My Age Pension

06/10/2026

Age Pension residency rules can catch people out. To claim, you need to be an Australian resident and in Australia on claim day. Many people need 10 years of Australian residence. Time overseas, long trips, or plans to move can change your payment. Work or residence in a country with a social security agreement with Australia can help you qualify.

If you or your client has lived overseas, check the rules before you apply or travel. Reach out for more information.

01/10/2026

The double standard in Centrelink's rules needs to be talked about. ⚠️If Centrelink makes a mistake on your payment and underpays you, you have a strict 13-week window from when you were notified to ask for a formal review if you want full back pay. Miss that deadline? You lose out on the money you were legitimately owed for that past period—even though the mistake was theirs.

On the flip side, if a client makes an honest, genuine mistake and gets overpaid, there is no time limit for Centrelink. They can look back years, raise a debt, and demand every single cent back.Why is the clock ticking so fast when Centrelink owes you money, but runs indefinitely when you owe them?Systemic fairness shouldn't depend on who made the mistake.

If everyday Australians are expected to pay back overpayments no matter how much time has passed, the government should be held to the exact same standard when they underpay people doing it tough.What are your thoughts? Have you or anyone you know run into the 13-week rule?

28/09/2026

Age Pension eligibility starts with your age and your record in Australia. You need to be 67 or older and, in many cases, have lived in Australia for 10 years. Centrelink also checks your income and assets. That can include wages, super, investments, and a partner's income.

A property sale, inheritance, or change in family circumstances can shift your payment or your claim.

Sounds simple enough. It isn't!

If you need help checking eligibility, fixing a rejected claim, or reviewing a client case, reach out for more information.

24/09/2026

Thinking about moving in with family but worried about how it will impact your pension? Have you considered a Granny Flat Agreement?

A Granny Flat Agreement is an arrangement where you transfer your home or cash assets to another person, usually a family member, in exchange for lifetime accommodation. If structured properly, it can help secure your housing and support your Age Pension position, but Centrelink rules can be complex.

Key points to keep in mind:
- Transferring vs selling, transferring a house directly is assessed differently than selling first and transferring the proceeds, your pension outcome can vary a lot.
- Legal advice, both parties should get independent legal advice to protect the relationship and keep things clear and fair.
- Aged care considerations, if you enter aged care within five years, Centrelink may review the arrangement closely.

Want help to navigate and simplify your options? Comment on this post or contact us at [email protected].

21/09/2026

Navigating the Age Pension system doesn't have to feel overwhelming. Whether you're just starting to look ahead to retirement or already receiving payments, My Age Pension is here to help you understand, access, maximise, and maintain your entitlements.
Here is how our team can support you:
Planning & Applying: Unsure if you qualify, wondering how much you might receive, or need help cutting through the red tape of the application process? We provide clear eligibility assessments, accurate benefit estimations, and step-by-step application support.
Existing Recipients: Already on the pension? We conduct comprehensive benefit reviews, help resolve payment discrepancies, and explore tailored strategies to help optimise your payments.
Life Transitions: Major changes like selling a property, receiving an inheritance, losing a spouse, or changes to family business involvement can impact your pension. We guide you through how these life events affect your entitlements.
Rejections & Appeals: If your Age Pension application has been rejected, we can identify the exact cause. If the rejection was correct, we will explain why and provide guidance on what changes you can make for a different outcome. If the rejection is wrong, we will guide you step-by-step through the appeals process to help you secure the benefits you deserve.
Take control of your Age Pension journey today!
📞 Phone us on 1300 791 805
📧 Email [email protected]
🌐 Visit www.myagepension.com.au to learn more about our services.

Get the most out of your entitlements with our personalised Age Pension services. We help you understand, access, maximize, and maintain your Australian Age Pension. From eligibility checks to application assistance, we’re here to ensure you secure the benefits you deserve.

17/09/2026

Holding Bitcoin or other crypto while receiving Centrelink payments? It can affect your Age Pension.

Centrelink usually treats cryptocurrency as an asset, so it should be declared, even if it sits on an exchange or in a digital wallet. If the value is high enough, it can change your assets test result and reduce your payment.

