Aussie old age pension eligibilty question

[Olmate]

8 minutes ago, still kicking said:

But you lose your benefits (rent assistance, Electricity assistance and many other things) 

It amounts to approx AU$130 fn... Many other things??

[scorecard]

On 11/17/2022 at 6:34 AM, flyswat said:

My understanding from assisting a mate recently with this problem....

There is a requirement to be resident in Australia for two years (for an Australian citizen), prior to receiving the pension while residing overseas, (assuming age requirements and asset requirements are met), especially if you have been working overseas for some years and not paying Australian taxes. 

In your case, as in my mates case, provided you meet age and asset requirements on you return to Australia for 2 years in order to meet this 2 year Australia residency period, you will be able to get a pension within 2 weeks of arrival, plus social welfare benefits for the two years in Australia then continue with a pension payment on your return to live in Thailand until you croak. I am not sure if you get pension  C.P.I. indexing after you return overseas. My mate took the opportunity (leaving his Thai/Aussie wife in Thailnd to mind the house), had several medical issues attended to cheaply, (ie, dicky knee replacement) , caught up with mates, and played lots of golf! and is now back in his rural home in Thailand.

Australians who have achieved portability and now live permenantly / most of the time abroad receive 100% of the 6 monthly CPI etc., adjustments. I get it every six months, March and September.

 

OAP recipients abroad don't get most alllowance. The typical allownces that would affect many OA pensioners are energy and , rent assistance. 

[scorecard]

10 minutes ago, Olmate said:

It amounts to approx AU$130 fn... Many other things??

Rent assistance is case by case and yes can be amounts like AU130 per fortnight.

 

Energy allowance is about AU14 per fortnight.

[scorecard]

On 11/17/2022 at 9:37 PM, scorecard said:

"I was told  to get back to Australia for 2 years without leaving for one day. "

 

Maybe that was true many years/decades ago, but it's NOT true today.

 

I researched the whole thing carefully before I went back'

 

In Steps:

- Return to Oz, day of arrival is first day of the 2 years.

- Lodge applictaion for the OAP. i didn't have any detailed interview/interogation. The Centrelink oficer carefully scanned my completed OAP application form and the Statement of Assets and Income. She then commented 'your documents are fully complete,

 

- Do you want me to 1). lodge the documents by using the big multi-purpose machine in the office now? Or

- 2). Do you want to sit here and go through each page/question again then I'll lodge it through the multi-function machine or 

- 3). Take it home and submit yourself?

 

I chose 2). 15 minutes later the lady submitted my forms through their mult-function machine.

As per her sugggestion I called Centrelink Canberre (free call) late the next day and quoted my new CRN number. The pleasant/focused lady checked and said the computer has already started to process your appliction and at this point there is nothing flagged for further investigation.

 

All the Centrelink staff (at the initial office whereI went to to get my CRN, and on the phone) confirmed that there is no requiremnt to stay in Australia with no breaks, for 2 years. You can go abroad and come back on short trips:

- Building the total 2 years doesn't stop and start for the period(s) you're outside of Australia. 

 

I lodged my application for the OAP about 3 years ago.

 

And achieved the 2 years - Portability level, returned to LOS  2 weeks after Portability achieved, no questions asked. 

 

About 2 weeks after 2 years in Oz was finsihed I called the Centrelink older Australian line and politely asked 'I am entitled to Portability?' Very pleasant lady said 'let me check that screen, just 1 minute.

 

Quickly back on the line 'yes you have Portability', do you have any questions about how Portability works? I responded 'No i've been doing my homewrok. She giggled and said 'don't hesitate to all again if you develop any questions'. Then she said 'do you have the Centrelink banking form for your benefits to be sent to your o'seas bank. Meanwhile she had sent the form to my e.mail.

 

Then she asked 'do you have a pen there?', I said 'yes' and she slowly gave me the specific e.mail address to send the completed banking form back to Services Ausralia. I repeated it back and a few days later I had been to K Bank for them to add their stamp which is really a confirmation that the bank branch, address, account name and account number on the formare correct.

 

I scanned the completed forma and sent it back to Services Australia. A couple of days later I got a call from a pleasant young man from Centrelink, he was calling to double check the account number.  All done slowly and all correct, then he gave me a date to expect the first 4 weekly transfer to arrive in my K Bank account. The date was correct. 

[still kicking]

43 minutes ago, Olmate said:

It amounts to approx AU$130 fn... Many other things??

$936.80
Rent Assistance	$151.60
Pension Supplement	$75.60
Energy Supplement	$14.10

[norbra]

2 hours ago, scorecard said:

Lucky man. Did you return to oz numerous times in that 5 years?

