Australian pension criteria

[robert...@inbox.com]

Hi all, I am an Australian citizen with British heritage and came to Australia in 2007 upon my retirement.

I have just got married and my Australian wife receives a partial pension of $29000, my pension from UK government + occupational pension is $39000.

I ask the brains trust if there is any advice you can give me as to how to advise Centrelink on this matter. Any tips or help in this matter would be much appreciated.

Thanks in advance

Rob Hughes 

[Lesley and Bob Maxwell]

Ring the seniors line at Centrelink? We’ve actually found them helpful….

Get Outlook for iOS

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From: roberthughes via BAPA <bapa...@googlegroups.com>
Sent: Tuesday, May 28, 2024 10:57:15 AM
To: bapa...@googlegroups.com <bapa...@googlegroups.com>
Subject: [bapanews] Australian pension criteria

 

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[Steve Symmons]

Centrelink offer a free evaluation service for potential age pension applicants.

Just make an appointment

Turn up

Answer the questions (honestly, of course - no point otherwise)

They will determine from that information whether you will be assessed under assets or income. And what age pension amount you do, or do not, qualify for.

With that information you can then adjust your circumstances accordingly (with professional advice if you feel it necessary) so that you can make a successful application afterwards.

Converting cash into your home is one way.

Spending some on  holiday is perfectly legitimate.

You may not qualify for a whole pension, but a part pension - with Pension Concession Card - well worth having.

My “frozen” UK pension still reduces my Australian payment about $30/fn - but in the future, either inflation driven increases in income thresholds will accomodate it completely; or a successful change in UK DWP practice will increase it to its true value and I’ll lose 50c/$ of the gain.

To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/bapanews/MEAP282MB0552B2E470A7A0669EFB45CBC1F12%40MEAP282MB0552.AUSP282.PROD.OUTLOOK.COM.

[Jonathan Green]

Hi,

If you are wanting to apply for an Australian pension you can do so online, on the figures you give I think you will get some return. Be aware that it is a long and painful process... took me months! There was so much paperwork that I went to my local centrelink office and handed the wad of paper in for them to do the copying and forwarding, it was around an inch thick! The follow up paperwork they asked for was substantial too, but I'm glad I didn't give up as my Oz pension, (although I paid towards my UK pension for 36 years and didn't pay anything directly towards my Oz one), is twice as much as my UK state pension.

Hope this helps rather than discourages you to apply!

Regards,

Jonathan Green

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From: roberthughes via BAPA <bapa...@googlegroups.com>

Sent: 28 May 2024 19:27

To: bapa...@googlegroups.com <bapa...@googlegroups.com>
Subject: [bapanews] Australian pension criteria

 

Hi all, I am an Australian citizen with British heritage and came to Australia in 2007 upon my retirement.

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[John Wilson]

Hi,

 

I’m not sure if this feedback is applicable but if someone who’s retired resides in Australia (e.g. for a minimum of 10 years) they may qualify for some form of payment from Centrelink.

 

Here is a link for access to more relevant information and details : https://www.servicesaustralia.gov.au/who-can-get-age-pension?context=22526#whatagepensionis

 

Same may apply for some concessions (e.g. for travel, utility discounts) too.

 

Hope this helps any one at all.

 

Regards,

 

John (w.)

 

From: roberthughes via BAPA <bapa...@googlegroups.com>
Sent: Tuesday, 28 May 2024 7:57 PM
To: bapa...@googlegroups.com
Subject: [bapanews] Australian pension criteria

 

Hi all, I am an Australian citizen with British heritage and came to Australia in 2007 upon my retirement.

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[Marcus Wigan]

I agree ring Centrelink first

If you have records of the contributions you made to your occupational pension this will be useful. The uk state pensions will be frozen at the date you start them but are usually eligible for an 8% abatement in recognition of the contributory component. Beyond that the start point is full taxability in australia. Please post you final advice as we need to know!

Marcus wigan

Melbourne

Sent from my iPhone

On 29 May 2024, at 03:50, roberthughes via BAPA <bapa...@googlegroups.com> wrote:



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[robert...@inbox.com]

Thanks Jonathan, that is very interesting 

To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/bapanews/DB9PR08MB9657EE70B0FB12BF7045B96AE1F22%40DB9PR08MB9657.eurprd08.prod.outlook.com.

[robert...@inbox.com]

Thanks Steve, that's good to know.

On 2024-05-29 12:54, Steve Symmons wrote:

Centrelink offer a free evaluation service for potential age pension applicants.

Just make an appointment

Turn up

Answer the questions (honestly, of course - no point otherwise)

They will determine from that information whether you will be assessed under assets or income. And what age pension amount you do, or do not, qualify for.

With that information you can then adjust your circumstances accordingly (with professional advice if you feel it necessary) so that you can make a successful application afterwards.

Converting cash into your home is one way.

Spending some on  holiday is perfectly legitimate.

You may not qualify for a whole pension, but a part pension - with Pension Concession Card - well worth having.

My "frozen" UK pension still reduces my Australian payment about $30/fn - but in the future, either inflation driven increases in income thresholds will accomodate it completely; or a successful change in UK DWP practice will increase it to its true value and I'll lose 50c/$ of the gain.

 

 

On Wed, 29 May 2024 at 2:23 PM, Lesley and Bob Maxwell <lesley...@hotmail.com> wrote:

Ring the seniors line at Centrelink? We've actually found them helpful....

 

Get Outlook for iOS

---

From: roberthughes via BAPA <bapa...@googlegroups.com>
Sent: Tuesday, May 28, 2024 10:57:15 AM
To: bapa...@googlegroups.com <bapa...@googlegroups.com>
Subject: [bapanews] Australian pension criteria

 

Hi all, I am an Australian citizen with British heritage and came to Australia in 2007 upon my retirement.

I have just got married and my Australian wife receives a partial pension of $29000, my pension from UK government + occupational pension is $39000.

I ask the brains trust if there is any advice you can give me as to how to advise Centrelink on this matter. Any tips or help in this matter would be much appreciated.

Thanks in advance

Rob Hughes 

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[robert...@inbox.com]

Thanks John, another aspect to follow

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