What Age Can I Get the Age Pension in 2026? Birthdate Table and a Claiming Example
In 2026, the Age Pension age is 67 for everyone born on or after 1 January 1957. The phased increases that lifted the age from 65 finished on 1 July 2023, so 67 is now a single fixed number — it does not rise any further. You can lodge your claim with Centrelink up to 13 weeks before the day you turn 67.
The short answer: Age Pension age is 67
Since 1 July 2023, there is only one Age Pension age in Australia: 67. Anyone born on or after 1 January 1957 reaches Age Pension age on their 67th birthday. There is no longer a moving target — the gradual lift from 65 to 67 happened in six-month steps between July 2017 and July 2023, and that staircase has finished.
Hitting 67 is necessary but not sufficient. To actually be paid the Age Pension you must also satisfy the residence rules and pass both the income test and the assets test, and you have to lodge a claim — Centrelink does not start it for you. See the official Who can get Age Pension page for the full eligibility rules.
Birthdate-to-pension-age table (the phased increases)
This table shows the staircase that applied while the Age Pension age was rising from 65 to 67. If you were born on or after 1 January 1957, your Age Pension age is simply 67 — the bottom row is the only one that still matters for new claimants in 2026. The earlier rows are kept for reference and for people checking historical eligibility.
| Date of birth | Age Pension age | Reached that age |
|---|---|---|
| Before 1 July 1952 | 65 years | Before 1 Jul 2017 |
| 1 July 1952 to 31 December 1953 | 65 years and 6 months | From 1 Jul 2017 |
| 1 January 1954 to 30 June 1955 | 66 years | From 1 Jul 2019 |
| 1 July 1955 to 31 December 1956 | 66 years and 6 months | From 1 Jul 2021 |
| On or after 1 January 1957 | 67 years | From 1 Jul 2023 |
Source: Services Australia — Who can get Age Pension. The 1 July 2023 step was the final increase; the Age Pension age does not go above 67 under current law.
When can you lodge your claim? (worked example)
You don't have to wait until your 67th birthday to start the paperwork. Services Australia lets you submit your claim in the 13 weeks before you reach Age Pension age (see How to claim Age Pension). Lodging early gives Centrelink time to verify your identity, residence, income and assets so your payment can start promptly from the date you become eligible — not weeks afterwards while a backlog clears.
Worked example — Robert, born 14 September 1959
Step 1 — Find his Age Pension age. Robert was born on 14 September 1959, which is on or after 1 January 1957. So his Age Pension age is 67.
Step 2 — Find his eligibility date. He turns 67 on 14 September 2026. That is the first day he can be paid the Age Pension (assuming he passes the means and residence tests).
Step 3 — Count back 13 weeks. Thirteen weeks (91 days) before 14 September 2026 is 15 June 2026. From that date Robert can lodge his claim online through his myGov-linked Centrelink account.
Step 4 — What lodging early does. If Robert claims on, say, 20 June 2026 and gets approved, his payment is set to start from 14 September 2026 (his birthday), so he loses none of his entitlement. If instead he waited until October 2026 to claim, payment would generally start from the claim date — meaning weeks of pension he can never get back, because the Age Pension is not normally backdated.
The lesson: mark the date 13 weeks before your 67th birthday and prepare your documents (proof of identity, income and assets details, bank and super statements) in that window.
Age Pension age vs super preservation age — don't confuse them
This trips up almost everyone. There are two different milestone ages in Australian retirement, and they are not the same number:
| Age Pension age | Super preservation age | |
|---|---|---|
| What it unlocks | The government Age Pension (Centrelink) | Access to your own superannuation |
| The age in 2026 | 67 | 60 (for everyone born after 30 June 1964) |
| Who pays | Services Australia (taxpayer-funded) | Your super fund (your own savings) |
| Means-tested? | Yes — income and assets tests | No — it's your money |
So there can be a seven-year gap: many Australians can start drawing on their super at 60 (once they've met a condition of release, such as retiring) but cannot claim the Age Pension until 67. This gap is exactly why people use super to bridge the years between leaving work and reaching Age Pension age. The ATO confirms preservation age is now 60 for anyone born after 30 June 1964 — see ATO — Super withdrawal options and Services Australia's Superannuation and the Age Pension page.
