Many of the 2.5 million Australian retirees on the age pension would like to work, but only a fraction do – partly because it can mean losing some of their pension.
Depending on circumstances, it may be time to re-think the bias to paying down housing debt over wealth accumulation in super. At least to do the sums, so you can make an informed choice.
The government’s retirement incomes review should concentrate on boosting rent assistance and Newstart and fixing the pension assets test. These would achieve more than boosting super.
No single super contribution rate suits everyone, and there’s only a clear case for an increase if there’s no age pension.
Under the Institute of Actuaries proposal, only retirees with more valuable than normal homes would face an assets test, and only on that part of the value that was higher than normal.
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Peter Martin, Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University
Newstart increases are projected to get smaller and smaller relative to pension increases. By the end of the century Newstart will be just two fifths of the pension.
Not cutting deeming rates when other rates are falling keeps people off the pension.
The Conversation played host to really important new ideas in 2018. Some will take years to develop. Others will never come to fruition. But they’re important.
Newstart should be lifted by mush more than usually proposed, a new ANU algorithm finds.
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A new ANU computer algorithm can provide near instant answers about how to get the best bang for welfare dollars. It says we should boost Newstart and cut either pensions or family benefits.
Labor’s plan to pay super to women on paid parental leave would barely boost their retirement incomes.
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Bill Shorten says Labor’s plan to make super contributions on behalf of women on paid parental leave would have a “big impact”. We find its impact would be be minuscule.
The pension age will climb to 67 and then climb no further, for now.
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Increasingly insecure pathways to home ownership are not just a problem for property markets. The fallout is likely to hit retirement incomes, the welfare base, gender equity and the broader economy.
Add up all the neglected costs of downsizing and retirees have good reason to be wary of making the move.
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Retirees are often urged to downsize to free up suburban properties for the next generation and for higher-density development. What’s being ignored is the costs of moving into a unit or apartment.
Governments alone cannot bridge the gaps and support affordable housing for seniors.
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Any significant decline in home ownership or equity in a home impacts higher care needs: older people will not have an asset to sell to fund the bonds required to enter aged care accommodation.