It’s nice to enjoy a break over the summer months. It’s an Aussie tradition – that mass exodus after Boxing Day that sees us head off for some well-earned rest and relaxation. However, it can be hard to unwind when we have a device in our pocket buzzing away every couple of minutes.

Even those who manage to resist taking work away with them and checking work emails while on holiday, can spend a lot of time on a digital device! And while you are glued to that device, chances are you are not ‘in the moment’ enjoying your time with family and friends fully or the delights of wherever you are vacationing.

Digital addiction

It’s not an overstatement to say that during our everyday lives we are glued to our devices. The average person spends around five and a half hours a day on their phone – that’s over two months over the course of a year!

We also tend to check our phones on average around 8 times an hour – almost once every 8 minutes. And just over half of Aussies (50.65%) consider themselves addicted to their phones. Throw in the amount of time we spend on tablets, laptops and other devices and it’s clear we generally spend a lot of time in front of a screen.

A vacationing trend

A new trend that may help to curb our online addictions is known as a ‘digital detox’ holiday.

Resorts and lifestyle destinations have got on board and many offer wellness packages offering a respite from the fast pace of online life with no phones, texts, emails, social media use or web browsing for the duration of your stay.

You don’t have to fly off to an internet black spot or sign up for a digital detox retreat to get the benefits though. Doing your own digital detox can be as simple as switching your phone to airplane mode or better still turning your devices off for a designated time every day or for a period of time.

Breaking free

The benefits of getting away from a screen, even if it’s just for a short break, are numerous but the main benefit of having a proper digital detox is reducing stress. If your phone or tablet isn’t buzzing, beeping or vibrating in your pocket or hand every few minutes, you start to breathe deeper and slow down.

Another plus of having a break from your device is the way it can affect the quality of your interactions with others. If you are not staring at a screen you open up opportunities to engage more fully with those around you. That means better quality time connecting with friends and family.

If you are a solo traveller, it can be challenging to not have the safety blanket of a phone in your hand, however there is something special about being more aware of your surroundings and taking in the little moments as they happen, without distractions.

Open to offline discovery

While tech can certainly make travel smoother in many ways, going phone free can open up opportunities for discovery. While it’s tempting to grab your phone to check the Google score of every restaurant you pass or using Maps to locate local attractions, it can be satisfying stumbling across a great little eating place tucked away down a laneway or finding a wonderful local market on your travels.

And when it comes to sharing your discoveries, you could also try keeping it offline. Instead of snapping moments to share immediately on social media, knowing you are going to be constantly distracted checking how your posts are being received, try to treasure those moments as they happen.

Whether you digitally detox for a few hours a day, a few days, or the duration of the holidays, your vacation will benefit from you unplugging for a bit. And who knows, you may even find some of your good digital detoxing habits follow you into the New Year.

Aging at home with government-subsidised funding is made possible through the Home Care Packages program.

However, a crackdown on what the funds can be used for and a shortage of support workers, can make it challenging to understand the funding available.

If you are approved for a Home Care Package you will be assessed at one of four levels. These levels acknowledge the different types of care needed.

Current annual funding for packages is $10,271.10 for level one (someone with basic care needs); $18,063.85 for level two (low care); $39,310.50 for level three (intermediate care); and $59,593.55 for level four (high care).

It can take up to six months for a Home Care Package to be assigned following the initial assessment. Once assigned, a provider must be chosen to design a package of aged care services that is best and most appropriate for you – within the home care package guidelines.

Providers charge care and package management fees, which were recently capped at a combined 35% of the package funds.

Income tests apply

The packages are income tested, with part pensioners paying no more than $6,543.66 a year and self-funded retirees paying no more than $13,087.39 a year in fees. Full pensioners do not pay an income tested fee.

Older Australians can apply for a package directly, or through their GP, via the government’s My Age Care aged care gateway.

Due to high demand for Home Care Packages, you may be offered a lower level package while you wait for the one you are approved for. You may also be given access to the entry level government support known as the Commonwealth Home Support Program – where individual referral codes are allocated to you to access interim support such as cleaning, transport or personal care at highly subsidised rates.

A revised manual released earlier this year by the Department of Health clarifying what a Home Care Package can be used for is presenting additional challenges for some package recipients looking to maximise what they can get.ⁱⁱ

Generally, a requested support or service must meet an individual’s “ageing related functional decline care needs”. The main categories of care and services you can get from a Home Care Package are services to keep you:

• well and independent (nursing, personal care, food),
• safe in your home (home maintenance, goods and equipment) and
• connected to your community (transport and social support).

Exclusions and inclusions

One area that is becoming more difficult for those with Home Care Packages is gardening – which is one of the most popular subsidised service requests.

Once a regular prune and possibly some new planting was an approved service, but now only minor or light gardening services can be provided and only where the person was previously able to carry out the activity themselves but can no longer do so safely. For example: maintaining paths through a property or lawn mowing.

Other exclusions causing angst amongst recipients are recliner chairs (unless they support a care recipient’s mobility, dexterity and functional care needs and goals); heating and cooling costs including installation and repairs; whitegoods and electrical appliances (except items designed specifically to assist with frailty, such as a tipping kettle).

With an aging population it is no secret that there is a shortage of support workers. While there are government programs to try and fix this, a back-up plan is needed for when support workers call in sick or are unavailable and no replacement can be found.

Most people’s preference is to remain living independently at home for as long as possible. If you would like to discuss your options to make this happen, give us a call.

