In Australia, 60 years old is the first retirement milestone. At this point, you can start drawing down on your superannuation (if you’ve quit working), and you’re just seven years away from potentially receiving the Age Pension payment.

But not everyone is eligible. And if you are, the amount you can get depends heavily on your income and assets.

The asset test includes absolutely everything that you own, except the home you live in.

It applies to any home contents, personal items, vehicles, real estate or property investments, your superannuation, S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) shares, annuities, private trusts, and any other financial investments or assets.

You’ll also need to declare any assets held outside Australia and any debts owed to you.

And that means age 60 is a crucial time to get all your ducks in a row.

The tricky thing is that the Age Pension rules, thresholds, and maximum payments are constantly changing.

And misunderstanding your limits means you could earn less, or nothing at all, when you reach age 67.

Here are six things every Australian at age 60 needs to know about the Age Pension asset test before they retire.

1. Eligibility requirements are more than just your age

To be eligible for the Age Pension, you need to meet basic requirements ahead of the income or asset test. 

That is, you need to be 67 years old (or older). You also need to be an Australian resident who has lived in Australia for at least 10 years, with at least 5 of those years in a continuous period.

2. The maximum potential Age Pension payment just increased

As of the 20th of September, the maximum fortnightly Age Pension payment increased to $1,237.70 for individuals. Couples now get a boosted $933 per person per fortnight, or $1,866 combined.

These figures include the maximum basic rate, the maximum pension supplement, and the energy supplement.

3. Asset limits for the full Age Pension differ depending on whether you’re a homeowner or not, and these also just increased

As of the 20th of September, in order to receive the full Age Pension, single homeowners can own assets (including superannuation) up to a value of $333,000 (previously $321,500), and non-homeowners can own assets up to $600,000 (previously $579,500) in retirement.

But a couple has a different threshold, and it’s not double the amount of one person. A couple combined can now own up to $499,000 (previously $481,500) in total if they own a property, or $766,000 (previously $739,500) if they don’t.

4. You can get a part payment, and these limits just increased too

You can earn over the limits above and still earn a part Age Pension.

The cut-off point for a part-payment for single homeowners is now $745,000 (previously $733,500), and $1,012,750 (previously $1,000,500) if you’re a single non-homeowner. 

Couples are also entitled to a part-payment, so long as their combined assets don’t exceed $1,121,000 (previously $1,102,500) for homeowners. 

Non-homeowning couples can own assets totalling up to a limit of $1,388,000 (up from $1,369,500 previously). 

For assets above the full pension limit, the Age Pension payment for singles or couples, regardless of whether they’re homeowners or not, reduces by $3 per fortnight for every $1,000 of assets.

5. Deeming rules apply, and they’ve also just changed

To calculate how much income you receive from your assets, Centrelink uses what it calls a “deeming rule”. Under deeming rules, instead of looking at how much your assets actually earn, it’s assumed they earn a set amount of income.

As of the 20th of September, the first $66,800 of assets of single Australians have a deeming rate of 1.75%. Anything over this amount is deemed to earn 3.75%.

Couples have a 1.75% deeming rate on their first $110,600 of combined assets (this includes superannuation). Anything over this amount is deemed to earn 3.75%.

6. Gifts aren’t exempt

Centrelink has strict rules around gifting money or assets to someone else to meet Age Pension eligibility.

Any gifts you make over a five-year period are counted towards your assets test for five years. 

You can gift assets worth up to $10,000 in any one financial year and $30,000 over any five-year period without these assets being included in the Age Pension asset test.

The post 6 things Aussies at age 60 need to know about the Age Pension asset test before they retire appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor Samantha Menzies has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

Neuren Pharmaceuticals vs Telix Pharmaceuticals shares

If you’re an Aussie investor with an eye on the booming healthcare sector, chances are you’ve heard the buzz around Neuren Pharmaceuticals Ltd (ASX: NEU) and Telix Pharmaceuticals Ltd (ASX: TLX). Both companies have delivered innovative breakthroughs—one in neurological disorders, the other in targeted cancer diagnostics and therapy—and have captured strong market interest in recent years. But with some striking differences in their fundamentals, income appeal, and share price momentum, which healthcare stock is the better buy right now?

