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Post 70/75 Membership

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Definition of post 70/75 member

    

VEA ?

Once a person reaches their upper age limit in the pension bonus scheme, they become a post 70/75 member, and can no longer accrue further bonus periods.    

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Working post 70/75 years of age

    

VEA ?

While a post 70/75 member can no longer accrue any more bonus periods, they can still defer pension, continue to work and remain eligible to claim bonus after they stop work, provided they continue to meet the work test for each subsequent year. If they fail the work test, they have 13 weeks to lodge a claim for the bonus.    

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Post 70/75 member bonus and the work test

Only the periods accrued before becoming a post 70/75 member will be used in calculating their bonus. Registered partners of post 70/75 members can use the work performed by their partner, including work performed post 70/75 to pass the work test.    

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The pension bonus scheme closed to new entrants on 20 September 2009. Existing members can continue in the scheme under the rules that existed prior to 20 September 2009. The pension bonus scheme provided an incentive for older Australians to remain in the workforce and defer receipt of income support pension. The incentive was a bonus, payable if all eligibility criteria and rules were satisfied.

The pension bonus was a once-only, tax-free lump sum payable to a person who, on reaching their special date of eligibility, voluntarily deferred retirement for at least one year and registered as a member of the scheme. The pension bonus was claimed at the same time as claiming pension and is calculated using the annual rate of basic pension payable at grant, multiplied by the bonus periods accrued.

When a veteran with qualifying service or a war widow eligible to receive income support supplement reaches 70 years of age they become a Post 70 member of the Scheme. For other members, the age is 75 years. Once a person becomes a Post 70/75 member they can no longer accrue any more bonus periods, however, they can continue to work and defer pension as long as they continue to pass the work test.

 

 

A person passes the work test for a full year period if they or their partner work at least 960 hours (640 hours to be worked in Australia) during that full year period. Partners cannot work the hours between them.