Once Australians reach age 67, they might be eligible to receive the Age Pension to help fund living costs in their retirement.

The Age Pension is a fortnightly payment, paid by Centrelink, up to a maximum of $1,200.90 per fortnight for singles and $1,810.40 for couples combined. 

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

But not everyone is eligible. Eligibility for the Age Pension is heavily dependent on your income level and the assets you own. 

The problem is that many Australians miss out on payments because they understand the income test, but don’t really understand how the asset test works.

Overlooking your asset limits could quickly reduce your Age Pension payment, or worse, push it down to zero.

Here are the eight most important things Australians at age 58 need to know about the Age Pension asset test before they retire.

1. Limits and rules vary depending on if you’re single or a couple

In order to receive the full Age Pension, single homeowners cannot own assets valued at $333,000 or more. Meanwhile, a couple (combined) can own up to $499,000 in value if they own a property.

2. Limits and rules are higher for non-homeowners 

In order to receive the full Age Pension, single non-homeowners have a higher asset threshold of up to $600,000, and a couple (combined) can own up to $766,000 in asset value if they don’t own a property.

3. Your assets include everything, except the home you live in

The asset test includes everything you own, whether it’s in full, in part, or you have an interest in. This includes any stocks, like S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) shares, property, superannuation, an SMSF, or possessions you own. It also includes assets held outside Australia and any debts owed to you. It generally excludes the home you live in.

4. Deeming rules apply

In order to determine how much income you make from your assets, Centrelink uses a deeming rule. Deeming assumes your financial assets earn a fixed, set rate of income, regardless of what they actually earn. This assumed income is then added to your other income to determine your Age Pension rate. For single Australians, the first $66,800 of their financial assets has a deemed rate of 1.25%. Everything over that is deemed to earn 3.25% interest. Couples will have a 1.25% deeming rate on their first $110,600 of combined financial assets (this includes superannuation). Anything over $110,600 is deemed to earn 3.25%.

5. You can go over the limits and get a part-payment

If your assets are over the limit, it’s still possible to receive a part Age Pension payment. The cut-off point for a part-payment for single homeowners is $733,500, and $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 $1,102,500 for homeowners. Non-homeowners can own assets totalling up to a limit of $1,369,500. If your assets come in above the initial limits but below these thresholds, you’re still entitled to some level of payment.

6. You’re subject to the “lower rule of two”

Centrelink assesses you under both an income and an asset test. It then applies whichever gives you the lowest rate of payment for your individual circumstances, which it calls a “lowest rule of two”. 

7. Gifting money is a no-no

It can be tempting to gift a portion of your assets if you’re approaching the Age Pension age and think you’ll be over the thresholds. But Centrelink has rules to prevent this too. Individuals can give away up to $30,000 over a five-year period before it will affect their assets test. Any amount over $30,000 will be counted, for five years, as an asset and included in the asset test. The good news is, at age 58, Australians can gift any amount of money without immediate penalties from Services Australia, as long as they are at least five years away from Age Pension age (age 67). 

8. Downsizing could easily push you over

Similarly, it can be tempting to downsize your home to free up some cash, but this can be a bad idea too. The property you reside in is not included as part of the Age Pension asset test. But if you decide to downsize to something smaller and either invest or bank the rest, it could push you over the asset thresholds. For example, if you sell your $1 million primary residence, for example, and downsize to a $500,000 property, that $500,000 difference then becomes an assessable asset under Age Pension rules.

The post 8 things Aussies at age 58 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.

The Beach Energy Ltd (ASX: BPT) share price is in focus today after the company reported quarterly production of 4.9 million barrels of oil equivalent (MMboe) and total revenue of $400 million for the June quarter.

What did Beach Energy report?

• Quarterly production of 4.9 MMboe, up 1% on the prior quarter
• Quarterly sales volumes of 4.8 MMboe
• Sales revenue of $400 million, down 5% on Q3 FY26
• Average realised oil price rose 39% to $174 per barrel
• Perth Basin production up 15%, Otway up 4%, Taranaki up 14%
• Available liquidity of $983 million and net gearing of 10.6%

What else do investors need to know?

Beach Energy marked a record 18 months without a recordable injury, highlighting its operational safety focus. The company completed the successful sale of its operated interest in VIC/L35, providing an upfront cash injection of $70 million and a future gas production royalty.

Oil prices provided a boost this quarter, but overall sales volumes were down 11% from Q3 mainly due to the timing of Cooper Basin oil shipments. A review of Beach’s capital management framework is underway, with an update expected at the full year results.

What did Beach Energy management say?

