The Age Pension qualifying age in Australia is 67 years for anyone born on or after 1 January 1957. This covers virtually every Australian currently approaching retirement. You can apply up to 13 weeks before your 67th birthday, and payments begin on your birthday if your claim is assessed in time.
This guide covers everything connected to that question: what the pension actually pays, who qualifies, how super and the Age Pension relate to each other, and what to do in the years leading up to 67 to get the most out of both.
The Age Pension Age in Australia in 2026
The qualifying age is 67. This applies to men and women equally. There are no current government plans to increase it further.
For anyone curious about the history: the Age Pension age was 65 for decades, then increased gradually from 2017 to 2023 through six-monthly steps. From 1 July 2023, it settled at 67 for all Australians born on or after 1 January 1957. That date covers everyone currently in their 50s and 60s.
| Date of birth | Age Pension qualifying age |
|---|---|
| Before 1 July 1952 | 65 |
| 1 July 1952 to 31 December 1953 | 65 and a half |
| 1 January 1954 to 30 June 1955 | 66 |
| 1 July 1955 to 31 December 1956 | 66 and a half |
| 1 January 1957 or later | 67 |
Source: Services Australia, current as at May 2026.
Is 67 the Retirement Age in Australia?
Technically, there is no official retirement age in Australia. You can stop working at any age. The Age Pension age of 67 is simply the age at which government income support becomes available.
Super can be accessed separately from age 60 (the preservation age), provided you have retired from employment. This creates the well-known seven-year gap between when most Australians can access their super (60) and when the Age Pension starts (67). Most people fund that gap from super drawdowns, investment income or part-time work.
Scott and Phil covered the preservation age rules and common misconceptions in Episode 18 of the Wealthlab Podcast, including what “retirement” actually means under the rules. Watch Episode 18 on YouTube.
Age Pension Eligibility: What Else Do You Need to Qualify?
Turning 67 is necessary but not sufficient. You also need to meet residency requirements and pass the means tests.
Residency
You must be an Australian resident living in Australia when you apply, and have lived in Australia for at least 10 years total, including a continuous period of at least 5 years. Some exceptions apply for refugees and under international social security agreements. Australia has agreements with over 30 countries including the UK, Ireland, New Zealand and Italy that can affect how overseas living or pension entitlements are treated.
Income test
The income test assesses all income from employment, investments, superannuation drawdowns and other sources. From 20 March 2026:
- Single: income free area of $218 per fortnight. Pension reduces by 50 cents per dollar above this.
- Couple combined: income free area of $380 per fortnight. Same taper rate.
Assets test
The assets test assesses the value of your financial and other assets. Your principal home is exempt. From 20 March 2026 (Services Australia):
| Full pension threshold | Part pension cut-off | |
|---|---|---|
| Single homeowner | $321,500 | $722,000 |
| Single non-homeowner | $579,500 | $980,000 |
| Couple homeowner (combined) | $481,500 | $1,085,000 |
| Couple non-homeowner (combined) | $739,500 | $1,343,000 |
Services Australia applies whichever test produces the lower pension payment.
How Much Is the Age Pension in 2026?
From 20 March 2026 (Services Australia):
| Maximum fortnightly payment | Annual equivalent | |
|---|---|---|
| Single | $1,200.90 | ~$31,223 |
| Couple (each) | $905.20 | ~$23,535 per person |
| Couple (combined) | $1,810.40 | ~$47,070 combined |
These amounts include the base pension, Pension Supplement and Energy Supplement. Rates are indexed each March and September against the Consumer Price Index and Male Total Average Weekly Earnings. Next indexation due September 2026.
Your actual payment may be lower if your income or assets exceed the full pension thresholds. Roughly 39% of Australians over 67 receive the full Age Pension and a further 24% receive a part pension, according to Rice Warner data. Most Australians receive some level of pension at some point in retirement.
What Is the Gap Between Super Access and the Age Pension?
This is one of the most practical planning questions for anyone approaching retirement in Australia.Super becomes accessible tax-free from age 60 once you have retired. The Age Pension starts at 67. That is a seven-year period where most retirees are entirely self-funded.
The gap matters because:
At age 60 with $500,000 in super drawing $40,000 a year, you arrive at 67 with approximately $420,000 to $450,000 remaining. At that balance, a single homeowner is above the full pension threshold of $321,500 and receives a part pension initially. As the balance draws down through the 70s, pension entitlements grow toward the full $31,223 per year. The Age Pension and super are designed to work together over a long retirement, not as alternatives.Phil and Dan covered how this plays out with real case studies including the assets test taper and when full pension entitlements arrive at different balance levels in Episode 10 of the Wealthlab Podcast. Watch Episode 10 on YouTube.
How Super Affects Age Pension Eligibility
Before you reach Age Pension age (67), your super balance that has not yet been accessed is not counted in the means tests. Once you hit 67, super balances in accumulation phase become assessable assets.
Super in pension phase (an account-based pension you are drawing from) is assessed under both the assets test (by balance) and the income test (using deeming rates, not actual drawdown amounts).
Deeming rates as at May 2026:
- 1.25% per year on the first $64,200 in financial assets for singles ($106,200 for couples)
- 3.25% per year on balances above those thresholds
These rates are frozen until 30 June 2026 at their current level. After that, they may change.
