Overview of age requirements
Pension age and qualifying age are criteria used in determining eligibility for specific categories of service pension. Pension age is also used in determining eligibility of a current or former member of the ADF for veteran payment. Pension age also has application in relation to certain assessment issues, taxation issues and eligibility to participate in certain schemes.
Further information on Veteran Payment eligibility can be found at Eligibility requirements for Veteran Payment.
Age equalisation for females
The pension age for females has progressively increased since 1 July 1995 in six-month increments every two years. By 1 January 2014 the pension age for females reached the same as the pension age for males. Note: Age equalisation applies to veteran pension age, qualifying age and age pension age.
Increase to pension age for persons other than veterans
From 1 July 2017 pension age for non-veterans commenced being increased by six-months every two years and will reach 67 in 2023. The increases do not apply to veteran pension age. The following table provides a guide to the gradual increase to pension age for male and female non-veterans.
Male and female non-veterans
Date of birth (both dates inclusive) | Pension age |
1 July 1952 to 31 December 1953 | 65 years and 6 months |
1 January 1954 to 30 June 1955 | 66 years |
1 July 1955 to 31 December 1956 | 66 years and 6 months |
On or after 1 January 1957 | 67 years |
Age requirement for age service pension
Pension age for a veteran is specified in section 5QA of the VEA. The age service pension is similar to the Centrelink age pension. However, in recognition of the effects of their service, pension age for a veteran is less than pension age for other persons.
Age requirement for partner service pension
An eligibility criteria for partner service pension is that the partner is required to have attained qualifying age. However, under specified circumstances partners may not need to meet this age requirement.
Impact of age on ISS recipients
There are no age restrictions on a person's eligibility for ISS. However, for certain assessment rules, taxation and eligibility to participate in certain schemes, pension age or qualifying age for an ISS recipient may be applicable.
Impact of age on other issues
Pension age may also impact issues other than pension eligibility, such as:
- when superannuation fund investments become assessable under the income and assets test,
- whether the pension payment is taxable, or
- eligibility to participate in the pension bonus scheme or Home Equity Access Scheme.
Verification of age
The primary documents used to confirm a person's age are a:
- birth certificate, or
- certified extract from a birth entry.
Note: It is important that the claimant is identifiable as the person named on the certificate or extract.
If either of these documents does not satisfactorily identify the claimant, it will be necessary to obtain evidence of age from another source, such as:
- passports,
- old records of membership in various organisations,
- marriage certificates, or
- service documents.
The documents listed above are related to verification of a person's age and some may not be acceptable proof of identity documents.