Post by Banjo on Jul 14, 2015 15:58:28 GMT 7
Centrelink Pension Allowance Increase July 2015
The Centrelink Pension Allowances are the starting points for the Income Test and Assets Test that can reduce the amount of DSP or Age Pension actually payable. Centrelink Pension Allowance amounts increased on 1 July 2015. This means that a Centrelink Pensioner could have more Income and more Assets before her Pension is reduced.
DVA pay the Service Pension to eligible veterans and their partners. The Service Pension is paid at the same rates and subject to the same means testing as the Age Pension from Centrelink.
Centrelink Pension Allowance Increase July 2015 for Singles
Income Test Allowance for a Single Pensioner
For a Single Disability Support or Age Pensioner, the Income Allowance has increased by two dollars per fortnight to $162 per fortnight. If a Single Pensioner has more than $162 per fortnight of Income at Centrelink, then her DSP or Age Pension could be reduced by fifty cents for each additional dollar of income over$162 per fortnight.
A Single DSP or Age Pensioner could have an Income at Centrelink of $1,724.40 per fortnight, $44,830 per year, and retain one dollar per fortnight of Pension plus the full rate of Pension Supplements provided that the Asset Test had not excluded her from the Pension.
Asset Test Allowance for a Single Pensioner
A Single Pensioner who is not a ‘Homeowner at Centrelink’ may have $354,500 of Assets and not be impacted by the Assets Test.
A Single homeowner could have Assets of $205,500 in addition to her home, before the Asset Test starts to impact.
The amount of DSP or Age Pension payable reduces by $1.50 per fortnight, $39 per year, for each additional $1,000 of Assets over the Allowance.
Thus a single non-homeowner Pensioner could have $875,300 of Assets, and retain one dollar per fortnight of Pension plus the full rate of Pension Supplements provided that the Income Test had not excluded her from the Pension.
A single Pensioner could have $726,300 of Assets in addition to her home, and retain one dollar per fortnight of Pension plus the full rate of Pension Supplements provided that the Income Test had not excluded her from the Pension.
Centrelink Pension Allowance Increase July 2015 for couples
Income Test Allowance for a Pensioner Couple
The Income Allowance for a Pensioner Couple at Centrelink has increased by four dollars per fortnight to $288 per fortnight. Thus if an Age Pensioner Couple has more than $288 per fortnight of Income at Centrelink, then their combined Age Pension could be reduced by fifty cents for each additional dollar of income over $288 per fortnight.
Where only one member of the couple at Centrelink is eligible for DSP or an Age Pension, the Pension payable to that member of the couple is reduced by twenty five cents for each dollar of Income that the couple get in excess of the Income Test Allowance of $288 per fortnight.
Asset Test Allowance for a Pensioner Couple
A Pensioner couple at Centrelink, who are not ‘Homeowners at Centrelink’ may have $440,500 of Assets and not be impacted by the Assets Test.
A homeowner couple at Centrelink, could have Assets of $291,500 in addition to their home, before the Asset Test starts to impact.
The combined amount of Age Pension payable to a couple at Centrelink reduces by $1.50 per fortnight, $39 per year, for each additional $1,000 of Assets over the Allowance.
Where only one member of the couple at Centrelink, is eligible for DSP or an Age Pension, the amount of Pension payable to that member of the couple is reduced by seventy five cents per fortnight for each additional $1,000 of Assets that the couple have in excess of the Asset Test Allowance.
Centrelink Pension Allowance Increase July 2015 Age Pensioner Couple Income and Asset Test cut offs
An Age Pensioner couple living together could have a combined Income at Centrelink of $2,642.40 per fortnight, $68,700 per year, and each retain one dollar per fortnight of Age Pension plus the full couple rate of Pension Supplements provided that the Asset Test had not excluded them from the Age Pension.
A couple living together in their own home could have additional Assets of $1,076,000 and each retain one dollar per fortnight of Age Pension plus the full couple rate of Pension Supplements provided that the Income Test had not excluded them from the Age Pension.
A non-homeowner couple living together could have Assets of $1,225,000 and each retain one dollar per fortnight of Age Pension plus the full couple rate of Pension Supplements provided that the Income Test had not excluded them from the Age Pension.
