Age Pension, Disability Support Pension and Carer Payment to rise on 20 March
Around five million people will receive a boost to their social security payments when indexation takes effect next Wednesday. Those receiving Age Pension, Disability Support Pension and Carer Payment will receive an increase of $19.60 a fortnight for singles and $29.40 a fortnight for couples…
Why “grey divorce” is on the rise
More than one-third of divorce now occurs after the age of 50, with the primary cause (48%) of these later-in-life break-ups being “empty nest syndrome”, or the sadness and upheaval that many parents feel when their adult children leave home, according to new research. Australian…
$683.8 million in unpaid superannuation has been put into Australians’ retirement savings
The Australian Tax Office (ATO) has revealed it has found the non-payment of super entitlements it has found and distributed them to super funds and individuals boosting their retirement savings. The money is from unpaid super raised by employee complaints, ATO compliance activities and voluntary…
What are the real costs of retirement living?
Retirement living is attractive, with many villages at full or near-full occupancy. However, the one question we often receive about entering a retirement village is for help to understand the financial details. There are a number of fees and costs to consider and it is…
What are the laws on Voluntary Assisted Dying (VAD) in each state?
Voluntary Assisted Dying (VAD) has now been legalised in all States across Australia, with legislation in New South Wales coming into effect from the end of November this year. It is not yet legal in the Northern Territory or the Australian Capital Territory, although legislation…
Good news: more people 65yrs+ can access a pension.
The good news is that the Federal Government is ensuring that more people aged 67 and above can access the Age Pension. But the confusion and complexity around means testing has to be confronted before more money flows your way. The Age Pension increased on…
How to be aware of cyber scams
This month marks Cyber Security Awareness Month, with this year’s theme: “Be cyber wise – don’t compromise”. The campaign urges people to: One cybercrime was reported every seven minutes in the 2021-2022 financial year, a 13% increase from the previous 12 months, according to the…
Hey big spenders: look who is peeling off those $100 notes
The retirement living sector rightly boasts about its affordability – the average two-bedroom unit in a village is $516,000 and there are many operators who charge less. However, increasingly there are apartments being priced over $1 million and at Palm Lake Group’s flagship development, Pake…
This is why eligible people should apply for a Seniors Card
Each State and Territory operates a Seniors Card and they not only save the holder a lot of money but open the door to a range of social activities. To show how valuable a Seniors Card is, South Australian Seniors Card holders have collectively saved…
Fewer retirement villages are offering capital gains – but it’s far from bad news
73% of retirement village operators surveyed in the 2022 PwC Property Council Retirement Census did not offer residents an opportunity to share in any capital gains or capital losses, more than triple the number in 2017. The number of retirement villages no longer offering capitals…