How the Age Pension assets test works
The Age Pension uses two tests — an assets test and an income test — and pays whichever produces the lower entitlement. This calculator covers the assets test only. Your home (the principal place of residence) is exempt. Everything else is assessable: superannuation in retirement phase (account-based pension balances), shares, term deposits, vehicles, contents, holiday houses, and the gifted-amount portion of any large gifts in the past five years (the 'deprivation' rules).
The full-pension threshold for a single homeowner is $333,000 of assessable assets (as at 20 September 2026); for a couple homeowner it's $499,000 combined. Non-homeowners have higher thresholds ($600,000 single, $766,000 couple) on the basis they're paying rent. Above the threshold, the pension reduces by $3 per fortnight for every $1,000 of additional assets — equivalent to a 7.8% per annum effective taper. The cut-off (where pension reaches zero) is $745,750 for a single homeowner.
This calculator returns the assets-test entitlement only. Pair it with the income-test calculator to see which side controls your actual rate. For the wider retirement income picture see our Age Pension Calculator and Account-Based Pension Calculator. Thresholds change three times a year — verify on Services Australia before making a decision.