Hi.. Im living outside of Australia, and am having a devil of a problem getting info on this matter from Centrelink..

Have you, or someone you know, taken the Old age pension before the age of 65?
Do you have access to Australian centrelink info to prove / disprove this idea?
The centrelink site often refers to the pension age qualification as 65.. YES for the FULL pension this is true.. for a REDUCED pension it is not true.. and I dont think they want people to know about this.

I know its possible to take the Age Pension early.. if I am willing to accept a lower rate.. I believe they cut 5% per year of “earliness”. so 5 years early, ie age 60 means I lose 25% ..
no problem..
Centrelink has reciprocal agreements with numerous countrys that grant this early pension at age 60 ( or maybe even earlier?) such as Canada, NZ, Vietnam, Belgium, Germany etc etc... a long list..

So Please can someone tell me where I can locate info on Centelink site,or other authoritive source.

Email them.. yes, I did that, they replied after a full 1 month wait.. their response.. we cannot give personal financial advice by insecure e mail means. Please consult our website for more information HAH !!
Call them .. yes and 1 hour or more on hold from overseas..
No thanks..

Please can someone assist.
Thanks

http://www.centrelink.gov.au/internet/internet.nsf/payments/age_eligible.htm

I don't know how to post links! But if you put this in your address bar.....?

Women: there is eligibility criteria below 65.
Men: 65.

Discrimination?

(Ah hah! I think the link is OK!)

gazinbali,
Sorry can't help you. You may well be right if you are in another country that has reciprical arrsngements with Aus and the lower age applies in that country.

I have not heard of it here in Aus. If one is not of age then one has to apply for a different benefit, say unemployment or disability benefit.

I will watch what responses you get with interest. Good luck

*GazzA*

Indo is not a reciprocal arrangements country.

Here is one location where you can read for yourself the relevant legislation. Thereafter, guvment web sites are always a reasonable place to start.

http://www.comlaw.gov.au/ComLaw/Legislation/ActCompilation1.nsf/current%5Cbytitle/D170D699DAF8327DCA257599001E51DA?OpenDocument&mostrecent=1

It's not my field but I'll have a quick look for the criteria for you. Reading Acts can be a bit of a bender if your not used to it.

Standby ...

Social Security Act 1991
Act No. 46 of 1991 as amended
This compilation was prepared on 6 April 2009
taking into account amendments up to Act No. 27 of 2009
[Note: Divisions 12A and 14 of Part 2.13A cease to have effect on 30 June 2010, or, if a later date is determined by the Minister by legislative instrument—that later date, see sections 665ZXC and 665ZZE]
Volume 1 includes: Table of Contents
Sections 1 – 660M

Chapter 2—Pensions, benefits and allowances 208
Part 2.2—Age pension 208
Division 1—Qualification for and payability of age pension 208
Subdivision A—Qualification 208
43 Qualification for age pension 208

43 Qualification for age pension
(1) A person is qualified for an age pension if the person has reached pension age and any of the following applies:
(a) the person has 10 years qualifying Australian residence;
(b) the person has a qualifying residence exemption for an age pension;
(c) the person was receiving a widow B pension, a widow allowance, a mature age allowance or a partner allowance, immediately before reaching that age;
(d) if the person reached pension age before 20 March 1997—the person was receiving a widow B pension, a widow allowance or a partner allowance, immediately before 20 March 1997.
Note 1: For qualifying Australian residence see section 7.
Note 2: For pension age see subsections 23(5A), (5B) (5C) and (5D).
(1A) A woman is qualified for an age pension if:
(a) the woman has reached pension age; and
(b) the woman’s partner has died; and
(c) both the woman and her partner were Australian residents when her partner died; and
(d) the woman was an Australian resident for a continuous period of at least 104 weeks immediately before the day she lodged the claim for the age pension.
(3) Subsection (1) has effect subject to subsection 6(3) of the Social Security (International Agreements) Act 1999.

..

To be continued .. StandBy

23 General definitions

23 General definitions
(1) In this Act, unless the contrary intention appears:

pension age:
(a) when used in Part 3.14A or 3.14B in relation to a person who is a veteran (within the meaning of the Veterans’ Entitlements Act)—has the meaning that it has in section 5QA of that Act; or
(b) otherwise—has the meaning given by subsections (5A), (5B), (5C) or (5D).

..

Pension age
(5A) A man reaches pension age when he turns 65.
(5B) A woman born before 1 July 1935 reaches pension age when she turns 60.
(5C) A woman born within the period specified in column 2 of an item in the following Table reaches pension age when she turns the age specified in column 3 of that item.

Table—Pension age for women
Column 1
Item no. Column 2
Period within which woman was born (both dates inclusive) Column 3
Pension age
1. From 1 July 1935 to 31 December 1936 60 years and 6 months
2. From 1 January 1937 to 30 June 1938 61 years
3. From 1 July 1938 to 31 December 1939 61 years and 6 months
4. From 1 January 1940 to 30 June 1941 62 years
5. From 1 July 1941 to 31 December 1942 62 years and 6 months
6. From 1 January 1943 to 30 June 1944 63 years
7. From 1 July 1944 to 31 December 1945 63 years and 6 months
8. From 1 January 1946 to 30 June 1947 64 years
9. From 1 July 1947 to 31 December 1948 64 years and 6 months
(5D) A woman born on or after 1 January 1949 reaches pension age when she turns 65.

..

Looks like 65 years of age mate .. that's an opinion only and doesn't constitute advice or representation.