Independent guide · rates from 20 September 2026
Australian Age Pension: check, estimate, prepare and claim
The Age Pension is a fortnightly payment from Services Australia for Australian residents aged 67 and over who meet an income and assets test. From 20 September 2026 the maximum rate is $1,237.70 a fortnight for a single person and $1,866.00 combined for a couple. You are paid the lower of your assets test and income test results.
Figures checked 25 October 2026 against Services Australia's published rates, which apply from 20 September 2026. The next scheduled change is 20 March 2027.
Key facts at a glance
- Age Pension age is 67 for everyone born on or after 1 January 1957.
- Maximum normal rate: $1,237.70 a fortnight single, $1,866.00 combined for a couple, including supplements.
- Full pension assets limit: $333,000 for a single homeowner, $499,000 for a homeowner couple. Above it the pension falls by $3 a fortnight per $1,000.
- Income free area: $226.00 a fortnight single, $396.00 combined for a couple.
- Deeming: 1.75% on the first $66,800 of a single person's financial assets, 3.75% above that.
- Residence: generally 10 years in Australia, including 5 unbroken years.
All figures correct as at 20 September 2026, sourced from Services Australia. Next indexation: 20 March 2027.
Step 1Check you're eligible
You need to meet all four of these. The limits below apply from 20 September 2026.
- 67+
Age
You are 67 or older
Age Pension age is 67 for everyone born on or after 1 January 1957. You can lodge your claim up to 13 weeks before.
Find your pension date → - 10 yrs
Residence
10 years living in Australia
On the day you claim you must be in Australia and an Australian resident, with at least 10 years of residence in total, including 5 unbroken years. Refugees, some widowed women and people from social security agreement countries can have exceptions.
Read the residence rules → - $745,750
Assets
Assets below your cut-off
A single homeowner gets some pension with assessable assets up to $745,750, and the full pension up to $333,000. Your home is not counted.
Check the assets test → - $2,701.40/fn
Income
Income below your cut-off
A single person gets some pension with income up to $2,701.40 a fortnight, and the full pension up to $226.00. Savings and investments count through deeming.
Check the income test →
| Your situation | Full pension: assets up to | Part pension: assets below | Full pension: income up to (fn) | Part pension: income below (fn) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single, homeowner | $333,000 | $745,750 | $226.00 | $2,701.40 |
| Single, non-homeowner | $600,000 | $1,012,750 | $226.00 | $2,701.40 |
| Couple, homeowner (combined) | $499,000 | $1,121,000 | $396.00 | $4,128.00 |
| Couple, non-homeowner (combined) | $766,000 | $1,388,000 | $396.00 | $4,128.00 |
fn = per fortnight. Normal rates without Rent Assistance; the assets cut-offs are higher if you get Rent Assistance. Over pension age but above these limits? You may still get the Commonwealth Seniors Health Card. Full detail: Age Pension eligibility and age requirements.
Step 2Estimate your payment
| Component | Single | Each member of a couple | Couple combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maximum basic rate | $1,135.40 | $855.90 | $1,711.80 |
| Pension Supplement | $88.20 | $66.50 | $133.00 |
| Energy Supplement | $14.10 | $10.60 | $21.20 |
| Total maximum | $1,237.70 | $933.00 | $1,866.00 |
A couple living apart because of illness is paid the single rate each. Rates are before tax. More detail: How much is the Age Pension?
The assets test
The assets test counts what you own apart from your home — savings, shares, super once you reach pension age, investment property, vehicles and household contents. You keep the full pension up to the limit, then lose $3 a fortnight for every $1,000 above it.
| Your situation | Full pension up to | Part pension stops above |
|---|---|---|
| Single, homeowner | $333,000 | $745,750 |
| Single, non-homeowner | $600,000 | $1,012,750 |
| Couple, homeowner (combined) | $499,000 | $1,121,000 |
| Couple, non-homeowner (combined) | $766,000 | $1,388,000 |
Cut-offs shown are for normal rates without Rent Assistance. They are higher if you get Rent Assistance and different for couples separated by illness. Assets test explained.
The income test
The income test counts wages, rent, overseas pensions and deemed income from your financial assets. A single person can have $226.00 a fortnight before the pension reduces by 50 cents per dollar over. A couple can have $396.00 combined, then each partner's pension falls by 25 cents per dollar over. Payment stops at $2,701.40 a fortnight single and $4,128.00 combined for a couple.
Deeming assumes your financial assets earn a set rate whatever they actually earn: 1.75% on the first $66,800 for a single person ($110,600 combined for a pensioner couple) and 3.75% on the rest. Up to $300 a fortnight of work income is not counted under the Work Bonus.
