Table of Contents
Check your Age Pension eligibility
The Age Pension provides regular fortnightly payments from Centrelink to support your retirement and can be a valuable component of your retirement income.
If you have reached Age Pension age you may be eligible for the Government Age Pension and other benefits including the Pensioner Concession Card, Pension Supplement and Rent Assistance.
You can get the Age Pension if you:- Have reached pension age (currently 67)
- Are an Australian resident (for at least ten years)
- Pass Centrelink's Income and Assets tests
Subscribe to horizons
Horizons is our free newsletter designed for Australian retirees or those planning their retirement. Subscribe now to receive the latest information to help you live well in retirement.
How much can you get on the Age Pension?
The amount you could receive depends on whether you’re a single or a couple and these rates change twice a year in March and September. Here are the current Age Pension rates:
As at March 2025* | Fortnightly | Annual |
---|---|---|
Single | $1,149.00 | $29,874.00 |
Couple combined | $1,732.20 | $45,037.20 |
*Source: Services Australia. Figures include Pension Supplement and Energy Supplement. Maximum Normal rates of Age Pension before tax.
Visit the Services Australia website for full details.
Use our Retire with Confidence tool
Estimate the longevity of your savings, determine your potential Age Pension and craft a secure lifetime income plan, safeguarding your retirement amidst market uncertainties.
Income and Asset test
Your rate of Age Pension is calculated under both an assets test and an income test. The test resulting in the lowest rate will apply.
- Income test
- Assets test
Income test
The Centrelink income test generally includes any income you earn from any source, including from your assets in Australia and overseas, such as:
- Super
- Shares
- Account based pensions
- Term deposits or managed funds
When assessing income from some investment assets, Centrelink will apply a deemed rate of income. When it comes to earnings from employment or investment properties, Centrelink will generally assess the actual net income you earn.
Effective 20 March 2025, the income thresholds are as follows:
Lower threshold | Upper threshold | |||
---|---|---|---|---|
Fortnightly | Annual | Fortnightly | Annual | |
Single | $212 | $5,512 | $2,510.00 | $65,260.00 |
Couple combined | $372 | $9,672 | $3,836.40 | $99,746.40 |
Your upper threshold is higher if you are eligible to receive Rent Assistance with your pension.
Assets test
The value of assets you own is also taken into account for your Age Pension claim. For the assets test, Centrelink will count any assets you own, in Australia and overseas. This can include:
- Any physical assets, such as a car or caravan
- Your savings and investments such as shares, investment properties, term deposits and superannuation
- Part of some annuities and account based pensions
- If you own a property and use it as your place of residence it is typically not assessable under the assets test
To determine how much some of your assets are worth, Centrelink will look at the current market value. From that figure, Centrelink will generally deduct any debt you hold against each applicable asset.
Lower threshold | Upper threshold | |
---|---|---|
Homeowners | ||
Single | $314,000 | $697,000 |
Couple combined | $470,000 | $1,047,500 |
Non-homeowners | ||
Single | $566,000 | $949,000 |
Couple combined | $722,000 | $1,299,500 |
Your upper threshold is higher if you are eligible to receive Rent Assistance with your pension.
Visit the Services Australia website for full details.
How a Challenger lifetime annuity can help improve your Age Pension eligibility
Purchasing a lifetime annuity could immediately increase your Age Pension payments. Unlike many investments which are 100% assessable for the assets test, some lifetime annuities are partially exempt.
Under the Asset Test - Only 60% of the amount invested into a Challenger lifetime annuity counts towards the relevant Centrelink/ Department of Veterans’ Affairs (DVA) asset test, through to age 85 (or until age 84 for lifetime income streams commenced from 1 July 2019 to 31 December 2024), subject to a minimum of 5 years. From then onwards, only 30% of the purchase price will count.
Under the Income Test - Only 60% of your lifetime annuity payments are assessable. For example, where a lifetime income stream pays an annual income of $5,000, only $3,000 will be assessed under the income test.
This is general information only, and we recommend you get advice regarding your individual circumstances. Your local Centrelink or Department of Veterans’ Affairs office can help answer any question you may have. A financial adviser can also help.
Find out more about Challenger’s Lifetime annuities.
Concession cards
There are several different types of concession cards so it pays to know your entitlement. The type of card you are given is determined by the Centrelink or DVA benefits which you are receiving.
FAQs
Additional reading

What is an annuity?
An annuity is a financial product that can be used to provide you with guaranteed regular income, which can make it a valuable part of your retirement portfolio.

Start planning for retirement
Our Guide to a confident retirement has been designed to equip you with the tools and knowledge to help you retire with confidence.

Value of advice
Getting quality financial advice is essential to building confidence in retirement. A financial adviser can help you create a successful retirement strategy to achieve your goals.
Subscribe to Horizons
Horizons is our free newsletter designed for Australian retirees or those planning their retirement. Subscribe now to receive the latest information to help you live well in retirement.