Before You Claim the Age Pension

Most people approaching the Age Pension assume it's simple: turn 67, fill in a form, get paid. It isn't. The payment is decided by two separate tests — assets and income — and the one that pays you less is the one that applies.

What catches people is the taper. Every extra $1,000 of assessable assets above the threshold cuts a homeowner couple's pension by $3 a fortnight — $78 a year, year after year. A younger spouse's super sits outside the test until they reach pension age, and almost nobody plans around it. Claims lodged thirteen weeks early get backdated; claims lodged late don't.

This guide is the plain-English walk-through: what's counted, what isn't, the exact figures for this year, and the conversations to have before you lodge.

— Steve

What's inside the guide

The assets test and the income test — which one applies to you, and why it's the lower of the two
The $3-per-fortnight taper, and the assets level where the pension cuts out entirely
Deeming — how Centrelink assumes your savings earn income, whatever they actually earn
The Work Bonus — earning from work without losing pension
The younger-spouse super angle most couples miss
Lodging thirteen weeks early, and Rent Assistance for non-homeowners
The Pensioner Concession Card a part-pension unlocks — often worth more than the payment

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 approaching 67, or recently claimed and aren't sure it's right
You have assets near the test thresholds and don't know how the taper hits you
You have a younger spouse with super
You're unsure whether to lodge yet

This guide isn't for you if:

You're already on the full pension with simple, settled affairs
A financial adviser already manages your Centrelink position and you're happy with it

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 — $249 Get the complete set — $497

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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 $249 back.