The case for Neuren Pharmaceuticals

Neuren Pharmaceuticals is a biotechnology company specialising in developing novel treatments for rare neurodevelopmental disorders, particularly those that affect children. Its flagship drug, DAYBUE (trofinetide), was approved by the US FDA in March 2023 as the first ever treatment for Rett syndrome, and is licensed in the US through Acadia Pharmaceuticals. According to its recent company profile, DAYBUE remains the only approved therapy for this indication. Neuren is also progressing trials of new candidates targeting additional syndromes, signalling a vibrant pipeline.

A few key fundamentals stand out:

• Neuren’s market cap sits at $2.60 billion, making it a sizeable but nimble biotech.
• It has begun generating earnings (EPS 0.154), but its P/E ratio is a lofty 131.95—which is very high even for biotechs, reflecting both growth optimism and risk.
• Uniquely among many peers, Neuren actually pays a dividend: its current yield is 0.74%, with full (100%) franking reported on its latest interim payout of $0.15 per share.

That rare combination of cutting-edge drug development, early earnings, and a dividend (albeit modest) gives Neuren a distinctive profile for income-hunting investors interested in the healthcare sector.

The case for Telix Pharmaceuticals

Telix Pharmaceuticals is another home-grown biotech success story, but with a different therapeutic focus. Telix develops and commercialises theranostic (diagnostic and therapeutic) products using targeted radiation, with emphasis on treating and imaging cancers such as prostate, kidney, and brain tumours. The company’s prostate cancer imaging agent, Illuccix, already has approvals in Australia, the US, and Canada, with the UK and Europe also on its radar. Telix boasts a substantial pipeline, with over 20 clinical trials underway across multiple countries and therapeutic areas.

Key Telix fundamentals from the dataset:

• Telix’s market cap is $5.93 billion—more than double Neuren’s—marking it as one of the sector’s heavyweights on the ASX.
• It’s also generating positive earnings (EPS 0.099), and its P/E ratio is 121.97 – Like Neuren, this figure is very high compared to the broader market.
• However, Telix does not offer a dividend at present—its yield is 0%—which is fairly standard for a rapidly reinvesting biotech but removes any immediate income appeal.

Telix’s size and global reach, plus its diverse late-stage pipeline, make it an intriguing candidate for growth investors focused on healthcare innovation.

Valuation comparison

Since both companies are ASX-listed healthcare innovators of comparable maturity, the core valuation metrics stack up as follows:

Metric	Neuren Pharmaceuticals	Telix Pharmaceuticals
Market Cap	$2.60 billion	$5.93 billion
P/E Ratio	131.95	121.97
EPS	0.154	0.099
Dividend Yield	0.74% (100% franked)	0.00%
Year To Date Return	10.2%	50.6%

Note: Both companies’ P/E ratios are extremely high relative to the general market, which is typical for biotech stocks where earnings are newly positive and future growth is heavily priced in. Also, while both have positive EPS, the relationship between reported EPS and the stated P/E may be based on different earnings definitions (trailing, underlying, or forecast), so the exact calculation might not match.

Recent share price performance

Looking at the past month: 19 August to 17 September 2026.

• Neuren Pharmaceuticals shares rose from $22.85 to $20.54 over this period—so, a decline, with notable volatility (including a single-day drop of 10.6%).
• Telix Pharmaceuticals, in contrast, jumped from $16.84 to $17.45, including several days of strong upward moves (up as much as 8.6% in a day).
• Year to date, Neuren is up 10.2%, while Telix leads with a 50.6% return.
• Only Neuren has paid a recent dividend (ex-date 15 Sep 2026, $0.15 per share, fully franked).

Which is the better buy?

While both Neuren Pharmaceuticals and Telix Pharmaceuticals are stellar examples of Aussie healthcare innovation, I’d lean toward Telix Pharmaceuticals as the better buy right now. The verdict comes down to sheer momentum and growth potential—Telix’s YTD return of 50.6% absolutely crushes Neuren’s 10.2%, and the recent price charts show Telix enjoying much stronger investor confidence. Both sport very high P/E ratios, but Telix’s rapid expansion into global cancer markets and its larger scale tip the balance for me, even without a dividend.

Neuren deserves credit for delivering both earnings and a small (but fully franked) dividend at such an early growth stage, which will appeal to income collectors who value some extra yield from their healthcare allocations. But if I had to pick between the two for exposure to biotech upside, Telix’s global opportunity, ongoing clinical advancements, and share price trajectory look more compelling.

