{"id":2514,"date":"2026-07-28T05:22:16","date_gmt":"2026-07-28T05:22:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/actinvest.com.au\/?p=2514"},"modified":"2026-07-28T05:22:16","modified_gmt":"2026-07-28T05:22:16","slug":"new-deeming-thresholds-could-deliver-small-part-age-pension","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/actinvest.com.au\/index.php\/new-deeming-thresholds-could-deliver-small-part-age-pension\/","title":{"rendered":"New deeming thresholds could deliver small part age pension"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Two significant deeming thresholds increased on 1 July 2026, the one at which the higher deeming rate of 3.25 per cent applies, and the income-free threshold at which income in excess of the threshold begins to reduce the maximum age pension amount.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"\" height=\"367\" src=\"https:\/\/acctweb.com.au\/images\/a-super-con-sept22.jpg\" width=\"550\" \/><\/p>\n<p>.<\/p>\n<p>Michael Hallinan, special counsel for SUPERCentral, said the deeming rate threshold from 1 July 2026 will be $66,800 for single age pensioners (previously $64,200) and $110,600 for coupled age pensioners (previously $106,200).<\/p>\n<p>The income-free area per fortnight from 1 July 2026 will be $226 for single age pensioners (previously $218) and $396 for coupled age pensioners (previously $380).<\/p>\n<p>\u201cFor individuals who are already receiving a full age pension, that is the age pension which has not been reduced by either the income or assets test, these changes will have no impact,\u201d Hallinan said.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cFor individuals who are receiving a part pension, that is the age pension has been reduced by either the income or assets test, these changes will have a beneficial impact. Assuming your assets and income have not increased, your age pension payments should increase.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Hallinan continued that individuals who before 1 July 2026 had not qualified for a part age pension due to the income or asset means test may now be entitled to a small part age pension.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhile the age pension entitlement may not be significant, the entitlement to even $1 of age pension means that they will be entitled to the Centrelink pensioner concession card rather than the seniors health card,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe potential entitlement albeit small part age pension of individuals who had been previously excluded from a part age pension occurs due to the increase in the income levels and asset levels at which entitlement to a part age pension ceases.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>From 1 July 2026, the relevant cut thresholds at which the entitlement to a part age pension ceases will increase to:<\/p>\n<p><strong>Income test<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>$2,627.80 per fortnight \u2013 single (previously $2,619.80); and<\/li>\n<li>$4,016,80 per fortnight \u2013 couple combined (previously $4,000.80)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Assets test \u2013 homeowners<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>$733,500 \u2013 single (previously $722,000)<\/li>\n<li>$1,102,500 \u2013 couple combined (previously $1,085,00)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>\u00a0\u00a0<strong>Assets test \u2013 non-homeowners<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>$1,000,500 \u2013 single (previously $980,000)<\/li>\n<li>$1,369,500 \u2013 couple combined (previously $1,343,000).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>From 1 July 2026, the asset test free area (amount of assets below which there is no reduction to age pension entitlement) will be:<\/p>\n<p><strong>Income test<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>$226 per fortnight \u2013 single (previously $218); and<\/li>\n<li>$396 per fortnight \u2013 couple combined (previously $380).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Assets test \u2013 homeowners<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>$333,000 \u2013 single (previously $321,500)<\/li>\n<li>$499,000 \u2013 couple combined (previously $481,500)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Assets test \u2013 non-homeowners<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>$600,000 \u2013 single (previously $579,500)<\/li>\n<li>$766,000 \u2013 couple combined (previously $739,500).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>\u201cThe above rates apply to resident age pension recipients who are not entitled to a transitional age pension,\u201d Hallinan said.<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Keeli Cambourne<br \/>\nJuly 24, 2026<br \/>\nsmsfadviser.com<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Two significant deeming thresholds increased on 1 July 2026, the one at which the higher deeming rate of 3.25 per cent applies, and the income-free threshold at which income in excess of the threshold begins to reduce the maximum age pension amount.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2515,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[4],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/actinvest.com.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2514"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/actinvest.com.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/actinvest.com.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/actinvest.com.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/actinvest.com.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2514"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/actinvest.com.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2514\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2516,"href":"https:\/\/actinvest.com.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2514\/revisions\/2516"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/actinvest.com.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2515"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/actinvest.com.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2514"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/actinvest.com.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2514"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/actinvest.com.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2514"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}