Do I have to complete the financial assessment form, and what happens if I don't?
You are not legally required to complete a financial assessment form.
Key points
- Individual eligibility, availability and outcomes can vary.
- Ask questions early and seek independent help if anything feels unclear or unsafe.
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01Guide sectionDo I have to complete an income and assets assessment for aged care?
You are not required to apply for an aged care calculation of your cost of care. However, if Services Australia does not already hold enough current financial information and you choose not to provide it, you may be charged the highest applicable aged care contributions and accommodation costs.
The assessment does not determine whether you qualify for aged care. It determines how much you may need to contribute towards the cost.
02Guide sectionYou may not need to complete a form
Services Australia or the Department of Veterans’ Affairs may already hold the information needed if you receive a relevant means-tested payment, such as the Age Pension.
In that case, your aged care costs may be calculated automatically, although you may still be asked for additional information if your records are incomplete or your circumstances have changed.
03Guide sectionWhat happens if you do not provide the required information?
For Support at Home
If you are a non-pensioner and Services Australia does not have your income and asset information, refusing to provide it generally means you will be charged the highest contribution rates:
clinical supports: 0%
independence services: 50%
everyday living services: 80%.
Clinical services still have no participant contribution, but you may pay the maximum rate for other services.
For residential aged care
If you do not complete the required means assessment, you may be treated as able to pay the maximum applicable:
care contributions
accommodation costs
other means-tested residential charges.
Services Australia or DVA calculates these amounts. The provider then charges according to the official fee advice-it does not simply decide your means-tested rate itself.
04Guide sectionDoes refusing the assessment remove the government subsidy?
Not entirely.
The government may still fund parts of your approved care, but you may lose access to means-tested assistance that would otherwise reduce your personal costs. In residential care, this can be particularly significant because the assessment also determines whether the government contributes towards accommodation.
05Guide sectionShould homeowners and self-funded retirees complete it?
Usually, yes.
Owning a home or being self-funded does not necessarily mean you will pay the maximum. The assessment applies specific thresholds, exemptions and limits, including rules about:
whether a partner remains in the home
protected carers or close relatives living there
capped treatment of the former home
combined income and assets for couples.
Completing the assessment prevents assumptions being made that could cause you to pay more than necessary.
06Guide sectionHow do you apply?
You can request an aged care calculation through your linked Centrelink account in myGov or complete the relevant form:
SA456 for Support at Home
SA457 for permanent residential aged care.
Do not use these forms if Services Australia advises that it already has the information required.
07Worth checkingWhat if you cannot afford the assessed amount?
Financial hardship assistance may be available, but you generally need to have completed an income and assets assessment first.
Hardship assistance is considered separately and may reduce some aged care contributions where paying them would cause genuine financial difficulty.
The practical answer is:
You can decline to provide financial information, but doing so will usually result in the highest applicable contribution rates. If Services Australia already has current information from your pension assessment, you may not need to submit a separate form.
08Guide 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.
09Guide sectionHelpful Local Home Help resources
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