With our super taking a big hit and we have just both retired....l need to do some rethinking.
When l reach 67 my age pension age, will l receive the pension as a couple (my wife will only be 61) $1297 per fortnight.
Or will l receive $860 per fortnight as a single person and have to wait until my wife turns 67 to get the couple rate.
Collo
BAZZA44 said
02:42 PM Apr 10, 2020
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 said
02:47 PM Apr 10, 2020
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 said
02:50 PM Apr 10, 2020
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 said
02:51 PM Apr 10, 2020
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 said
02:58 PM Apr 10, 2020
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 said
03:33 PM Apr 10, 2020
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 said
04:26 PM Apr 10, 2020
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 said
04:44 PM Apr 10, 2020
You will get half a married pension,
Plain Truth said
06:25 PM Apr 10, 2020
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 said
07:42 PM Apr 10, 2020
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 said
11:46 PM Apr 10, 2020
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 said
09:00 AM Apr 11, 2020
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 said
04:03 PM Apr 11, 2020
Nevd is correct.
Looks like you may still have a few years before your eligible Collo, things may change
With our super taking a big hit and we have just both retired....l need to do some rethinking.
When l reach 67 my age pension age, will l receive the pension as a couple (my wife will only be 61) $1297 per fortnight.
Or will l receive $860 per fortnight as a single person and have to wait until my wife turns 67 to get the couple rate.
Collo
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
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
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!
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.
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.
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
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
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.
Nevd is correct.
Looks like you may still have a few years before your eligible Collo, things may change
Divorce & kick the other half out!