Confirm eligibility
Before gathering a single document, confirm you pass all three eligibility gates. Only once all three are satisfied can you receive any Age Pension payment.
Age
The pension age is now fixed at 67 for everyone born on or after 1 January 1952.
Residency
Must be an Australian resident with at least 10 years lived in Australia — 5 must be continuous and unbroken.
Means tests
Must pass both the income test and assets test. The lower result (least pension) determines your payment.
When to start
Start your preparation 4 months before your 67th birthday. You can lodge the actual claim up to 13 weeks (about 3 months) before that date — and your payment will be backdated to the day you submit, so don't leave it late.
Begin document gathering
Start collecting super schedules, bank statements, investment valuations, and insurance surrender values. Many documents need to be issued within 30 days.
Lodgement window opens
You can now submit your online claim through myGov. Payment start date is backdated to submission date — every day counts.
Your 67th birthday
If already lodged, payments commence around this date (subject to processing). If you receive another Centrelink payment, they'll write to you 13 weeks out with transfer instructions.
Notify changes within 14 days
Once on the pension, you must inform Centrelink of any income or asset changes within 14 days of them occurring.
Set up digital access
The fastest and recommended way to claim is online via myGov. Set this up well before your lodgement window opens.
1. myGov account
Create or confirm your account at my.gov.au. Verify your identity with a driver's licence, passport, or Medicare card.
2. Link Centrelink
Link your Centrelink online account to myGov. You'll need a CRN (Customer Reference Number) — get one online or at a service centre.
3. Relationship status
If you have a partner, both Centrelink accounts must show your relationship as a couple before you can start a claim.
4. Partner's details
Even if only you are applying, your partner's income, assets, and super details are fully assessed. They must also provide all their documents.
Documents checklist
Tick each item as you gather it — your progress is saved on this device. Documents tagged Commonly missed are the biggest cause of processing delays — gather those first.
Start ticking off your documents
33 items to collect before lodging
Means tests (July 2026)
Your pension is determined by whichever test results in the lower payment. If you exceed the cut-off under either test, you receive nothing — even if the other test would qualify you.
Pension reduces by 50 cents for every $1 of income above the free area per fortnight. "Income" includes deemed returns on financial assets, not just wages.
| Situation | Full pension (fortnightly) | Part pension cut-off |
|---|---|---|
| Single | Under $226 | $2,627.80 |
| Couple (combined) | Under $396 | $4,016.80 |
Pension reduces by $3 per fortnight for every $1,000 of assets above the full pension threshold. Your principal home is excluded. All other assets — investments, vehicles, crypto, household contents — are counted.
| Situation | Full pension (assets below) | Part pension cut-off |
|---|---|---|
| Single — Homeowner | $333,000 | $733,500 |
| Single — Non-homeowner | $600,000 | $1,000,500 |
| Couple — Homeowner (combined) | $499,000 | $1,102,500 |
| Couple — Non-homeowner (combined) | $766,000 | $1,369,500 |
Deeming income calculator
Centrelink deems a rate of return on your financial assets regardless of what they actually earn. This calculator estimates your deemed income to check against the income-test thresholds above.
ℹ️ Deeming rates as at July 2026: 1.25% p.a. on the first $66,800 (single) / $110,600 (couple), then 3.25% p.a. above that threshold (thresholds indexed 1 July 2026). These are annual rates — this calculator converts to fortnightly. Financial assets include bank accounts, shares, managed funds, super (once you reach pension age), and term deposits. Rental properties are assessed at actual income, not deemed.
Common pitfalls
These are the most common errors that cause delayed claims, underpayments, or compliance issues. All are avoidable.
Declare everything — even small amounts
Centrelink cross-checks with the ATO via data-matching. Undisclosed income or assets are a compliance risk and can require repayment of overpaid pension.
Household contents: use secondhand value
Declare the resale/secondhand value, not replacement cost. Over-estimating this unnecessarily pushes you closer to the assets limit.
Forgetting the Centrelink Schedule for income streams
A regular super fund statement is not sufficient for pension accounts. You must specifically request the Centrelink/DVA Schedule document from your fund. This is the single most common processing delay.
Gifting assets to get under the threshold
Deprivation rules mean Centrelink continues to count gifted assets as yours for 5 years. The allowed gifting limit is $10,000 per year, capped at $30,000 over any five-year period.
Online claim expiry
Once started, your online claim must be submitted within 13 weeks or it expires and you lose your start date. Don't begin until you have most documents ready.
Forgetting to upload documents separately
After online submission, you must upload your supporting documents as a separate step via myGov. The claim is incomplete until Centrelink receives them.
Free help available
Services Australia offers a free Financial Information Service (FIS) for pre-retirees. Call 132 300 (Centrelink Older Australians line, Mon–Fri 8am–5pm). FIS officers are not financial advisers but can help you understand how your finances affect eligibility.
How to lodge
Three lodgement options are available. Choose what works best for your circumstances — online is fastest and gives you the best record-keeping.
Online via myGov
Sign in → Make a claim → Older Australians → follow prompts → upload documents separately.
In person
Complete the Claim for Age Pension and Pension Bonus form plus the Income and Assets form. Bring to a Services Australia service centre.
By post
Send completed forms to: Services Australia, Seniors Services, PO Box 7808, Canberra BC ACT 2610.
Max pension rates
Rates updated 20 March 2026. Includes pension & energy supplement.
Assets test summary
From 1 July 2026. Principal home is excluded.