Centrelink.gov.au Age Pension – Centrelink Pension Rates

The trading name of the Commonwealth Service Delivery Agency (CSDA) is Centrelink. It is an Australian Government statutory agency, delivering a range of Commonwealth services to the Australian community. The official website of Centerlink is www.centerlink.gov.au. In this article you can get the details of Centrelink age pension and pension rates.

The office of Centrelink is located at Innaloo, Western Australia. They provide services like online payments, retirement, business, child care, community group, international, and career. They have over 300 Customer Service Centres and more than 20 Call Centers. They also have more than 500 agents and access points in rural and remote Australia with free phone and fax available for Centrelink business.

Age Pension: For age pension conditions are given below:

Eligibility: You have to satisfy the age and residence requirements for qualifying age pension. Centrelink then works out how much Age Pension is payable, depends on your income and assets and other situation. You may be eligible for Age Pension (Blind) if you are lawfully blind, which usually has no income or assets test. The qualifying age for Age Pension will increase from 65 to 65.5 years from 1 July 2017. The table which shows the gradual increase in women’s qualifying age for Age Pension over the period leading up to 1 July 2013, and then the increase in qualifying age for both men and women from 1 July 2017 is provided below:

Income and assets: Age Pension payment is calculated under the income and assets test both. If your test result is in lower rate or zero then you can apply.

Income test: The income test will be effective from 1 January 2010. This information applies to the following payments:

• Age Pension
• Disability Support Pension
• Wife Pension
• Widow B Pension
• Bereavement Allowance
• Career Payment (caring for a person 16 years or over)
• Career Payment (caring for a child under 16 years)
• Pension Bonus Bereavement Payment

Income test for pensions:

Get more information about Income tests for pension here.

Assets test: Assets is the property and possession. Assets tests are as follows:

• Assets test for homeowners [link]
• Assets test for non-homeowners [link]
• Extra allowable amount for retirement village and granny flat residents [link]

Residence requirements: You must be an Australian resident and in Australia on the day that you lodge your claim. To qualify you must be living in Australia as:

• an Australian citizen, or
• the holder of a permanent resident visa, or
• a New Zealand citizen who was in Australia on 26 February 2001, or for 12 months in the 2 years immediately before that date, or was assessed as “protected” before 26 February 2004.

For more information, click here.

Foreign pensions: If you are claiming or receiving Age Pension and you have lived or worked outside Australia then you may also be asked to apply for a pension from that country and advise them of the outcome. If your partner have lived or worked outside Australia then your partner may also be required to claim a foreign pension, even if they are not claiming a payment from themselves. You can Freecall™ 1800 050 041 for getting information.

Payment rates: The payment rates for Age pension are effective from 1 January 2010. You may be paid at the single rate if you and your partner are alienated because of illness. If your partner is in prison or a psychiatric hospital then you can receive the single rate of Age Pension. If your partner is not receiving a pension, benefit or allowance then you may be eligible for the couple rate of Age Pension. Read more details here.

Source: http://www.centrelink.gov.au/