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Mixed-Age Couple Age Pension Calculator
If you and your partner haven't both reached Age Pension age, the standard Age Pension calculator gives the wrong answer. This calculator handles the mixed-age case correctly: it applies the couple-combined income and assets thresholds, but pays the pension only to the partner who has reached pension age (and at the couple-each rate, not the single rate). It also correctly excludes the younger partner's accumulation-phase super and their employment income from the means tests.
Read this first — how the calculator works
If only one of you has reached Age Pension age (currently 67), this calculator computes only the older partner's pension. The younger partner is not yet eligible for Age Pension, so they receive nothing from this calculator. They may, however, qualify for other Centrelink payments (links below).
The pension paid is the couple-each rate (currently up to $933.00/fortnight), not the single rate. The household is still treated as a couple by Centrelink even though only one of you has reached pension age — so the couple-combined income and assets thresholds apply, but only one pension is paid.
How the Mixed-Age Case Differs From Both-Pensioners
Centrelink applies two specific rules when only one partner has reached Age Pension age:
- Younger partner's accumulation-phase super is excluded from the assets test until they reach Age Pension age. Money in pension-phase super, bank accounts, shares, etc. all still counts — only super in accumulation phase is excluded.
- The Work Bonus only applies to the older partner. Both partners' employment income counts in the combined income test, but only the older partner's earnings are eligible for the Work Bonus exemption (currently $300/fortnight).
The accumulation-super exclusion is the most meaningful planning lever. For example, if the older partner has $400,000 in pension-phase super and the younger partner has $300,000 in accumulation-phase super, only the $400,000 counts as assessable assets for the older partner's Age Pension. If the same $300,000 were held in pension phase, or in the older partner's name, it would all count.
Worked Example
Before you use the calculator, here's a simple worked example to make the mechanics clear:
Mary (68) and David (62) — homeowners
Their situation: Mary has reached Age Pension age. David hasn't. They own their home. Their combined financial assets total $800,000 — Mary's super in pension phase, David's super in accumulation phase, and a small joint bank account. Of that, $200,000 is David's accumulation-phase super. They have $50,000 in non-financial assets (car, contents). Neither has employment income or other income.
David receives nothing from Age Pension. He may qualify for JobSeeker, DSP, Carer Payment, or a Low Income Health Care Card — see the links after the calculator.
What-if: if Mary withdrew $200,000 from her pension-phase super and David contributed it to his accumulation account, David's accumulation super would rise to $400,000. Mary's assessable financial assets would drop from $600,000 to $400,000 — putting them below the threshold. Mary's pension would jump to roughly —/fortnight, an annual gain of around —. Use the calculator below to see what shifting super would do for your situation.
Enter Your Details
1. Ages
2. Homeowner status
3. Combined Assets
Enter your combined household figures — Centrelink assesses couples on combined assets regardless of whose name they're in. Not sure what to include?
4. Income (per year)
Enter annual figures. Centrelink assesses couples on combined income, but employment income is split out by partner because the Work Bonus only applies to the older partner. Not sure what to include?
Older Partner's Estimated Age Pension
Income Test
Assets Test
Each test calculates the household pension first, then halves it for the older partner's share. The older partner's actual pension is the lower of the two shares — that's the binding test.
"What if" — shift super from older partner to younger partner's accumulation
If you withdrew money from the older partner's pension-phase super and contributed it to the younger partner's accumulation-phase super, the contributed amount would be excluded from the assets test (because the younger partner is under pension age). This can increase the older partner's Age Pension.
⚠ Contribution caps and penalty risk
Shifting super between partners is governed by superannuation contribution caps. The maximum non-concessional contribution under the 3-year bring-forward rule is currently $390,000. Contributing above the cap triggers an excess contributions tax of up to 47% on the excess.
This calculator does not check whether your shifted amount is within the cap. If you're considering this strategy, get advice — see the Super Contribution Caps page or book a coaching call. The penalty for getting it wrong is substantial.
What About the Younger Partner?
The younger partner doesn't qualify for Age Pension yet, but they may qualify for one of these other Centrelink payments. Each is calculated separately from the Age Pension above:
💡 The younger partner's options
- JobSeeker Payment — if able to work and looking for a job (the partnered rate applies)
- Disability Support Pension — if a permanent medical condition prevents working 15+ hours/week (adult rate matches Age Pension)
- Carer Payment — if providing constant care to the older partner or another person (income-tested, similar mechanics to Age Pension)
- Carer Allowance — separate, additive payment for carers (different income test, can be paid alongside others)
- Low Income Health Care Card — concession card for prescriptions and state-government concessions, no asset test
Younger partner's payment options
Want to Optimise Your Mixed-Age Strategy?
Mixed-age couples often have meaningful planning levers — super shifting, timing the younger partner's pension transition, structuring income. Book a coaching call to walk through your specific numbers.
Disclaimer: This calculator provides an estimate only based on Centrelink Age Pension rates and thresholds effective from 20 September 2026. It assumes one partner has reached Age Pension age (currently 67) and the other has not, you meet Australian residency requirements, the younger partner's super disclosed is in accumulation phase, and the older partner has accrued the maximum Work Bonus balance. The Work Bonus exemption modelled ($11,800/year) assumes a maximum accrued balance — new pensioners may have a lower effective exemption. Both partners' employment income counts in the income test, but only the older partner's earnings are eligible for the Work Bonus. Actual entitlement may also vary depending on Rent Assistance, transitional pension provisions, illness-separated couples, complex defined benefit schemes, and other factors not modelled here. The "what if" scenario does not check super contribution caps; the penalty for exceeding the cap is up to 47% excess contributions tax. This is general information only and does not constitute personal financial advice.
Accuracy Note: Whilst every effort has been made to provide current and accurate information, I am only one person and there's a very good chance that I'll miss something. If you spot a factual error, or if a calculator breaks or gives incorrect answers, I'd be really grateful if you could let me know via the Contact Us page so I can fix it ASAP.
It would speed up the correction process enormously if you could cite for me the title of the page where you find the error and describe what the error is. Thanks heaps for your support in keeping this valuable resource up to date for everyone's benefit.
20 September 2026