What if your partner is younger than 67?
In a couple, Age Pension age applies to each person individually. You can't "claim for two" if only one of you has reached 67.
The rules in plain English
- Only the partner who has reached 67 can be paid the Age Pension. A younger partner is not paid Age Pension until they turn 67 themselves.
- The younger partner's income and assets still count. Centrelink assesses you as a couple, so the younger partner's earnings, savings, super and other assets are all included in the means tests that decide the eligible partner's rate.
- The partnered rate applies. Even though only one of you is being paid, the eligible partner is paid at the lower partnered rate, not the higher single rate.
- The younger partner may qualify for a different payment. Depending on their circumstances they might be eligible for JobSeeker Payment, Carer Payment, or another support payment in the meantime — these have their own rules.
Worked example — Helen (67) and David (63)
Helen was born in 1958, so her Age Pension age is 67 and she has just reached it. David was born in 1962, so his Age Pension age is also 67 — but he won't reach it until 2029.
Who gets paid: Helen can claim and be paid the Age Pension now. David cannot — he's only 63.
What's assessed: Centrelink treats them as a couple. David's part-time wage, their combined bank balances, and David's super (once he's reached preservation age and it's in an account-based pension, it counts as an asset and income) are all included in the income and assets tests applied to Helen's claim.
The rate: Helen is paid at the partnered rate, not the single rate — because she has a partner, regardless of whether David is being paid anything.
Later: When David turns 67 in 2029, he lodges his own claim (from 13 weeks before his birthday) and, if eligible, the couple is then paid two partnered-rate pensions.
For exact dollar figures on the partnered vs single rates and the couple income/assets test thresholds, see Services Australia — How much Age Pension you can get (rates are indexed in March and September each year).
Quick checklist before you claim at 67
- Confirm your Age Pension age — 67 if born on or after 1 January 1957.
- Diarise the date 13 weeks before your 67th birthday — that's your earliest lodgement date.
- Set up a myGov account linked to Centrelink (the fastest way to claim).
- Gather proof of identity, residence history, and full income and assets details (including super and any partner's details).
- If you have a younger partner, check whether they qualify for a separate payment in the gap years.
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Frequently asked questions
What is the Age Pension age in 2026?
In 2026 the qualifying Age Pension age is 67 for everyone born on or after 1 January 1957. The phased increases finished on 1 July 2023, so 67 is now the single fixed age — it does not rise any further.
How early can I lodge my Age Pension claim?
You can submit your claim in the 13 weeks before you reach Age Pension age. Lodging early lets Services Australia process and verify your details so your payment can start from the date you become eligible, rather than weeks later.
Is the Age Pension age the same as my super preservation age?
No. Preservation age is the age you can access your superannuation (now 60 for everyone born after 30 June 1964). Age Pension age is when you can claim the government Age Pension (67). You can usually tap your super at 60, but you cannot claim the Age Pension until 67.
What happens if my partner has not turned 67 yet?
Only the partner who has reached Age Pension age can be paid the Age Pension. A younger partner is not paid Age Pension until they turn 67, but their income and assets are still counted in the couple's means tests, and the partnered (not single) payment rate applies to the eligible partner.
Will the Age Pension age go above 67?
Not under current law. A proposal to lift the age to 70 was abandoned in 2018. As of 2026 the legislated Age Pension age is fixed at 67 for anyone born on or after 1 January 1957.
Do I qualify automatically once I turn 67?
No. Reaching 67 only meets the age rule. You must also meet residence rules (generally 10 years' Australian residence, including a 5-year continuous block) and pass both the income test and the assets test. You also have to lodge a claim — payment is not automatic.
Sources: Services Australia — Who can get Age Pension, How to claim Age Pension, Superannuation, and ATO — Super withdrawal options. Figures verified June 2026; rates are indexed each March and September, so confirm current dollar amounts on the official pages before claiming.