Brett Woods, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Beach Energy, commented:

Beach finished FY26 with strong operational momentum, delivering quarterly production of 4.9 MMboe while recording no recordable injuries and no Tier 1 or 2 process safety events in the quarter. Achieving a record 18 months recordable-injury free while safely executing major offshore activities, active drilling campaigns in the Cooper Basin and daily operations across all sites, is an exceptional outcome… Quarterly revenue of $400 million, supported by strong oil pricing and another LNG cargo, further strengthened Beach’s available liquidity to $983 million and a reduction in net gearing to 10.6%, providing financial flexibility.

What’s next for Beach Energy?

Looking ahead, Beach plans to prioritise higher-return growth opportunities, with a focus on the Western Flank oil campaign, further appraisal in the Perth Basin, and new exploration targets in Otway and the Taroom Trough. The company expects further improvements in Waitsia Gas Plant production in FY27 as technical issues are addressed.

Investors can expect more detail with the full year FY26 results and FY27 guidance, scheduled for release on 6 August 2026.

Beach Energy share price snapshot

The Beach Energy share price has fallen 36% over the past 12 months, underperforming the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO), which is up a modest 1.35% over the same period.

View Original Announcement

The post Beach Energy posts steady Q4 production and a resilient outlook appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro 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. This article was prepared with the assistance of Large Language Model (LLM) tools for the initial summary of the company announcement. 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.

There’s a popular trend among investors looking for steady returns over the longer term to avoid investing in single stocks in favour of diversified exchange traded funds (ETFs).

Recent data from ETF manager Global X shows that the Australian ETF market grew by 32.7% over the year to the end of June and that it is running at a five-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 26.3% per annum.

Global X says on its website:

This growth was driven by $61.6 billion in net inflows over the past year, positive market movements, and unlisted funds converting into active ETFs. Investors poured $3.5 billion into Australian ETFs in June, but the end of the financial year month is seasonally a quieter one for the industry in terms of flows. The 2026 financial year was the best financial year ever for ETF net flows with the industry taking in $61.6 billion in FY26, up 48% from FY25. The industry has now attracted around $30 billion year-to-date (YTD) and remains on track to eclipse last year’s record $53 billion.

The reasons for this growth are not surprising. Buying an ETF which tracks an index removes the work and potential stress involved in picking stocks, while still allowing investors to invest thematically if they wish.

For those just getting started, here are three ETFs which keep it simple.

Betashares Diversified All Growth ETF (ASX: DHHF)

DHHF casts its net wide, offering exposure to about 8000 companies worldwide, with 35.1% in Australian equities, 41.5% in the US and the rest in developed and emerging markets.

Betashares says on its website:

DHHF will have a long-term exposure to 100% growth assets (shares). It is intended for use as a satellite through to standalone solution within a portfolio for investors seeking capital growth and income with a very high risk and return profile for that portion of their portfolio. A minimum investment timeframe of 5 years or more is suggested.

DHHF has returned a compound 10.48% over the past five years and has a distribution yield of 2.1% over the past year.

Vanguard Australian Shares Index ETF (ASX: VAS)

Vanguard says VAS is Australia’s largest ETF, giving investors exposure to the top 300 companies listed on the ASX.

It has a very low management fee of 0.07%, and investors can start off with as little as $200 if they invest through Vanguard itself.

Vanguard says:

The ETF provides low-cost, broadly diversified exposure to Australian companies and property trusts listed on the Australian Securities Exchange. It also offers potential long-term capital growth along with dividend income and franking credits.

Unsurprisingly, VAS’ top five investments are the big four banks and BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP).

Vanguard says $10,000 invested five years ago would now be worth $14,399.

Vanguard MSCI Index International Shares ETF (ASX: VGS)

The VGS ETF has a much wider remit than VAS, with exposure to about 1300 companies from developed countries, notably excluding Australia so it doesn’t double up with VAS.

Vanguard says on its website:

Investing internationally offers greater access to sectors such as technology and health care that aren’t as well represented in the Australian share market. The ETF provides exposure to many of the world’s largest companies listed in major developed countries. It offers low-cost access to a broadly diversified range of securities that allows investors to participate in the long-term growth potential of international economies outside Australia.

The ETF’s largest holdings are in US tech companies including Nvidia, Apple, and Microsoft.

Vanguard said $10,000 invested five years ago would now be worth $18,775.

The management fee for VGS ETF is 0.18%.

The post Getting started with ASX ETFs? These 3 might be worth a look appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor Cameron England 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 Apple, Microsoft, and Nvidia. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Apple, BHP Group, Microsoft, Nvidia, and Vanguard Australian Shares High Yield ETF. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.