, non-homeowner $575,000 $1,023,000

Increase in the ‘taper rate’
The taper rate is the rate at which the age pension starts to reduce when the level of assets increase. From 2017 the taper rate will increase from $1.50 a fortnight to $3 a fortnight. This means the maximum age pension a pensioner can receive will be reduced by $3 per fortnight for every $1,000 of assets they hold above the assets test threshold.

How the changes could affect your age pension
The higher assets test thresholds will generally mean:

  • Age pension recipients with an asset value ‘around’ the thresholds are likely to see an increase in their age pension entitlement, and
  • Age pension recipients with assets above the threshold are likely to see a reduction in their age pension – in some cases to zero – as a result of the increased taper rate.

 
Example:
Retired couple Betty and John are both 68 years old and own their home. They have $823,000 in total assets and currently receive a part age pension of $500 per fortnight. If their assets remain unchanged on 1 January 2017, their age pension is estimated to reduce to zero (see chart below).

The effect of a couple homeowner’s age pension as at 1 January 2017

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Thompsons Australia Newsletters and articles are distributed by professional tax practitioners to provide information of general interest to our clients. The content of this newsletter does not constitute specific advice. Readers are encouraged to consult their tax adviser for advice on specific matters.