Combined Pension Estimator
A simplified estimate using Services Australia rates from 20 September 2026. It runs both tests and shows the lower result.
Estimated result
$1,237.70 per fortnight
You are estimated to receive the full pension. Roughly $2,682 a month, $32,180 a year.
- Maximum rate
- $1,237.70 per fortnight
- Assets test result
- $1,237.70 per fortnight
- Income test result
- $1,237.70 per fortnight
- Deemed income counted
- $207.66 per fortnight
- Total assessable income
- $207.66 per fortnight
This is an estimate based on the published rules and rates of Services Australia, correct as at 20 September 2026. Confirm your actual entitlement with Services Australia — your circumstances may include assessments this tool does not model.
What the estimator includes and leaves out
It applies a simplified version of the rules. Your real payment can differ, and only Services Australia can work it out.
Included
- Maximum normal rates for singles and couples living together, including the Pension Supplement and Energy Supplement
- The assets test: free areas for homeowners and non-homeowners and the $3 a fortnight reduction per $1,000 over
- The income test: free areas and the 50-cent reduction per dollar over (25 cents each for a couple)
- Deeming on the financial assets you enter, at the published lower and upper rates
- The $300 a fortnight Work Bonus on employment income
Not included
- Whether you meet the age and residence rules — it assumes you do
- Rent Assistance, which adds to your payment and raises the cut-off points
- Transitional rate pensions, couples separated by illness, and couples where only one partner gets a pension
- Your Work Bonus balance (up to $11,800) built up from earlier fortnights
- Overseas pensions under social security agreements, and income or assets outside Australia
- Private trusts and companies, granny flat interests, gifting, aged care and income streams with special rules
- Rounding, payment timing and tax used by Services Australia
Worked example: Sarah, single homeowner
Sarah is 68, single and owns her home. She has $240,000 in an account-based pension, $20,000 in the bank and $25,000 of car and contents — $285,000 of assessable assets.
Assets test: $285,000 is below the $333,000 limit, so there is no reduction.
Income test: her $260,000 of financial assets is deemed at 1.75% on the first $66,800 and 3.75% on the rest — $8,414.00 a year, or $322.73 a fortnight. That is $96.73 over the $226.00 free area, so her pension falls by $48.36.
Result: the income test gives the lower figure, so Sarah's estimate is $1,189.34 a fortnight, against the maximum of $1,237.70.
Step 3Get your documents ready
Services Australia can't assess your claim without supporting documents, and a missing one can delay it. Tick off what you have — your ticks stay on this page only and are not saved or sent anywhere.
Required documents ready: 0 of 6
You must provide
Before or when you submit your claim, documents that show:
Proof of identity
You may need to prove who you are before you can submit. If you can't do it online or by phone, take to a service centre:
You may also be asked for
Depending on your answers, the claim will list extras such as:
If you claim online, your claim shows the exact list to upload. On paper, the form tells you next to each question. Step-by-step help: How to apply for the Age Pension.
Step 4Apply with Services Australia
Only Services Australia can accept your claim. These are its five steps to claim Age Pension, in its order. Each one links to the official page.
Get your documents ready to claim
You can submit your claim in the 13 weeks before you reach Age Pension age. Gather the supporting documents in the checklist above; if you're a member of a couple, Services Australia asks for documents for both of you. If you already get an eligible payment, it writes to you 13 weeks before you reach Age Pension age to explain how to transfer instead.
Official page ↗ (opens the official Services Australia site)Work out your date →
Set up your online accounts
Services Australia says the best way to claim is online. You need a Centrelink online account linked to myGov, and you may need to confirm your identity before you start your claim.
- If you have a correspondence nominee, they can complete an online claim for you, or separate online claims for you and your partner.
- Both claiming? You may be able to submit one combined partner claim online. Before you start, you each need your own myGov account linked to your own Centrelink online account, access to electronic messaging, to show as a couple in your online accounts, and to be Age Pension age or turning it in the next 13 weeks.
- The combined option only appears at the Review and Confirm stage. It won't appear if you're in a crisis situation, registered for the Pension Bonus Scheme, or claiming Age Pension for the blind. Your partner then has 3 days to action their task.
Official page ↗ (opens the official Services Australia site)
Make your claim
Online: sign in to myGov, select Make a claim or view claim status, then Make a claim. Under Older Australians, select Get started and follow the prompts. Submit within 13 weeks of starting, or the claim expires and you'll need to start again.
- Upload your supporting documents before you submit; Services Australia can't assess your claim until they're in. Upload through your Centrelink online account or the Express Plus Centrelink app, or give them in by mail, fax or at a service centre.