Only returned on one occasion but at that time I was not getting any Centrelink payments

[Olmate]

12 hours ago, still kicking said:

$936.80
Rent Assistance	$151.60
Pension Supplement	$75.60
Energy Supplement	$14.10

Supplement... Cant see how you can get both in any event here or in Oz! Please explain? 

[simple1]

On 12/7/2022 at 10:03 AM, Olmate said:

Supplement... Cant see how you can get both in any event here or in Oz! Please explain? 

Info on Age Pension supplements if residing in Oz...

 

https://www.servicesaustralia.gov.au/pension-supplement

[scorecard]

On 12/8/2022 at 12:54 PM, simple1 said:

Info on Age Pension supplements if residing in Oz...

 

https://www.servicesaustralia.gov.au/pension-supplement

I have portability and I get the full OAP and supplement all transfarred every 4 weeks to my account at K Bank. 

 

I don't get the Energy Allowance and I don't get Rent Assistance.

[simple1]

24 minutes ago, scorecard said:

I have portability and I get the full OAP and supplement all transfarred every 4 weeks to my account at K Bank. 

 

I don't get the Energy Allowance and I don't get Rent Assistance.

What 'supplements' are you qualified to receive? 

[seajae]

I was on disability(portability) prior to turning 67 so when I was offered to go onto the pension or remain on dissability I chose to remain on my dissability pension, as I had portability I just kept getting it. I have not been eligible for medicare for several years though as I am living outside Autralia and would have to return and have an aussie address to get back on it but my pension is safe, if you want your pension and have been living outside Australia you will need to go back for 2 years to qualify unless you have portability, have had  a few mates that have had to do it before they were granted portability and could come back here. In Thaland you get the flat rate without the extra benefits but if you fly into and then out of Australia after a short stay  you do get them for a short period, I havent been back for a few years so cant remember how long they were  given to me on my return 

[Olmate]

11 minutes ago, simple1 said:

What 'supplements' are you qualified to receive? 

Supplement is what exactly.?? 

[ozfarang]

25 minutes ago, Olmate said:

Supplement is what exactly.?? 

Current OAP rates

 

Only one pension supplement. It is reduced if you live overseas with your portable pension.

The married pension is $727.80(each) if living overseas

[scorecard]

25 minutes ago, Olmate said:

Supplement is what exactly.?? 

Quite a few years back the then gov't decided to grant an 'add on' to the OAP because many OAP recipients were really struggling to survive.

 

They created the OAP Supplement.

[Olmate]

40 minutes ago, scorecard said:

Quite a few years back the then gov't decided to grant an 'add on' to the OAP because many OAP recipients were really struggling to survive.

 

They created the OAP Supplement.

So no Supplement OS with portability? 

[Kenny202]

1 hour ago, seajae said:

I was on disability(portability) prior to turning 67 so when I was offered to go onto the pension or remain on dissability I chose to remain on my dissability pension, as I had portability I just kept getting it. I have not been eligible for medicare for several years though as I am living outside Autralia and would have to return and have an aussie address to get back on it but my pension is safe, if you want your pension and have been living outside Australia you will need to go back for 2 years to qualify unless you have portability, have had  a few mates that have had to do it before they were granted portability and could come back here. In Thaland you get the flat rate without the extra benefits but if you fly into and then out of Australia after a short stay  you do get them for a short period, I havent been back for a few years so cant remember how long they were  given to me on my return 

But I think even if you have been living overseas and are an Australian citizen and return with a fixed address you can get the pension straight away right? Only need to wait the 2 years for portability?

 

What's the deal with Medicare? I been out of Australia, no residence or anything there. If I went back to live in Australia full time and got on the pension would I automatically get Medicare or is there a waiting period? 

[Kenny202]

54 minutes ago, ozfarang said:

Current OAP rates

 

Only one pension supplement. It is reduced if you live overseas with your portable pension.

The married pension is $727.80(each) if living overseas

So a single man living in Thailand after portability period would get 936 a fortnight right? That's 40k THB / month and quite a livable amount here.

 

Or 936 + applic allowances living in Australia

 

I have a young child 6yo Australian citizen, wonder if I would get something for him living in Thailand? I would guess not

 

So what about a guy who marries a Thai woman. She wouldn't be eligible to get anything I am guessing, and he still gets the reduced married amount? I remember a friend of mine living here telling me he was sorry he got married as it effected his pension negatively. 

[ozfarang]

30 minutes ago, Olmate said:

So no Supplement OS with portability? 

Part supplement if living overseas(portable pension).

 

For a married couple $21.60(each) pension supplement living overseas. If living in Australia it would be maximum supplement ie. $57.00(each). 

[scorecard]

3 hours ago, Kenny202 said:

But I think even if you have been living overseas and are an Australian citizen and return with a fixed address you can get the pension straight away right? Only need to wait the 2 years for portability?

