Living longer means more life to enjoy. If you’re retired, or planning to retire, here are some ways to help make your money go the distance.
Claim your government entitlements
You may be eligible for government benefits such as:
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Age Pension
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Pensioner concessions
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Health care benefits
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Tax offsets
See Age Pension and government benefits.
Keep working, reduce hours or retrain
Continuing to earn an income, even part-time, can help your retirement savings last longer. If you want to keep working, options include:
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Transition to retirement — if you’re aged 55 to 60, you can access some of your super while working. And you can continue contributing to super
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Retrain or change career (myskills) — explore your options to retrain or seek part-time work
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Work Bonus — if you get the Age Pension, you can earn $300 per fortnight before it is reduced
Get senior concessions and discounts
Senior concession cards can give you discounts on things like public transport, prescriptions, health care, utility bills and insurance.
See concession cards for information on:
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Pensioner Concession Card
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Seniors cards
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Commonwealth Seniors Health Card
Consider downsizing or renting out space
Downsizing your home could free up money to pay off your mortgage or invest for your retirement. Or you could consider staying in your home and renting out a room or taking in a boarder.
Before going ahead with any of these options, check the tax impact and whether it will affect your government benefits.
Start volunteering
Staying active is good for your mental and physical health. Volunteering is one way of doing this — enriching your life and giving back to the community. It can also connect you to new friends with similar interests.
See Volunteer Australia’s GoVolunteer website to find out more.
Get help with money if you need it
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Contact Services Australia’s Financial Information Service to discuss government benefit options.
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For tips on how to get the most out of your money, see managing on a low income.
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Protect yourself and your money by knowing how to spot a scam.
Source:
Reproduced with the permission of ASIC’s MoneySmart Team. This article was originally published at https://moneysmart.gov.au/living-in-retirement/your-money-in-retirement
Important note: This provides general information and hasn’t taken your circumstances into account. It’s important to consider your particular circumstances before deciding what’s right for you. Although the information is from sources considered reliable, we do not guarantee that it is accurate or complete. You should not rely upon it and should seek qualified advice before making any investment decision. Except where liability under any statute cannot be excluded, we do not accept any liability (whether under contract, tort or otherwise) for any resulting loss or damage of the reader or any other person. Past performance is not a reliable guide to future returns.
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