Before You Lose Your Husband or Wife

This is the guide nobody wants to read, and the one that matters most when the time comes. When a partner dies, the surviving spouse is moved from the couple rate to the single rate — and because the single rate is lower than half the couple rate, and the assets are now assessed against a single person's thresholds, the pension can fall twice at once.

At the same time, accounts freeze, super has to be claimed, and there are payments and reclaims that nobody at the bank or the funeral home will mention. Most of them have deadlines.

This guide lays out, calmly and in order, what happens to the money in the first weeks and months — and what the survivor needs to do, and when.

— Steve

What's inside the guide

The reassessment from couple rate to single rate — and why it can cut twice
Which accounts freeze on death, and which don't
The bereavement payment, and how long the couple rate continues
Super death benefits to a spouse — why they pass tax-free to a dependant
The reclaims and notifications to make in the first year, in order
The Australian Death Notification Service, and notifying the ATO and Centrelink

Each section is short, with worked examples in real dollars, the exact figure for this year, and the conversation to have next — and who to have it with.

Who this guide is for

This guide is for you if:

You're a couple in or near retirement and want the survivor prepared
You've recently lost a partner and are facing the paperwork
You want one calm, ordered list instead of scattered advice

This guide isn't for you if:

You'd rather not think about it at all right now — and that's a fair choice

Who Steve is

Stephen Caldicott is the retired Australian accountant who presents this series. Nearly forty years in private practice on Sydney's North Shore — tax, super, the Age Pension, Centrelink, CGT, and ATO matters. He retired in 2022.

Steve is a character: the figures and procedures are real and verified against the ATO and Services Australia; the face and voice are not. He is not a registered tax agent or a licensed financial adviser, and this guide is general educational information, not personal advice.

Before you check out — one thing worth knowing

This guide is one of six in the complete set — Everything Steve Knows. The set covers the rest: the Age Pension, the family home, widowhood, helping your kids, the super death tax, and the handover file your family will need when you're gone.

Bought individually, the four sold-separately guides come to $1,096. The two set-only guides bring the full value to $1,694. The complete set is $497.

Most people reading this guide will recognise at least three of the six worries. At three, the set is the better buy.

Get this guide — $299 Get the complete set — $497

Instant PDF delivery. Lifetime access. 30-day refund.

Common questions

How is the guide delivered?

A PDF emailed to you within a few minutes of checkout, through our checkout provider, Paddle. Read it on any device, or print it.

Is it current for 2026–27?

Yes. Every figure is verified against the ATO and Services Australia for the 2026–27 financial year, with the version date on the front of the PDF. Figures change — the Age Pension is indexed twice a year, and many thresholds change on 1 July.

Is this regulated financial advice?

No. Steve is not a registered tax agent or a licensed financial adviser. It's general educational information, written from a practitioner's perspective, that points you to the right professional for your own decisions.

What's the refund policy?

30 days, no questions asked — on top of your rights under the Australian Consumer Law. Email the refund address in the PDF and you'll get your $299 back.