We include most real estate you own in your assets test. The only real estate asset we don't include is your principal home. We include real estate you: rent out.
You need to tell us when your circumstances change. Then we can assess your eligibility for payments and services using the correct details. This includes changes to real estate assets for you and your partner. Read more about real estate assets and how they can affect your payment.
Your home is not counted as an asset when calculating pension or payment, but it does affect how your pension or payment is assessed under the assets test. If you are a homeowner your asset value limit is lower than someone who does not own their residence.
The assets thresholds will be reintroduced from Friday meaning that a single person can have up to $268,000 worth of assets on top of their home and still access payment. Singles who do not own their own home can have up to $482,500 in assets and still access JobSeeker.
How Centrelink knows your assets without you telling them. Centrelink has multiple data-sharing agreements with government organisations like the ATO, Medicare, PayG and more. This helps them to maintain a view of your assets, and in certain circumstances they may apply additional scrutiny to individuals.
You and your partner must have no more than $5,000 in combined readily available funds. This includes any liquid assets you can sell. Liquid assets include cash you have on hand, money you have in the bank and financial investments you have. They also include gifts and other money available to you at short notice.
A homeowner is an income support recipient who has, or whose partner (1.1. P. 85) has: a right or interest in the place they occupy, AND. the right or interest gives them reasonable security of tenure.
Most real estate is included in the pension assets test. The exception is the principal home. Centrelink's principal home sale exemption period extended for sales after 1 January.
We may also ask you to give updated information about your assets to ensure you're getting the correct payment rate. Assets include any: financial investments. home contents, personal effects and vehicles.
How do home loans for single parents on Centrelink work? If you receive Centrelink benefits, your home loan application will be broadly the same as for other applicants. You'll have to save money for the deposit, then apply for a loan, and repay the borrowed amount plus interest in instalments over the loan term.
The Work Bonus income bank is useful for pensioners who wish to work, particularly those who undertake intermittent or occasional work. Note: from 1 December 2022 to 31 December 2023, a one-off, temporary credit of $4,000 applies to Work Bonus income bank balances.
Centrelink has very wide powers to thoroughly investigate deposits that have been made into your account. For example, it has the power to obtain your information from other government agencies as well as accessing information from banks, building societies and credit union accounts.
You have savings or other money
If you or your partner have liquid assets over certain limits, you may have to wait 1 to 13 weeks. Liquid assets are any funds readily available to you or your partner. This includes money owed by your or your partner's employer. Read about liquid assets waiting periods.
Pay down debt
By paying off your credit card, personal loan, home loan or any other debt, you will reduce the value of your assessable assets and boost your rate of pension. For example, paying off $50,000 of debt could increase your pension by $3,900 per year.
In most instances, you'll need to provide documents to show proof of assets. The specific documents you need will depend on the type of asset, but brokerage statements and bank statements are commonly used to show proof of assets.
Does Property Settlement Affect Centrelink Payments? Usually, settlement of property is not assessed as income, meaning no impact on Centrelink payments.
Changes in Home Value and Its Effect on Pension Payments
The Asset Value Limit for single homeowners receiving full age pension is $280,000.
For your Special Benefit claim you must provide bank statements for the last 3 months for all accounts you have. This includes any overseas accounts. If you have a partner, we'll also require bank statements for all accounts held by them.
Tell Centrelink
This is really important. You must tell Centrelink with 14 days of receiving the lump sum. If you don't, you could be overpaid, and you will need to repay the money to Centrelink.
There are no laws limiting the amount of cash you can keep at home. This makes sense as many businesses, especially retail stores, keep large amounts of money with them merely as floating cash.
It's impossible to know if Centrelink is investigating you. When they suspect you of defrauding them, investigations are launched discreetly. It's until when they decide to interview that you get to know you're being investigated. This interview is documented and used against you in Court.
But some of your assets are also 'deemed' to earn income and so they may be viewed in two ways at once by Centrelink. Your car is an asset. Unlike your primary residence, it is not exempt from the assets test. It is, however, not deemed, so there is no income attributed to this asset.