Age pension

Collo · Senior Member

Age pension

BAZZA44 · Senior Member

The correct info will have to come from c/link. But I am sure you will receive single benefits.

Depending on your assets, if you do not qualify for the full pension, you could put everything in your wife's name until she gets to pension age. Doing this will get you the full pension as you do not have anything.

Check with a financial adviser, banks have them at no cost to you.

Barry

DMaxer · Guru

I would be extremely surprised if you were not asked by Centrelink whether you have transferred any assets or property to anyone.

I would suggest that you contact Centrelink and ask them whether you qualify. As far as I know there is not anyone on the forum who is conducting one of their branch offices here online.

-- Edited by DMaxer on Friday 10th of April 2020 02:48:50 PM

jade46 · Senior Member

We received a single married which is about $730.00. Your wife is supposed to be still working or on unemploment benefit in which case she is required to look for a job. Sucks hey. Can't look for a job while travelling. Neighbour has just gone on pension and receives same. Half of a married couple.

Whenarewethere · Guru

Your assets value is what you would get at a garage sale, clothes, furniture, crockery etc & these days no one has any money. A neighbour has had no luck selling their caravan for almost a year, so thatth worthless now. Second hand cars are have gone down in value as they can't sell new ones, & it has a lot of rust!

Cupie · Guru

About 20 years ago when I retired, I had a meeting with a Centrelink Advisor & attended some of their seminars. I found then very helpful & eager to make sure that you got the best possible outcome.

Of course with the current situation, they might be pretty busy & difficult to get an appointment with the right person.

Good luck.

bgt · Guru

It's the 'single' pension until both of you are over the hill!!!

We are in the same boat. I get a single pension and get just over $700.00 a fortnight. Wife will qualify in a month but can't get onto anyone to organise her pension. Phone, ques and internet are too busy at the moment. But I do know when her pension is finalised it will be back dated to the day she qualifies.

We get by on my pension. Good thing as the piggy bank has taken a dive in the last month or so.

Peter_n_Margaret · Guru

Cupie wrote:
About 20 years ago when I retired, I had a meeting with a Centrelink Advisor & attended some of their seminars. I found then very helpful & eager to make sure that you got the best possible outcome.
Of course with the current situation, they might be pretty busy & difficult to get an appointment with the right person.

Good luck.

Yep.

Make an appointment to see a Centrelink financial adviser. It is free and they will help you to get everything that you are entitled to get.

Cheers,

Peter

woolman · Guru

You will get half a married pension,

Plain Truth · Guru

Peter_n_Margaret wrote:
Cupie wrote:
About 20 years ago when I retired, I had a meeting with a Centrelink Advisor & attended some of their seminars. I found then very helpful & eager to make sure that you got the best possible outcome.
Of course with the current situation, they might be pretty busy & difficult to get an appointment with the right person.

Good luck.
Yep.
Make an appointment to see a Centrelink financial adviser. It is free and they will help you to get everything that you are entitled to get.
Cheers,
Peter

X3

Southern Cruizer · Guru

Peter_n_Margaret wrote:
Cupie wrote:
About 20 years ago when I retired, I had a meeting with a Centrelink Advisor & attended some of their seminars. I found then very helpful & eager to make sure that you got the best possible outcome.
Of course with the current situation, they might be pretty busy & difficult to get an appointment with the right person.

Good luck.
Yep.
Make an appointment to see a Centrelink financial adviser. It is free and they will help you to get everything that you are entitled to get.
Cheers,
Peter

Couldn't agree more Peter about Centrelink financial adviser. And they aren't actually connected to Centrelink as far as what you tell him/her. They advise on the figures you give them and nothing from him is ever passed onto the actual Centrelink. Have used them for past 6 yrs or so and also used them for my Mum after Dad passed away. Very helpful. Even if you aren't retired but approaching retiring age they talk to you and advise

Gaylehere · Guru

Yes do get some advice from Centrelink about your eligibility for the pension before you get to that age. You will only get a singles pension until your wife reaches pensionable age. The amount of pension you receive will depend on your income or assets. My husband gets a part age pension as we have too much in assets for the full singles pension. As others have said the $ figure on assets eg. vehicles, furniture, clothing etc is garage sale price not insured price. I receive nothing as I am not yet pensionable age for a couple more years. Do either of you have underlying medical problems? I was told by a centrelink staff member to try for Newstart payment with an exemption on medical grounds, which meant I didn't have to look for work but needed on going medical reports. I did try for this as getting the medicals was no problem but was knocked back because we had too much in assets. The only thing I qualified for was a low income health care card. Get these if you haven't already got them and a Seniors card. Also, once we hit a certain figure we qualify for extra rebate through Medicare for certain medical expenses. Good luck with everything.

Nevd · Senior Member

There is some confusion here about the actual terminology of what people are talking about. A single person for Centrelink Age Pension is someone who doesn't have a partner. The maximum rate for a single Age Pensioner is currently $944.30 per fortnight. If you are partnered, you can receive a maximum of $711.80 per fortnight each. So, if only one member of a couple is eligible, they get half the married rate, not the single rate. This is, of course, subject to the income and asset tests. Centrelink applies both tests, and whichever gives the lowest rate, that is the one that is applied.

My background is many years Social Security/Centrelink, 6 of them as a Financial Information Service Officer, and subsequent years as a Financial Planner. Hope this makes it clearer.

JeffRae · Guru

Nevd is correct.

Looks like you may still have a few years before your eligible Collo, things may change

Whenarewethere · Guru

Divorce & kick the other half out!