RETA021 Making sense of age pension rules (382 words)

This article explains the key complexities of Australia’s age pension and helps retirees understand eligibility, rules and paperwork with more confidence. It also outlines practical steps to maximise entitlements and feel more secure in retirement.

We’d all love to be self-funded in retirement, but for many of us it’s simply not possible. Sometimes we can partially self-fund, sometimes not at all and this is where the government provides assistance.

Depending on your circumstances, you may be eligible for either a part or full age pension, but the Australian age pension system is notoriously complex.

When trying to understand your eligibility, it’s easy to become confused by questions around means tests, deeming rules, residency requirements etc, making it difficult to understand how much, if anything at all, you’re entitled to receive.