IMPORTANT: Effective from 20 September 2017, the government has again indexed the income test thresholds for the CSHC (see this article for latest thresholds). The next indexation of the CSHC income thresholds takes place on 20 September 2018. Note that since 1 January 2015, new applicants for CSHC need to include ... Read more
Retirement planning
Retirement planning covers topics such as how much superannuation is enough, taking a super pension, claiming the Age Pension, making superannuation contributions while receiving a pension from a super fund, estate planning and looking after your family.
Below are some of our key Retirement Planning articles:
Set out below are all SuperGuide articles referring to Retirement planning.
More retirees eligible for Seniors Health Card (CSHC) from September 2017
Taking effecting from 20 September 2017, the income test thresholds for the Commonwealth Seniors Health Card (CSHC) have increased again, in line with the federal government’s promise to index the thresholds annually.CSHC income thresholds are now indexed annually in line with CPI (inflation). The first indexation ... Read more
Age Pension: September 2017 rates apply (until March 2018)
Note: This article explains the latest Age Pension rates, applicable until 19 March 2018. The Age Pension rates are indexed twice-yearly, with the next adjustment taking effect from 20 March 2018. If you are seeking information on the changes to the Age Pension assets test rules which took effect from 1 January 2017, ... Read more
Great news! Seniors Health Card income thresholds increase, again
Effective from 20 September 2017, the income test thresholds for the Commonwealth Seniors Health Card (CSHC) have increased for the fourth time in 14 years, and will continue to be indexed every September. The new indexed income test thresholds appear later in the article.The CSHC is available to retirees who are ... Read more
Know your super limits: Reducing CGT via concessional contributions
Q: I am one of those people (and my wife) who made the decision years ago to invest in property rather than super. Now at 60, (wife 57) I am retired and live off my property investments. I would like to get rid of the properties at about age 65. Mainly because of the worry, and maintenance upkeep, and to give us more ... Read more
Co-contributions: Can I claim the tax-free bonus as a property investor?
Q: I am not working but I source my income from rents derived from my property investments. Am I able to participate in the Government co-contribution scheme?For an Australian to be eligible for the co-contribution scheme they need to be earning 10% or more of their total income from eligible employment, or from ... Read more
Retirement forecasts from your super fund: 6 facts you need to know
Australians are currently receiving annual member statements from their super funds. When opening these statements, many super fund members will see a comforting projection of how much their account balance is likely to be when they retire, and how much income this account balance will provide each year in ... Read more
Accessing super: Preservation age moves to 57 years
Turning 55, retiring and accessing your super is now a retirement planning strategy from the past. Anyone born on or after 1 July 1960 needs to push from their mind that the age of 55 is the ticket to superannuation access.Since 1 July 2015, Australians turning 55 have had to wait at least another year before they ... Read more
Accessing super: What is my preservation age?
Note: This article explains at what age you can access your superannuation benefits. If you are seeking information on when you can claim the Age Pension, see SuperGuide article Age Pension age increasing to 67 years.We receive hundreds of questions each year asking when you can retire under the superannuation ... Read more
Age Pension age now 65.5 years (since July 2017)
The Age Pension age effectively increased to 65 years and 6 months (from its current 65 years) on 1 July 2017, and it will progressively increase to age 67 by July 2023.Your Age Pension age is the age at which you are eligible to apply for the Age Pension, and this will depend on your date of birth.Australian ... Read more
Age Pension age increasing to 67 years
Note: This article explains the current Age Pension age. If you are seeking information on the retirement age for accessing superannuation benefits see SuperGuide article Accessing super: What is my preservation age?If you are seeking information on the January 2017 changes to the Age Pension asset test, then see ... Read more
Australia not ready for Age Pension age of 70 years
The capacity of developed nations around the world to provide a decent taxpayer-funded old Age Pension is being tested constantly with increasing life expectancies, escalating health costs, mind-boggling energy costs, and in many cases, shrinking populations.Although Australia is fortunate (in economic terms) to ... Read more
