Register For Our Mailing List

Register to receive our free weekly newsletter including editorials.

Home / 36

Getting the most from your age pension

While conducting a client review last week, I came across a strategy that might have some application for others. The story also has some good lessons about investing for the long term.

The background story

Let me tell you about Paul. At age 62, Paul received a $550,000 inheritance from his mother and came to us for advice in 2007. By October 2007, the advice was complete and he made a $450,000 non-concessional contribution to a superannuation account in a wrap service and immediately invested in a portfolio of direct Australian shares (the All Ords was about 6,650 at the time) with some allocated to cash.

By March 2009, with markets hit by the GFC, at age 64, the super fund balance was $292,056 (All Ords about 3,100). He had not made any further contributions. Paul needed income, so he started an account-based pension, staying invested for the transition. The share portfolio did not need to be sold down and re-bought. You can do that with a wrap service, one of the many reasons they can be an interesting alternative to an SMSF.

Through the subsequent years, Paul’s share portfolio, although prima facie down in value, continued to pay dividends. The account’s share portfolio generated enough dividends supported by the cash allocation to meet all fees and the pension payments. He wasn’t forced to sell down the shares, nor did he sell down out of panic.

Fast forward to today. Paul’s account balance is back up to $360,000 (All Ords about 5,200), and he has received $117,000 in pension payments along the way. If he had panicked and sold down all his shares to cash, it would be a very different story for him.

Paul remained focussed on the dividends and being an investor in the businesses he owned a share of. He was invested in good companies in important industry sectors, with strong balance sheets making strong profits and paying reliable dividends. If a company no longer met those criteria, he listened to advice and then and only then would he sell to reinvest into companies that did.

The Income Test kicker

Paul is married and claims a part age pension assessed under the Income Test. Account-based pensions are not deemed for the Income Test. (In the May 2013 Federal Budget, the Labor Government proposed to ‘deem’ new account-based pensions that commenced on or after 1 July 2015. At the time of writing, no legislation has been drafted, and the Coalition Government’s stance on this issue is unclear). The pension income drawn is assessable by Centrelink; however, it is reduced by a ‘deductible amount’. This deductible amount is calculated as the purchase price divided by the member’s life expectancy at the time of purchase. For Paul, this formula worked out to be: $292,056 / 22.85 = $12,781

With Paul drawing an annual income of $36,000, Centrelink assessed him as receiving $23,218 assessable income from the account-based pension, and that was really hitting his and his wife’s age pension benefits.

Now that Paul’s account balance has come up again, and his life expectancy is lower because he’s aged a few years (it is now 15.49 years), we have decided to re-set the account-based pension so that the deductible amount formula is now: $360,000 / 15.49 = $23,241.

Of the $36,000 a year he is drawing, Centrelink will now only count $12,759 and as a result his age pension income will go up by as much as $172 a fortnight.

How does he re-set his account-based pension? He just rolls from his current account to a new account-based pension in the same wrap service. Again, in his case, there is no selling down of investments to then re-buy them (and in the process incurring brokerage charges). With his wrap account, the shares he already owns are transferred to his new pension account: it’s just a matter of paperwork. You can do that with a wrap service, and in fact you can also do it within your SMSF – it just requires paperwork.

With the markets recovering, if you are a part pensioner assessed under the Income Test and have an allocated or account-based pension, check with your adviser to see if it’s worth re-setting the deductible amount to improve your Income Test. It’s a quick and easy calculation with great ongoing potential benefits.

 

Alex Denham was Head of Technical Services at Challenger Financial Services and is now Senior Adviser at Dartnall Advisers.

 


 

Leave a Comment:

RELATED ARTICLES

Hey baby boomers, pension is not a dirty word

A fundamental flaw in the Australian retirement system?

Should I pay off the mortgage or top up my superannuation?

banner

Most viewed in recent weeks

Simple maths says the AI investment boom ends badly

This AI cycle feels less like a revolution and more like a rerun. Just like fibre in 2000, shale in 2014, and cannabis in 2019, the technology or product is real but the capital cycle will be brutal. Investors beware.

Why we should follow Canada and cut migration

An explosion in low-skilled migration to Australia has depressed wages, killed productivity, and cut rental vacancy rates to near decades-lows. It’s time both sides of politics addressed the issue.

Are LICs licked?

LICs are continuing to struggle with large discounts and frustrated investors are wondering whether it’s worth holding onto them. This explains why the next 6-12 months will be make or break for many LICs.

Australian house price speculators: What were you thinking?

Australian housing’s 50-year boom was driven by falling rates and rising borrowing power — not rent or yield. With those drivers exhausted, future returns must reconcile with economic fundamentals. Are we ready?

Retirement income expectations hit new highs

Younger Australians think they’ll need $100k a year in retirement - nearly double what current retirees spend. Expectations are rising fast, but are they realistic or just another case of lifestyle inflation?

Welcome to Firstlinks Edition 627 with weekend update

This week, I got the news that my mother has dementia. It came shortly after my father received the same diagnosis. This is a meditation on getting old and my regrets in not getting my parents’ affairs in order sooner.

  • 4 September 2025

Latest Updates

Shares

Why the ASX may be more expensive than the US market

On every valuation metric, the US appears significantly more expensive than Australia. However, American companies are also much more profitable than ours, which means the ASX may be more overvalued than most think.

Economy

No one holds the government to account on spending

Government spending is out of control and there's little sign that Labor will curb it. We need enforceable rules on spending and an empowered budget office to ensure governments act responsibly with taxpayers money.

Retirement

Why a traditional retirement may be pushed back 25 years

The idea of stopping work during your sixties is a man-made concept from another age. In a world where many jobs are knowledge based and can be done from anywhere, it may no longer make much sense at all.

Shares

The quiet winners of AI competition

The tech giants are in a money-throwing contest to secure AI supremacy and may fall short of high investor expectations. The companies supplying this arms race could offer a more attractive way to play AI adoption.

Preparing for aged care

Whether for yourself or a family member, it’s never too early to start thinking about aged care. This looks at the best ways to plan ahead, as well as the changes coming to aged care from November 1 this year.

Infrastructure

Renewable energy investment: gloom or boom?

ESG investing has fallen out of favour with many investors, and Trump's anti-green policies haven't helped. Yet, renewables investment is still surging, which could prove a boon for infrastructure companies.

Investing

The enduring wisdom of John Bogle in five quotes

From buying the whole market to controlling emotions, John Bogle’s legendary advice reminds investors that patience, discipline, and low costs are the keys to investment success in any market environment.

Sponsors

Alliances

© 2025 Morningstar, Inc. All rights reserved.

Disclaimer
The data, research and opinions provided here are for information purposes; are not an offer to buy or sell a security; and are not warranted to be correct, complete or accurate. Morningstar, its affiliates, and third-party content providers are not responsible for any investment decisions, damages or losses resulting from, or related to, the data and analyses or their use. To the extent any content is general advice, it has been prepared for clients of Morningstar Australasia Pty Ltd (ABN: 95 090 665 544, AFSL: 240892), without reference to your financial objectives, situation or needs. For more information refer to our Financial Services Guide. You should consider the advice in light of these matters and if applicable, the relevant Product Disclosure Statement before making any decision to invest. Past performance does not necessarily indicate a financial product’s future performance. To obtain advice tailored to your situation, contact a professional financial adviser. Articles are current as at date of publication.
This website contains information and opinions provided by third parties. Inclusion of this information does not necessarily represent Morningstar’s positions, strategies or opinions and should not be considered an endorsement by Morningstar.