 

What's the deal with Medicare? I been out of Australia, no residence or anything there. If I went back to live in Australia full time and got on the pension would I automatically get Medicare or is there a waiting period? 

I went back and did the 2 years, I'll put the details in steps:

- Day after arriving in Australia - Went to local Centrelink office and did the following:

• Proved my ID and got a CRN (Centrelink Reference Number) which became my OAP number.
• I took with me the fully complete Rental Agreement for the small apartment I had rented in a local War Veterans Village plus copies of Australian bank statements with address detail which is same as address shown on apartment rental agreement. Centrelink also requires that OAP applicants prove they have several utility bills in own name and showing same address as house or rented acccommodation). They ask for 2 plastic cards with an embedded photo. I was checking through my plastic cards and the C'link lady noticed my Thai driving license. I said 'but this is not issued in Australia!'. She giggled and said 'where it's issued is not importan as long as it has a clear photo and your full name in English. She typed the details into the 'Proof of ID panel' Accepted instantly. 
•  
• I had already (before leaving LOS) completed the OAP application form* and the Assets and Income statement. Before leaving LOS I had already got signed statements of what funds I had in several bank accounts in Thailand. Note if you have joint savingas accounts hese must be included in your OAP Assets and Income Statement. 
•  
• NOTE: The application form is very long/many questions, however if you're single you can skip 90+% of the questions which are about details of wife or divorce. All very mechanical. They accept approx. dates. All of the questions are easy to answer.

• The very pleasant and helpful Centrelink officer asked if she could take a look at my completed OAP application form* and the Assets and Income form. She looked seriously at my answers to every question then said 'your forms are ready to submit', She asked If I wanted her to submit the forms 'now'. I said yes, she added my new CRN then scanned the two documents into their big multi purpose machine in the office which meant that they had been submitted, and a confirmation number was instantly received from Centrelink Canberra. 
• NOTES: The OAP application is NOT processed in any local C'link office, it's processed in Canberra and the processing is computerized.
• I went back to my local C'link office about 3 days later to apply for a Medicare replacement card (details later in this thread), The officer said she could check the progress of processing my OAP application, she checked and quickly said "it's proceeding quickly and there's no outstanding issues or problems".
• 2.5 weeks later I got a pleasant and polite call from a young man from C'link Canberra to inform me my OAP had been approved. He asked me to get some paper and pen and he carefully gave me the main details including how much my standard fortnightly OAP would be, how much rental assistance I would be receiving each fortnight and the amount of backpay I would be receiving back to the date I submitted the application. He also mentioned that I would receive a letter the next day with all these details, delivered by an express postal service (it was in my mailbox mid morning next day. And he mentioned that the payment of the backpay would be deposied into my bank account the next morning. It was, it appeared about 9.00 am. 
• You are correct Portability is achieved when you have been back in Oz for 2 years (2 years from date of arrival in Oz, NOT 2 years from applying for the OAP).  
• Your passport activity in/out, is automatically detailed into your C'link records. C'link has a live 24/7 link to Immigration (passport) records.
•  
• About 10 days after I had completed the 2 years I called the Older Australian C'link line and politely asked 'Can you tell me If I am entitled to Portability' The polite lady said 'just one moment while I get that screen' She then confotmed I was entitled to portability from 10 days previosu. She asked If I had any questions re portability. I responded "I've done quite a bit of research on this and I think I know what to do". She said "OK, but don't hesitate to call back if you want to confim anything". She had already e.mailed me the link to the banking document I had to get signed/stamped in Thailand (local K Bank) and she slowly gave me the specific secure Services Australia e.mail address to forward the completed bank form to C'link. I did this the day after I arrived back in LOS.
• Two days later I got a polite phone call from the international banking section of Service Australia to carefully confirm my bank account name and number and the SWIFT code for K Bank. The young man checked some dates then said "it takes a litle bit of time to transfer you to the 4 weekly payment process, you will get your first 4 weekly transfer on xx/xx/xxxx". The deposit into my K bank did appear on that date about 9:30 am and since. (I use K Bank Internet banking, and I also get an e.mail from K Bank a few seconds after the deposit has been made. Also an SMS meaage with a loud 'ding'. 
•  
• Medicare - I had lost my plastic card years earlier. The local C'link asked me to search my documents, files, e.mails to see if I could find the old number. She explained Medicare try to prevent multiple member number for 1 person.
• I responded 'I've already done that'. C'link lady then hit the 'old number not found' button.
• One second later her printer activated, it was a letter to me from Medicare with my full details and a new Medicare number. The letter also mentioned 'you can use this Medicare number immediately, please show this letter if you have any medical services, until you get a new plastic card'.
• New Medicare plastic card arrived in my mailbox 4 days later. 
•  

 

Don't believe the stores you'll read that Centrelink officers are rude, abrupt, unhelpful etc. Totally not true.

