What is a Services Australia Income and Assets Assessment?
A Services Australia Income and Assets Assessment evaluates an individual's personal financial situation to determine their eligibility and contribution rates for various Australian government pensions, income support payments (e.g., Age Pension), or aged care services. How It Works Income Test: Evaluates income from all sources. This includes salaries, pensions, superannuation, investments, and rental properties.
Key points
- Confirm which fee rules apply before relying on a quoted amount.
- Individual eligibility, availability and outcomes can vary.
- Ask questions early and seek independent help if anything feels unclear or unsafe.
A Services Australia income and assets assessment examines your financial circumstances to work out how much you may need to contribute towards government-funded aged care.
It does not determine whether you are eligible for aged care services. Your care needs and eligibility are assessed separately through My Aged Care.
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01Guide sectionWhat information is assessed?
Services Australia may consider financial information about you and, where applicable, your partner.
This can include:
Age Pension and other government payments
employment or business income
superannuation and retirement income streams
bank accounts and term deposits
shares and managed investments
rental income and investment properties
vehicles and other significant assets
trusts, companies and overseas income or assets.
For financial investments, Services Australia may use deeming rules rather than the actual interest or investment return you receive.
02Guide sectionIs the family home included?
The treatment of your home depends on the type of aged care you receive.
Support at Home
The home you live in is generally not treated in the same way as a residential aged care property assessment. Services Australia assesses your financial circumstances to determine your contribution percentages for Support at Home services.
Residential aged care
The former home may be included in the residential means assessment, subject to specific rules and limits.
It may be exempt while certain protected people continue living there, including:
your partner
a dependent child
an eligible carer
an eligible close relative.
Services Australia considers the ownership, value of the home and who continues to live there when completing the residential aged care assessment.
03Guide sectionWhat happens if I am part of a couple?
Services Australia generally considers both your and your partner’s income and assets.
For aged care calculations, you may need to provide your partner’s financial information even where particular money or property is held in only one person’s name. Services Australia then applies the relevant couple-assessment rules when calculating your costs.
04Guide sectionHow is the assessment used for Support at Home?
For Support at Home, the assessment determines the percentage you contribute towards certain services.
Your contribution depends on:
your assessed income and assets
your pension or Commonwealth Seniors Health Card status
the type of service you receive
the provider’s agreed service price.
Clinical services such as approved nursing and physiotherapy have no participant contribution. Contributions can apply to independence and everyday-living services.
Services Australia sends you a fee advice letter explaining the contribution rates that apply.
05Guide sectionHow is it used for residential aged care?
For permanent residential aged care, the means assessment helps determine:
whether you contribute towards accommodation
whether means-tested care or newer residential contributions apply
how much the Australian Government pays towards your care.
The exact fees depend on when you entered residential aged care and your assessed financial circumstances.
06Guide sectionDo pensioners need to complete a form?
Not always.
If you receive a relevant means-tested payment from Services Australia or the Department of Veterans’ Affairs, they may already hold enough financial information to complete the aged care calculation.
You may need to provide additional details if the information is incomplete or your circumstances have changed.
People who do not receive a relevant means-tested payment will generally need to provide their financial details.
The current forms are:
SA456 - Support at Home calculation of your cost of care
SA457 - Residential aged care calculation of your cost of care.
The assessment can also be requested online through Services Australia.
07Guide sectionWhat happens if I do not provide my financial information?
You can choose not to disclose your income and assets, but this will not usually make your care free.
For Support at Home, a person who does not provide the required information may be charged the highest applicable contribution rates.
For residential aged care, they may be required to pay the maximum applicable means-tested fees and accommodation costs.
08Guide sectionDoes the assessment affect my Age Pension?
The same financial information may also be relevant to your Age Pension, but the aged care calculation and the Age Pension assessment serve different purposes.
The Age Pension income and assets tests determine whether you qualify for the pension and how much pension you receive.
The aged care calculation of your cost of care determines how much you contribute towards aged care.
Moving into residential aged care, selling your home or paying an accommodation deposit can also affect your Centrelink circumstances, so Services Australia should be told when these changes occur.
The practical distinction is:
Your aged care assessment determines what care you qualify for. Your Services Australia income and assets assessment determines how much you may need to pay towards that care.
09Guide 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.
10Guide sectionHelpful Local Home Help resources
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