Older and bolder for pensioners
GOLD Coast retirees and pensioners will benefit from a raft a measures in the Budget designed to help boost their income levels.
It’s a Budget that Gold Coast Retirees advocacy committee chairman Charles Dickson said delivered in many ways.
The Government plans to increase the number of home care places by 14,000 across four years at a cost of $1.6 billion. By 2021 more than 74,000 high-level home care places will be available, an increase of 86 per cent on 2017-18.
The Budget also includes a pensions loan scheme, which will be opened to all older residents so they can increase their retirement income by $17,800 for a couple without impacting on them getting the pension.
A pension work bonus will provide up to $10,000 for employers who take on pensioners.
Mr Dickson said he and his wife Kerry were pleased with changes that included franking dividend amendments to allow retirees to earn up to $4000 extra annually.
He also commended the ability to change superannuation accounts without penalty and a proposed aged employees skilled training program.