 

Hope this helps...

[Kenny202]

Just wanted to get one thing clear....to get portability do you...

 

1) need to live in Australia for 2 years prior? or

2) be on the OAP for 2 years prior?

 

For eg: My pension age is 67....

 

What if I travelled back to Australia when I was 65yo, got a job and applied for the pension when I was 67, after the 2 years? Would it mean the OAP would be immediately portable?

[ozfarang]

35 minutes ago, Kenny202 said:

Just wanted to get one thing clear....to get portability do you...

 

1) need to live in Australia for 2 years prior? or

2) be on the OAP for 2 years prior?

 

For eg: My pension age is 67....

 

What if I travelled back to Australia when I was 65yo, got a job and applied for the pension when I was 67, after the 2 years? Would it mean the OAP would be immediately portable?

Yes, to your last paragraph.

Like most people who normally live in Australia, an Australian resident, their pension is portable the day it is granted

[ozfarang]

This is worth a read regarding portability of the Australian OAP

 

https://www.dss.gov.au/about-the-department/international/policy/portability-of-australian-income-support-payments

[GreasyFingers]

2 hours ago, Kenny202 said:

Just wanted to get one thing clear....to get portability do you...

 

1) need to live in Australia for 2 years prior? or

2) be on the OAP for 2 years prior?

 

For eg: My pension age is 67....

 

What if I travelled back to Australia when I was 65yo, got a job and applied for the pension when I was 67, after the 2 years? Would it mean the OAP would be immediately portable?

Why get a job. Go on unemployment benefits and they will be happy to give you the OAP as you are not then a negative statistic.

[Olmate]

20 minutes ago, GreasyFingers said:

Why get a job. Go on unemployment benefits and they will be happy to give you the OAP as you are not then a negative statistic.

Plenty of 100k aud jobs for seniors now. Work 2 yrs. Nice nest egg then OAP.????

[Kenny202]

20 minutes ago, GreasyFingers said:

Why get a job. Go on unemployment benefits and they will be happy to give you the OAP as you are not then a negative statistic.

You think they would give you the OAP at 65? Apparently they are quite flexible even heard of people getting exceptions to the 2 year rule for portability. I have a 6yo son so may be able to play that up. Like all govt departments wont know until you try and depends on who you get.

 

What happens if you have a Thai wife here (I don't) who has never been to Australia and not a citizen etc? I am pretty sure she would be ineligible to get anything from the Aus govt. Do you still have your pension reduced as a married man even though your wife may have no income at all? I am pretty sure a guy I knew told me that was the case and he was sorry he got married here as he lost quite a few hundred dollars a month

[GreasyFingers]

31 minutes ago, Olmate said:

Plenty of 100k aud jobs for seniors now. Work 2 yrs. Nice nest egg then OAP.????

Things have changed then. When I was in my late 50's could not get a full time job with 3 different qualifications in NSW. Had to move to Darwin where they were available.

[Kenny202]

I heard its not so easy to get on general out of work benefits anymore, even at an older age. Used to be once you hit 50yo you didn't even have to look for a job.

[ozfarang]

34 minutes ago, Kenny202 said:

You think they would give you the OAP at 65? Apparently they are quite flexible even heard of people getting exceptions to the 2 year rule for portability. I have a 6yo son so may be able to play that up. Like all govt departments wont know until you try and depends on who you get.

 

What happens if you have a Thai wife here (I don't) who has never been to Australia and not a citizen etc? I am pretty sure she would be ineligible to get anything from the Aus govt. Do you still have your pension reduced as a married man even though your wife may have no income at all? I am pretty sure a guy I knew told me that was the case and he was sorry he got married here as he lost quite a few hundred dollars a month

You might have heard of someone getting an exception to the 2 year portability rule, very, very unlikely if you read Human Resources rules. 

 

If you you are married you get the married pension regardless of your wife's eligibility for the pension. Just let Centrelink know you're single.

 

[whereyougo]

3 minutes ago, ozfarang said:

You might have heard of someone getting an exception to the 2 year portability rule, very, very unlikely if you read Human Resources rules. 

 

If you you are married you get the married pension regardless of your wife's eligibility for the pension. Just let Centrelink know you're single.

 

Absolutely no problem if you can get back in under 5 years I just did it and just had to promise I was a returning expat . Got both Medicare and a pension straight away

[whereyougo]

1 minute ago, whereyougo said:

Absolutely no problem if you can get back in under 5 years I just did it and just had to promise I was a returning expat . Got both Medicare and a pension card straight away