The practical effect: Centrelink calculates a deemed income from your super balance regardless of what you actually draw. Managing your drawdown strategy in relation to these deeming thresholds is one of the core planning tasks in the years before and after pension age.
For more detail on how deeming and the means tests interact with your specific super balance, the Wealthlab super calculator lets you model different scenarios.
Applying Early: The 13-Week Rule
You can apply for the Age Pension up to 13 weeks before your 67th birthday. If your claim is assessed before you turn 67, payments begin on your birthday.
If you apply after your birthday, payments start from the date Services Australia receives your claim. There is no backdating. Every week you delay after turning 67 is a week of pension income permanently lost.
At $1,200.90 per fortnight for a single person, a four-week delay after turning 67 costs approximately $2,402 in pension income that is never recovered. Set a reminder to apply 12 to 13 weeks before your birthday and treat it as a non-negotiable date.
Our full step-by-step guide to the application process, documents required, how to apply through myGov and what to do if your claim is rejected is at how to apply for the Age Pension through Services Australia.
What Is the Pensioner Concession Card?
Most Age Pension recipients automatically receive a Pensioner Concession Card (PCC). This provides significant additional savings:Concession prescription medication prices through the PBS (approximately $7.70 per item versus $31.60 for non-concession holders), discounted or free public transport in most states, reduced vehicle registration, state government utility rebates ($200 to $800 per year depending on state) and council rate concessions. The total annual value for most households is $2,000 to $5,000 on top of the pension payment itself.
Even a small part pension payment preserves PCC entitlements, making it worth actively managing your assets to retain any level of pension eligibility where possible.
Can I Get the Age Pension and Super at the Same Time?
Yes. Most Australian retirees receive both. The combination is how the retirement income system is designed to work.
Super (via an account-based pension) provides a flexible, tax-free income stream from age 60. The Age Pension provides a government-funded income floor from age 67. Over a long retirement, as super draws down and assets reduce below the means test thresholds, pension entitlements typically increase. The two sources naturally complement each other.
The key planning task is managing the interaction: how much to draw from super, how to structure other assets, and how to position everything in the years before pension age to maximise total retirement income. Getting this right is worth considerably more than most people realise.
Episode 20 of the Wealthlab Podcast covered Age Pension opportunities that most Australians miss, including structuring strategies and the deeming interaction. Watch Episode 20 on YouTube.
Our pension and Centrelink page covers the full detail on means tests, application and structuring. Our retirement planning page covers how super and pension fit together through a full retirement.
FAQ: Age Pension Age and Eligibility in Australia
What age can I get the Age Pension in Australia? 67 years old, for anyone born on or after 1 January 1957. This applies to both men and women. You can apply up to 13 weeks before your 67th birthday so payments begin on your birthday. Source: Services Australia, current as at May 2026.
What is the retirement age in Australia? There is no official retirement age. You can stop working at any age. The Age Pension becomes available at 67. Super can be accessed from 60 if you have retired. The two are separate systems with different access ages.
How much is the Age Pension in 2026? From 20 March 2026, the maximum is $1,200.90 per fortnight for singles (approximately $31,223 per year) and $1,810.40 combined per fortnight for couples (approximately $47,070 per year). Rates are updated each March and September. Current rates at Services Australia.
Can I access my super before 67? Yes. Super is accessible tax-free from age 60 for anyone born after 30 June 1964 who has retired from the workforce. The Age Pension is a separate entitlement that begins at 67. Between 60 and 67, most retirees fund their income from super drawdowns.
Can I get both super and the Age Pension at the same time? Yes. Most Australian retirees receive both. Super provides income from age 60 and the Age Pension supplements from age 67. As your super balance draws down over time, Age Pension entitlements typically grow. The two work together by design.
What if my super is too high to get the Age Pension at 67? If your super balance exceeds the full pension assets test threshold at 67, you may receive a part pension or no pension initially. As you draw down your balance over time and it falls below the full pension threshold of $321,500 for a single homeowner, your entitlements increase toward the full pension. Most Australians who start without a pension become eligible for one at some point in retirement.
Is the government planning to raise the Age Pension age above 67? No. Services Australia confirmed in December 2025 that there are no plans to increase the Age Pension age beyond 67. The increase from 65 to 67 was phased in from 2017 to 2023. For planning purposes, assuming 67 remains the qualifying age is appropriate.
Do I have to stop working to get the Age Pension? No. You can work part-time or casually and still receive the Age Pension. The Work Bonus allows you to earn up to $300 per fortnight in employment income per person before it counts in the income test, on top of the standard $218 income free area. See our guide on working part-time and the Age Pension for the full detail.
What is the assets test threshold for the Age Pension in 2026? For a single homeowner, the full pension threshold is $321,500 and the part pension cut-off is $722,000 (from 20 March 2026). For couple homeowners combined, the full pension threshold is $481,500 and the cut-off is $1,085,000. Your principal home is exempt. Non-homeowner thresholds are approximately $258,000 higher. Source: Services Australia.
What to Do Next
Knowing when the Age Pension starts is the beginning of the planning, not the end. The most valuable work happens in the years before 67: structuring your super drawdowns, managing assets relative to the means test thresholds, and applying at the right time to avoid permanently lost payments.
Take the free Wealthlab retirement quiz for a general read on your retirement position. Or book a free, no-pressure chat with the Wealthlab team to talk through how your super and the Age Pension fit together for your specific circumstances.