To simplify things and stay secure:
1. Keep clear records, dates, amounts, wallet addresses, and exchange statements.
2. Watch for income, staking rewards, yield, and frequent trading may be assessed as income.
3. Plan your timing, selling crypto can quickly shift your position from asset to cash.
4. Update Centrelink when you buy, sell, or the value moves a lot.

If you want to navigate this with confidence, a quick review can help you optimise your entitlements and avoid surprises.

Do you currently hold crypto, or are you considering it in retirement?

04/09/2026

Confused about how Centrelink assesses an Account Based Pension, and what it means for your Age Pension? Here is a simple way to navigate it:

1. Assets test, your pension balance usually counts as an asset.
2. Income test, for most people the income is worked out using deeming rates, not the amount you withdraw.
3. Start date matters, pensions started before 1 Jan 2015 may be assessed under older rules, while newer ones are deemed. This is called grandfathering. To have the older rules apply, you must have been receiving the Age Pension continuously since 1 Jan 2015. The reality is that very few people qualify.
4. Grandfathering can sometimes be advantageous, but not always.

Before you switch products, take a big lump sum, or change how your pension is paid, it is worth a quick check to simplify decisions, optimise your entitlement, and secure your retirement income.

Do you know the date your account based pension started?

27/08/2026

Confused by Centrelink deemed income? You are not alone.

Deeming is how Centrelink estimates the income you earn from financial assets, like savings, term deposits, shares and managed funds. It is not based on what you actually earn, it uses set deeming rates, and that figure can affect your Age Pension, and other payments, under the income test.

To work out your deeming:
- List all financial assets.
- Include loans and gifts made in the last five years above the gifting limit.
- Apply the current deeming rate for your situation.
- The lower deeming rate is 1.25%, applied to the first $66,800 for single pensioners and $110,600 for couples. The upper deeming rate of 3.25% is applied to the balance for both singles and couples.

To simplify and optimise your outcome, update Centrelink when amounts change. Even small changes can move the result. If you want support to navigate this with confidence, ask us to review your Centrelink account, so you can secure your entitlements and feel empowered.

Have you reviewed your Centrelink financial assets list recently?

16/08/2026

Living in Australia and receiving both New Zealand Superannuation and the Australian Age Pension can be confusing.

If you receive NZ Super, Centrelink will take it into account when calculating your Australian payments. In most cases, the amount you receive from New Zealand is offset against your Australian Age Pension. This means your combined NZ Super plus Australian Age Pension should not exceed your maximum Australian Age Pension entitlement.

One common problem is timing. Delays in communication between Australian and New Zealand departments can create a lag in adjustments. This can lead to catch up lump sums being paid or debts being raised by New Zealand Superannuation, especially if your Australian Age Pension changes from fortnight to fortnight.

If you are unsure whether you are receiving the correct amount, contact us and we can help you navigate the rules, simplify the process, and calculate your entitlements so you can optimise and secure your income.

Are you currently receiving NZ Super?

16/08/2026

✈️ Heading overseas? Important Centrelink Pension Supplement changes coming on 20 September 2026!

If you're on the Age Pension and planning a trip abroad (or thinking about moving overseas), there are key changes you need to know about:

👉 Short Trips (Under 12 weeks): GOOD NEWS! You will now keep your FULL Pension Supplement for up to 12 weeks while overseas (increased from 6 weeks).
👉 Trips over 12 weeks: After week 12, your Pension Supplement will STOP completely until you return to Australia.
👉 Moving Overseas Permanently: Your Pension Supplement will stop immediately on the day you leave Australia.

⚠️ WARNING FOR EXPATS TURNING 67:
We’re getting a huge number of calls from Australians living overseas who are turning Age Pension age and getting caught out by these two rules:
1️⃣ You MUST be physically inside Australia to lodge an Age Pension application.
2️⃣ If you’re a former resident returning to Australia to claim, you must return intending to live here permanently AND stay residing in Australia for at least 2 years before you can travel abroad with your pension.

Planning a trip or returning to Australia? Don't let Centrelink travel rules catch you off guard!

👇 Drop a comment below or send us a message to check how your travel plans affect your pension.