Centrelink Pension Allowance Increase July 2015 Age Pensioner couple separated by Illness
A couple living together are assumed to share some household expenses. Remember that a couple at Centrelink is any two adults who share domestic arrangements and present socially as a couple. Consequently the per person Couples rate of Age Pension is lower than the Single person rate.
But if at least one member of the couple moves into residential aged care then they become a ‘couple separated by illness’. Each member of a ‘couple separated by illness’ is entitled to the single rate of Pension but subject to the couples means testing.
An Age Pensioner couple separated by illness could have a combined Income at Centrelink of $3,412.80 per fortnight, $88,732 per year, and each retain one dollar per fortnight of Age Pension plus the full single rate of Pension Supplements provided that the Asset Test had not excluded them from the Age Pension.
Thus a non-homeowner Age Pensioner couple separated by illness could have $1,482,000 of Assets, and retain one dollar per fortnight of Pension plus the full single rate of Pension Supplements provided that the Income Test had not excluded them from the Pension.
An Age Pensioner couple separated by illness could have $1,333,000 of Assets in addition to their home, and each retain one dollar per fortnight of Pension plus the full single rate of Pension Supplements provided that the Income Test had not excluded them from the Pension.
Centrelink Pension Allowance Increase July 2015 in Deeming changeover amount
Centrelink and DVA, use ‘deeming’ to calculate the income from a pensioner’s financial assets for the Pension Income Test.
The Centrelink deeming calculation changeover amount was increased on 1 July 2015 to $48,600 for a single pensioner and $80,600 for a Couple at Centrelink.
The July 2015 Deemed Income from financial assets for a single pensioner is calculated as 1.75% per annum on the first $48,600 of financial assets plus 3.25% per annum on any balance above $48,600.
The July 2015 Deemed Income from financial assets for a pensioner couple is calculated as 1.75% per annum on the first $80,600 of the combined financial assets of the couple plus 3.25% per annum on any balance above $80,600.
www.financialcareservices.com.au/christine-hopper-insights/centrelink-pension-allowance-increase-july-2015/
The Centrelink Pension Allowances are the starting points for the Income Test and Assets Test that can reduce the amount of DSP or Age Pension actually payable. Centrelink Pension Allowance amounts increased on 1 July 2015. This means that a Centrelink Pensioner could have more Income and more Assets before her Pension is reduced.
DVA pay the Service Pension to eligible veterans and their partners. The Service Pension is paid at the same rates and subject to the same means testing as the Age Pension from Centrelink.
Centrelink Pension Allowance Increase July 2015 for Singles
Income Test Allowance for a Single Pensioner
For a Single Disability Support or Age Pensioner, the Income Allowance has increased by two dollars per fortnight to $162 per fortnight. If a Single Pensioner has more than $162 per fortnight of Income at Centrelink, then her DSP or Age Pension could be reduced by fifty cents for each additional dollar of income over$162 per fortnight.
A Single DSP or Age Pensioner could have an Income at Centrelink of $1,724.40 per fortnight, $44,830 per year, and retain one dollar per fortnight of Pension plus the full rate of Pension Supplements provided that the Asset Test had not excluded her from the Pension.
Asset Test Allowance for a Single Pensioner
A Single Pensioner who is not a ‘Homeowner at Centrelink’ may have $354,500 of Assets and not be impacted by the Assets Test.
A Single homeowner could have Assets of $205,500 in addition to her home, before the Asset Test starts to impact.
The amount of DSP or Age Pension payable reduces by $1.50 per fortnight, $39 per year, for each additional $1,000 of Assets over the Allowance.
Thus a single non-homeowner Pensioner could have $875,300 of Assets, and retain one dollar per fortnight of Pension plus the full rate of Pension Supplements provided that the Income Test had not excluded her from the Pension.
A single Pensioner could have $726,300 of Assets in addition to her home, and retain one dollar per fortnight of Pension plus the full rate of Pension Supplements provided that the Income Test had not excluded her from the Pension.