- Can't claim online? Print and complete the Claim for Age Pension and Pension Bonus form (SA002) and the Income and assets form (SA369), sign it, and include the supporting documents asked for.
- Or call the Older Australians line, or make an appointment at a service centre, and staff can help you complete your claim.
Official page ↗ (opens the official Services Australia site)Full claim walkthrough →
Track your claim
After you submit online, you get a receipt with your claim ID number, the date Services Australia estimates it will finish your claim, and a link to track it. To check later, sign in to myGov and select Make a claim or view claim status, or use the Express Plus Centrelink app.
- If Services Australia asks for more documents, your claim is put on hold. Provide them within 14 days of getting the request, or your claim may be rejected.
Official page ↗ (opens the official Services Australia site)Document deadlines ↗ (opens the official Services Australia site)
Find out the result
Services Australia sends a letter with the result to your myGov Inbox or the Express Plus Centrelink app, or by post if you don't get electronic letters. If you think it has made a mistake, you can ask it to review the decision.
Official page ↗ (opens the official Services Australia site)
Once you're paid
Tell Services Australia within 14 days if your circumstances change, for example your address, your or your partner's income or assets, your relationship, selling your home, or leaving Australia, even temporarily. If you don't, you may be paid too much and have to pay it back. What to report ↗ (opens the official Services Australia site)
Ready to claim?
You'll leave this site for servicesaustralia.gov.au. We never ask for your myGov or Centrelink sign-in details.
Need help? Call Services Australia: Older Australians line 132 300; Multilingual Phone Service 131 202 (Monday to Friday, 8 am to 5 pm). Its free Financial Information Service can explain how your finances affect your claim.
Eligibility, documents and claim steps last checked against Services Australia on 4 November 2026.
Frequently asked questions
How much can I have in assets and still get the Age Pension?
From 20 September 2026, a single homeowner can have up to $333,000 in assessable assets and still get the full Age Pension; a part pension stops above $745,750. For a homeowner couple the limits are $499,000 and $1,121,000 combined. Your home is not counted, and the cut-offs are higher if you get Rent Assistance.
What age can I get the Age Pension in Australia?
Age Pension age is 67 for everyone born on or after 1 January 1957. It reached 67 on 1 July 2023, and Services Australia says there are no plans to change it. You can lodge your claim up to 13 weeks before you reach pension age.
How much is the Age Pension per fortnight?
From 20 September 2026, the maximum normal rate is $1,237.70 a fortnight for a single person and $1,866.00 a fortnight combined for a couple, including the Pension Supplement and Energy Supplement. Rates are reviewed on 20 March and 20 September each year.
Is superannuation counted for the Age Pension?
Yes. Once you reach Age Pension age, your superannuation counts as an asset and is deemed to earn income, whether it is still in accumulation or paying you an account-based pension. Super held by a partner who is under Age Pension age and not drawing on it is not counted.
Does my home count in the Age Pension assets test?
No. Your principal home is not counted in the assets test. Owning a home does lower your assets limits, because homeowners and non-homeowners have separate limits.
Can I work and still get the Age Pension?
Yes. Under the Work Bonus, up to $300 a fortnight of employment income is not counted, and unused amounts build up to a balance of $11,800. When you first claim an eligible payment you start with a $4,000 balance.
Which test decides my payment, the assets test or the income test?
Services Australia works out your rate under both tests and pays the lower result. The test that gives the lower figure is the one that decides your payment.
How long do I have to have lived in Australia to get the Age Pension?
You generally need at least 10 years of Australian residence in total, with at least 5 of those years unbroken. Refugees, some widowed women and people covered by an international social security agreement may qualify with less.
What documents do I need to claim the Age Pension?
Before or when you submit your claim, you must give Services Australia documents showing your age, bank account details, tax file number, Australian residence status (unless you are an Australian citizen born in Australia), whether you are a member of a couple, and your income and assets. You may also need to prove your identity, and you may be asked for extra statements depending on your situation.
Have a different question? Ask about the Age Pension rules or browse the FAQ hub.
Researched and fact-checked by
writes and maintains the guides and calculators on Public Services Desk. Not a licensed financial adviser — every figure on this page is sourced from Services Australia or the Social Security Act 1991 (Cth).
Last reviewed: 25 October 2026
Figures as at: 20 September 2026
Next indexation: 20 March 2027
Change log: 4 November 2026: eligibility criteria, supporting documents and claim steps checked against Services Australia's claim pages and rebuilt as a step-by-step journey. 25 October 2026: rates, assets and income limits, deeming rates and thresholds, Work Bonus and residence rules checked against Services Australia pages updated for the 20 September 2026 indexation. Next update due at the 20 March 2027 indexation.
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