Of course, biotech investing always carries risk, and these companies’ high valuations reflect market excitement about a promising—but not guaranteed—future. But based on the available data, my pick would be Telix Pharmaceuticals for investors seeking strong recent growth and commercial momentum in healthcare.

The post Neuren Pharmaceuticals vs Telix Pharmaceuticals: Which healthcare stock is best? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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• Telix Pharmaceuticals: ITM merger builds a sector leader
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• ASX 200 healthcare shares lead a weaker market amid 82% chance of a rate hike
• Forget CSL shares, I’d buy this ASX biotech stock instead

Motley Fool contributor Laura Stewart has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Telix Pharmaceuticals. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Telix Pharmaceuticals. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips. This article was prepared with the assistance of Large Language Model (LLM) tools for the initial draft. Any content assisted by AI is subject to our robust human-in-the-loop quality control framework, involving thorough review, substantial editing, and fact-checking by our experienced writers and editors holding appropriate credentials. The Motley Fool Australia stands behind the work of our editorial team and takes ultimate responsibility for the content published by The Motley Fool Australia.

The initial reaction to Telix Pharmaceuticals Ltd (ASX: TLX)’s announcement of a $3.3 billion merger with German company ITM appears lukewarm, with its shares falling more than 6%.

Building a nuclear medicine powerhouse

The Australian company said in a statement to the ASX that it would pay ITM shareholders an upfront payment of US$1.65 billion, with additional contingent payments of US$700 million.

ITM, Telix said, is the world’s leading supplier of therapeutic radioisotopes and the only producer of globally-scaled, commercial-grade lutetium-77.

Telix said regarding the deal:

The merger will further strengthen Telix’s leadership as a vertically integrated radiopharmaceutical company with the capabilities required to develop, manufacture and deliver innovative treatments to patients globally. The combined organisation will be uniquely positioned as a radiopharmaceutical industry leader, differentiated by a world-class scaled isotope manufacturing business with a validated global distribution network, a market-leading commercial precision medicine platform and the industry’s most extensive therapeutic radiopharmaceutical pipeline.

Telix said ITM grew at a compound annual rate of 40% from 2021 to 2025 and generated US$273 million in revenue in 2025.

Telix added that the global market for radioisotopes was growing, with the nuclear medicine market expected to be worth US$34 billion by 2034.

Telix Managing Director Dr Christian Behrenbruch said:

This merger positions Telix at the forefront of the consolidation that is occurring as the industry matures. ITM is the leader in radioisotope production, with deep scientific expertise and a track record of value-adding innovation. We have enjoyed a close working relationship with ITM for many years and there is strong management alignment for the rationale behind this transaction. By combining our complementary strengths, we will create a company with commercial scale, world-leading supply and the most exciting theranostic drug portfolio in the sector.

Telix shares were 6.1% lower on the news at $16.77.

Brokers bullish on Telix Pharmaceuticals shares

Morgan Stanley recently valued the company at $23 per share following the US Food & Drug Administration approving Telix’s new drug, Pixclara, an amino acid positron emission tomography (PET) drug for imaging gliomas (brain cancer).

RBC Capital Markets also released a research note at the time, valuing the company at $19.

RBC estimated the total addressable market for Pixclara’s current use to be US$140 to US$160 million per year.

The broker added:

Assuming a penetration rate of ~60% in FY35, we estimate Pixclara’s first indication would be valued at $0.56/share with further upside potential of $0.62/share if Pixclara achieves ~80% penetration. If the company is successful in securing approval to expand Pixclara’s indication to include brain metastases, we estimate this could potentially add as much as ~$3.85/share to our price target.

The post Why are Telix Pharmaceuticals shares on the slide today? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Neuren Pharmaceuticals vs Telix Pharmaceuticals: Which healthcare stock is best?
• Telix Pharmaceuticals: ITM merger builds a sector leader
• These are the 10 most shorted ASX shares
• ASX 200 healthcare shares lead a weaker market amid 82% chance of a rate hike
• Forget CSL shares, I’d buy this ASX biotech stock instead

Motley Fool contributor Cameron England has positions in Telix Pharmaceuticals. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Telix Pharmaceuticals. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Telix Pharmaceuticals. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.