How Much Age Pension Can I Get in 2026? (Full Rates + Eligibility)

From 20 March 2026, the maximum Age Pension 2026 rate is $1,200.90/fortnight ($31,223/year) for a single person and $905.20/fortnight each ($47,070/year combined) for a couple. These Age Pension rates 2026 apply until the next indexation on 20 September 2026. Your actual fortnightly payment depends on the income and assets tests, so most people receive less than the maximum.

If you’re asking “how much Age Pension can I get in 2026,” the short version is: it depends on whether you’re single or partnered, whether you own your home, and how much you have in assets and income. Below is the full breakdown.

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Age Pension 2026 Rates: Maximum Fortnightly Payments

Situation	Fortnightly	Annual (approx.)
Single	$1,200.90	$31,223
Couple (each)	$905.20	$23,535
Couple (combined)	$1,810.40	$47,070
Couple, separated due to illness (each, paid at the single rate)	$1,200.90	—

These amounts include the base payment, Pension Supplement, and Energy Supplement, so there’s nothing extra to add on top.

Age Pension 2026 Payment Breakdown (Single Rate)

Base rate: $1,079.70
Pension Supplement: $84.90
Energy Supplement: $14.10
Total: $1,200.90 per fortnight

Who Can Get the Age Pension in 2026? Eligibility Basics

To qualify for a retirement pension payment in Australia in 2026, you generally need to meet these conditions:

Age requirement: 67 years or older.
Residency rules: Usually 10+ years as an Australian resident in total, including at least 5 continuous years.
Income and assets tests: Services Australia (Centrelink) runs both tests and pays whichever result gives you the lower amount.

You can check your own eligibility using the Services Australia Age Pension eligibility guide, and estimate your payment with the Age Pension calculator on Services Australia.

Age Pension Assets Test 2026 (Limits from 1 July 2026)

Your family home is exempt from this test. Below the “full pension” limit, you get the maximum rate. Between that and the “cut-off” point, you get a reduced part pension. Above the cut-off, you receive no Age Pension at all.

Situation	Full pension if assets below	Part pension cuts out at
Single homeowner	$333,000	$733,500
Single non-homeowner	$600,000	$1,000,500
Couple homeowner (combined)	$499,000	$1,102,500
Couple non-homeowner (combined)	$766,000	$1,369,500

Above the lower threshold, payments reduce by $3/fortnight for every $1,000 in assets over the limit. This is called the taper rate.

Age Pension Income Test 2026

A single person can generally earn up to about $226/fortnight in regular income (plus up to $460/fortnight from work under the Work Bonus) and still receive the full pension.
Above the free area, payments reduce by 50 cents per dollar for singles, or 25 cents per dollar each for couples.
Deeming rates (applied to financial assets like superannuation and bank accounts, from 20 March 2026): 1.25% on the first $64,200 (single) or $106,200 (couple), and 3.25% on amounts above that.
Work Bonus: the first $300/fortnight of employment income is excluded from the income test, and unused amounts accrue up to $11,800. New pensioners start with a $4,000 balance.

For a deeper explanation of how deeming works, see this plain-English deeming rates explainer from Moneysmart, a free government financial guidance service.

Worked Example: Part Pension Calculation

A single homeowner with $421,500 in assessable assets — $100,000 over the relevant lower threshold — would see their fortnightly payment reduced by roughly $300 compared to the full rate, under the $3-per-$1,000 taper rate. This is a useful way to sanity-check any Age Pension estimate you calculate yourself.

Key Dates for Age Pension 2026

Rates last indexed: 20 March 2026
Next Age Pension increase: 20 September 2026
Asset thresholds also reviewed in July each year

How to Apply for the Age Pension in 2026

Set up or log in to your myGov account and link it to Centrelink.
Gather proof of identity, income, assets, and residency documents.
Submit your claim online up to 13 weeks before you reach Age Pension age.
Wait for Services Australia to assess you against both the income test and assets test — you’ll be paid based on whichever result is lower.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much is the Age Pension per fortnight in 2026?

The maximum Age Pension in 2026 is $1,200.90 per fortnight for a single person and $905.20 each for a couple, current from 20 March 2026 to 19 September 2026.

How much is the Age Pension per year in 2026?

A single person on the full Age Pension receives approximately $31,223 per year. A couple receives approximately $47,070 combined per year.

Will the Age Pension increase again in 2026?

Yes. The Age Pension is indexed twice a year, in March and September, based on the Consumer Price Index and wage growth. The next scheduled increase is 20 September 2026.

Does owning my home affect how much Age Pension I get?

Yes. Homeowners have lower asset test thresholds than non-homeowners, because the family home itself is exempt from the assets test and non-homeowners are given extra allowance to account for rent.

What’s the difference between the income test and the assets test?

Services Australia calculates your pension under both tests and pays you the lower amount. The assets test looks at what you own; the income test looks at what you earn, including deemed income from financial assets.

Conclusion on Age Pension 2026 Rates

Most retirees don’t receive the maximum Age Pension amount. Roughly 39% get the full pension and another 24% receive a part pension.

To estimate your own payment, check both the assets test and income test outcomes, take the lower figure, and remember your family home is never counted as an assessable asset.