“The most pressing issues are preserving what we have and interpreting government legislation.” Member comment - AIR Member survey
Advocacy Achievements
Many of the benefits and concessions available to retirees today have resulted from ongoing advocacy by the Association of Independent Retirees (AIR) as follows:
- Abolition of work test for super contributions over age 65
- Reduced minimum draw down percentages for superannuation pensions during the COVID-19 pandemic
- Residential Aged Care:
- Greater security and protection for aged care residents
- More effective Complaints Resolution
- Funding for training of Residential Care staff
- Retention of Refund of unused Franking Credit credits
- Pathway to permanent residency for 410 Retirement Visa holders
- Energy supplement for CSHC holders before Sep 2016
- Clean Energy supplement introduced for Partly self-funded retirees
- Clean Energy Advance (one-off) paid to Partly self-funded retirees
- Reduced minimum draw down percentages for superannuation pensions during the Global Financial Crisis (GFC)
- Seniors Concession Allowances for Commonwealth Seniors Health Card
holders including State and Local Government rebates for power, phone, gas, water, vehicle registration, drivers licence, council rates - Simplification of Superannuation and introduction of account based pensions with no maximum limit or tax for super withdrawals in retirement phase
- Upon retirement, family farm not counted in pension asset test if retained
by family members (extended land use) - Phasing out of Superannuation Contribution Surcharge
- Accommodation Bond for Residential Aged Care exempt from the Assets test.
- Medicare Levy Low Income Threshold raised
- Tax reform with higher income thresholds and lower personal tax rates
- Aged Pension Assets test exemption for lifetime income streams
- Senior Australian Tax Offset (SATO) introduced and thresholds increased over time
- PBS safety net benefit for holders of CSHC
- Provisional Tax abolished and replaced by PAYG
- Abolition of tax on unrealised capital gains
- Introduction of cash refunds of unused Franking credits
- Capital from sale of an eligible small business may be rolled over into a superannuation fund without being subjected to Capital Gains Tax
- Capital Gains Tax (GCT) indexation replaced by 50% CGT (If assets are held more than one year)
- Lifetime Community Health cover applied with private health insurance
- Introduction of Commonwealth Seniors Health Card (CSHC)
- Medicare safety net benefit introduced
- Rebates for private health insurance introduced