It’s Your Money > Social Security and Pensions

Aussie on an Age Pension, how will Marriage in the Philippines affect it

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Danman:
Hi I am an Aussie on an Age Pension been living in the Philippines for four years, I was thinking about marrying a filipina but I have read that International Services Centrelink will put you on a married persons pension which is less than a single age pension and your spouse will not receive any money due to the fact your spouse is not an Australian resident. is there any Aussies who have been in this situation as I feel I could not get married if the Age Pension is cut it would make life very difficult. i hope someone can help me.......



(Change title to better fit the post: Mr. Lee)

Travelling Bob:
If you tell centrelink you and wife are a couple, you will lose about $200. You will get half of what a married couple receive and your wife will get nothing.

bigpearl:
I feel for you Dan, caught between a rock and a hard place, I can not work the Aussie Gov out, it stinks. A serving member of parliament, I believe can do one or two terms in office, retire and receive a huge pension for the rest of their lives and can still go out and work and not effect that pension!! (I may stand corrected but believe that's how it works here)
I will retire to PH when I'm 60, so 45 years of paying tax and not small amounts, I worked hard and saved, have good superannuation, am borderline as to getting the pension when I'm 67 because of assets (means tested).
Heres the crunch though, If I am able to receive the age pension (Lots of holidays around the world should fix that) I have to return to and live in Australia for 2 years or I cannot claim it, stay for the 2 years then return to PI indefinitely and continue to receive the pension, work that one out.
Dan, do you need to marry your lady? I am in a de facto relationship, we live in Australia at the moment, for the next few years or sooner, my better half is working here as am I and about to get permanent residency but we will retire in PI and still not marry, our family there understands and accepts our choice and treat us as if we were married.
We wish you the best of luck Dan.
Cheers, Steve

Danman:
Many thanks Traveling Bob, I thought I would lose around $200 from the pension from what I saw on the internet, that would makes it hard to survive here, also thanks Steve and yes it is not worth getting married if you lose part of your pension. I sent an email to ask International Centrelink that question about marriage and losing part of the pension and now I know the answer I will tell them I will not be getting married, one of the benefits of getting married here is permanent residency and the fact you do not have to exit the Philippines once a year. The funny thing is I have friends who are on the Veterans Pension they got married here and still receive the full pension, Anyway thanks guys for your replies

Lee2:

--- Quote from: Danman on March 28, 2016, 05:14:12 PM ---Many thanks Traveling Bob, I thought I would lose around $200 from the pension from what I saw on the internet, that would makes it hard to survive here, also thanks Steve and yes it is not worth getting married if you lose part of your pension. I sent an email to ask International Centrelink that question about marriage and losing part of the pension and now I know the answer I will tell them I will not be getting married, one of the benefits of getting married here is permanent residency and the fact you do not have to exit the Philippines once a year. The funny thing is I have friends who are on the Veterans Pension they got married here and still receive the full pension, Anyway thanks guys for your replies

--- End quote ---
Just a quick comment, as for Philippine law, you only have to leave once every 36 months.

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