How does the family home count towards the asset test if a spouse still lives there?
For Support at Home, an ordinary family home is generally exempt, although homeownership can affect the thresholds used in the assessment. If one spouse enters residential aged care and the other remains at home, the property is also generally exempt while that spouse continues living there.
Key points
- Ask for details in writing and compare more than one option where possible.
- Confirm which fee rules apply before relying on a quoted amount.
- Individual eligibility, availability and outcomes can vary.
For Support at Home, the family home you or your spouse live in is generally not counted as an assessable asset in the same way as savings, investments or an investment property.
This means that if one spouse receives Support at Home while both remain living at home, the value of the ordinary family home generally does not directly increase the person’s contribution rate.
Services Australia still asks whether you own your home because:
homeowners and non-homeowners can have different financial thresholds
special rules may apply to unusually large properties
part of the property may be used for business purposes
the property may have multiple titles
rental income or other ownership arrangements may need to be assessed.
The Support at Home financial assessment form generally does not ask for the market value of an ordinary home on a single title and no more than five acres. More information may be required where the property is larger, has several titles or is partly used for business.
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01Guide sectionWhat about the couple’s other assets?
Services Australia generally considers the combined financial circumstances of both partners, including assets such as:
bank accounts
term deposits
shares and managed investments
investment properties
superannuation and income streams
vehicles and other assessable property.
For couples, the assessment generally attributes half of the combined income and assets to each partner, regardless of whose name the asset is held in.
02Guide sectionPractical example
Suppose a married couple:
lives together in a family home worth $900,000
has $150,000 in combined savings and investments
and one spouse receives Support at Home.
The ordinary family home would generally not be counted at its $900,000 market value. Services Australia would instead assess the couple’s relevant income and other assets and generally attribute half of the combined amount to the Support at Home participant.
03Guide sectionIs this different from residential aged care?
Yes.
If one spouse moves permanently into an aged care home while the other spouse continues living in the family home, the home is generally treated as a protected home and is not counted in the residential aged care means assessment while the spouse remains there.
If the spouse later moves out, dies or the home is sold, the exemption may change and Services Australia should be notified.
The practical answer is:
For Support at Home, an ordinary family home is generally exempt, although homeownership can affect the thresholds used in the assessment. If one spouse enters residential aged care and the other remains at home, the property is also generally exempt while that spouse continues living there.
04Guide sectionWhat should I do next?
Confirm the details with My Aged Care or the relevant provider, write down your questions and ask for important information in writing before making a decision.
05Guide sectionHelpful Local Home Help resources
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