Employers are desperate for workers and cost of living pressures are making it tough to live on a pension. That’s a perfect mix of conditions to send some retirees back to work. But it’s smart to get good advice before you take the leap.

With unemployment rates at historic lows and employers facing a shortage of skilled workers, an increasing number of retirees are choosing to re-enter the workforce. According to recent data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), approximately 45,000 more individuals aged over 65 are actively working compared with a year ago.

Some retirees may have been forced to return to work to financially support themselves. National Seniors research found 16% of age pensioners re-entered the workforce after initially retiring, while another 20% said they would consider returning to work.

Declining superannuation returns combined with rising inflation and cost of living pressures may be some of the reasons why retirees could soon be returning to work.

Things to consider

Returning to work after retirement raises several important financial and logistical considerations for retirees including the effect on the Aged Pension and superannuation.

If you receive an Aged Pension and are planning to return to work, you will need to let Centrelink know you are receiving additional income within 14 days. The extra income may mean that your pension is reduced if it exceeds Centrelink’s income threshold. It’s essential for retirees to be aware of these thresholds and how their earnings may affect their pension to plan their finances effectively.

Eligible age pensioners should also consider the Work Bonus incentive. This incentive encourages age pensioners to return to work with no or less impact on their age pension. Under the Work Bonus, the first $300 of fortnightly income from work is not assessed as income under the pension income test. Any unused amount of the Work Bonus will accumulate in a Work Bonus income bank, up to a maximum amount. The amount accumulated in the income bank can be used to offset future income from work that would otherwise be assessable under the pension income test.

Effect on superannuation

Returning to work after retirement can have implications for your superannuation, particularly if you’re receiving a pension from your super fund. You can continue taking your pension from super, but you will still have to meet the minimum pension requirements.

So, even though you may not need that pension income, you have to withdraw at least the minimum, which depends on your age and your super balance. This minimum pension rate is set by the government. Failing to meet these requirements can have tax implications and may affect your pension’s tax-free status.

You can convert your super pension phase back into the accumulation phase if you wish to stop taking the minimum pension. However, be aware of the tax differences. In the accumulation phase, any income and gains are taxed at 15 per cent whereas they are tax-free in the pension phase.

Don’t forget that if you retain your pension account, then you will have to open a new super accumulation account to receive employer contributions because you cannot make contributions into a super pension account.

Other investments

If you have personal investments outside super and have been receiving a pension, your lower income may mean that you are not paying tax on any gains from them. But extra income from a job may mean you move up a tax bracket and any investment income and capital gains will then be assessed at the higher rate.

Returning to work after retirement can have far-reaching implications on your finances, particularly with regard to your Aged Pension and superannuation. It’s vital to carefully seek appropriate advice to ensure a smooth transition back into the workforce, allowing you to make informed decisions that align with your financial goals and overall well-being.

If you would like to discuss your options, give us a call.

How much tax you pay on retirement income depends on your age and the type of income stream.

For most people, an income stream from superannuation will be tax-free from age 60.

How super income streams are taxed

Types of super income streams

Income from super can be an:

• account-based pension — a series of regular payments from your super money
• annuity — a fixed income for the rest of your life or a set period of time

What is taxable and what is tax-free

Part of your super money is taxable, made up of:

• employer contributions
• salary sacrificed contributions
• personal contributions claimed as tax deductions

Part is tax-free, made up of:

• after-tax contributions
• government co-contributions

If you’re age 60 or over

Your entire benefit from a taxed super fund (which most funds are) is tax-free.

If you’re age 55 to 59

Your income payment has two parts:

• taxable — taxed at your marginal tax rate less a 15% tax offset
• tax-free — you don’t pay anything more

If you’re age 55 or younger

You can usually only access your super if you experience permanent incapacity. If this happens, you’ll be taxed the same as people aged 55 to 59.

If accessing super for a different reason, such as severe financial hardship, your income payment has two parts:

• taxable — taxed at your marginal rate tax
• tax-free — you don’t pay anything more

Tax on other types of super funds

Defined benefit super fund

If you’re with a defined benefit super fund, you’ll get a statement from your fund before becoming eligible for your benefit (super money). This will tell you how much of your benefit is taxable and how much is tax-free.

Untaxed super fund

Some government super funds don’t pay regular tax on contributions. These are known as ‘untaxed funds’. If you’re a member of an untaxed fund, you pay tax when you access your money. Check with your fund to find out more.

Self-managed super fund (SMSF)

If you’re part of an SMSF, how you access your money depends on the ‘trust deed’ (rules).

Tax on transition to retirement income streams

With a transition to retirement (TTR) income stream, you can access your super while working. To get one of these pensions, you must have reached your preservation age (between 55 and 60).

You can take out up to 10% of the balance each financial year. You can’t withdraw it as a lump sum.

You pay the same amount of tax as on other super income streams, according to your age. Investment returns on TTR pensions are taxed at up to 15%, the same as a super accumulation fund.

Tax on non-super income streams

With an annuity bought with money from outside super, you get a fixed income for a set period of time. This pension income, less a deductible amount, is taxed at your marginal tax rate.

The deductible amount is the part of your original money (capital) coming back to you with each pension payment.

We are are to help if you need it.

Source :
The article was reproduced with the permission of ASIC’s MoneySmart Team. This article was originally published at https://moneysmart.gov.au/retirement-income/retirement-income-and-tax
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