Centrelink Pension Allowance Increase July 2015 for couples
Income Test Allowance for a Pensioner Couple
The Income Allowance for a Pensioner Couple at Centrelink has increased by four dollars per fortnight to $288 per fortnight. Thus if an Age Pensioner Couple has more than $288 per fortnight of Income at Centrelink, then their combined Age Pension could be reduced by fifty cents for each additional dollar of income over $288 per fortnight.
Where only one member of the couple at Centrelink is eligible for DSP or an Age Pension, the Pension payable to that member of the couple is reduced by twenty five cents for each dollar of Income that the couple get in excess of the Income Test Allowance of $288 per fortnight.
Asset Test Allowance for a Pensioner Couple
A Pensioner couple at Centrelink, who are not ‘Homeowners at Centrelink’ may have $440,500 of Assets and not be impacted by the Assets Test.
A homeowner couple at Centrelink, could have Assets of $291,500 in addition to their home, before the Asset Test starts to impact.
The combined amount of Age Pension payable to a couple at Centrelink reduces by $1.50 per fortnight, $39 per year, for each additional $1,000 of Assets over the Allowance.
Where only one member of the couple at Centrelink, is eligible for DSP or an Age Pension, the amount of Pension payable to that member of the couple is reduced by seventy five cents per fortnight for each additional $1,000 of Assets that the couple have in excess of the Asset Test Allowance.
Centrelink Pension Allowance Increase July 2015 Age Pensioner Couple Income and Asset Test cut offs
An Age Pensioner couple living together could have a combined Income at Centrelink of $2,642.40 per fortnight, $68,700 per year, and each retain one dollar per fortnight of Age Pension plus the full couple rate of Pension Supplements provided that the Asset Test had not excluded them from the Age Pension.
A couple living together in their own home could have additional Assets of $1,076,000 and each retain one dollar per fortnight of Age Pension plus the full couple rate of Pension Supplements provided that the Income Test had not excluded them from the Age Pension.
A non-homeowner couple living together could have Assets of $1,225,000 and each retain one dollar per fortnight of Age Pension plus the full couple rate of Pension Supplements provided that the Income Test had not excluded them from the Age Pension.
Centrelink Pension Allowance Increase July 2015 Age Pensioner couple separated by Illness
A couple living together are assumed to share some household expenses. Remember that a couple at Centrelink is any two adults who share domestic arrangements and present socially as a couple. Consequently the per person Couples rate of Age Pension is lower than the Single person rate.
But if at least one member of the couple moves into residential aged care then they become a ‘couple separated by illness’. Each member of a ‘couple separated by illness’ is entitled to the single rate of Pension but subject to the couples means testing.
An Age Pensioner couple separated by illness could have a combined Income at Centrelink of $3,412.80 per fortnight, $88,732 per year, and each retain one dollar per fortnight of Age Pension plus the full single rate of Pension Supplements provided that the Asset Test had not excluded them from the Age Pension.
Thus a non-homeowner Age Pensioner couple separated by illness could have $1,482,000 of Assets, and retain one dollar per fortnight of Pension plus the full single rate of Pension Supplements provided that the Income Test had not excluded them from the Pension.
An Age Pensioner couple separated by illness could have $1,333,000 of Assets in addition to their home, and each retain one dollar per fortnight of Pension plus the full single rate of Pension Supplements provided that the Income Test had not excluded them from the Pension.
Centrelink Pension Allowance Increase July 2015 in Deeming changeover amount
Centrelink and DVA, use ‘deeming’ to calculate the income from a pensioner’s financial assets for the Pension Income Test.
The Centrelink deeming calculation changeover amount was increased on 1 July 2015 to $48,600 for a single pensioner and $80,600 for a Couple at Centrelink.
The July 2015 Deemed Income from financial assets for a single pensioner is calculated as 1.75% per annum on the first $48,600 of financial assets plus 3.25% per annum on any balance above $48,600.
The July 2015 Deemed Income from financial assets for a pensioner couple is calculated as 1.75% per annum on the first $80,600 of the combined financial assets of the couple plus 3.25% per annum on any balance above $80,600.
www.financialcareservices.com.au/christine-hopper-insights/centrelink-pension-allowance-increase-july-2015/