The definition of a senior citizen in Australia is an individual retired from work aged 60 or above. No one likes to be called old, but when it comes to taxes, seniors get a lot of benefits. Thanks to SAPTO, senior citizens do not have to pay taxes up to a certain amount of income.

It seems you are planning your retirement and are excited to know how SAPTO will affect you during your elderly age and how much you can earn tax-free in Australia. The straightforward answer to this question is you can make $50,119 without paying taxes to the Australian government if you are single.

Let’s delve deep into this blog to determine how the tax offset affects couples and those separated in Australia.

What is the SAPTO?

Before we indulge much in the information regarding tax-free income in Australia, let’s first understand what SAPTO is.

SAPTO, aka Seniors and Pensioners Tax Offset, is available to eligible seniors and pensioners residing in Australia. It comprises PTO (Pensioner Tax Offset) and SATO (Senior Australian Tax Offset) in 2012-13. The SAPTO is responsible for reducing your income tax amount, allowing seniors and pensioners to earn more before paying taxes.

How Much Can a Senior or Pensioner Earn Tax-Free in Australia?

The SAPTO can affect pensioners and seniors with taxable income up to: –

•  Single with $50,119
• $83,580 combined for couples
• 47,599 per couple if separated due to illness

How Does SAPTO Work?

If you are a senior citizen residing in Australia, you can earn more income and pay less taxes with SAPTO. It is applied after all tax calculations and using deductions like charitable donations. With SAPTO, seniors or pensioners can reduce their tax liability to even zero, which is excellent, no doubt.

However, you are not entitled to credits for the amount you don’t use, even if your SAPTO entitlement exceeds the taxes you owe to the ATO. Also, it is impossible to use the extra rewards to get exempted from the 2% Medicare levy. In short, even if you are eligible for SAPTO, you could still have to pay the Medicare levy. However, you don’t have to pay any income tax to the Australian government.

Eligibility Criteria for SAPTO

To claim tax reduction under the Senior and Pensioner Tax Offset scheme, you must meet specific criteria and information regarding the eligibility criteria for SAPTO is here: –

• Claiming SAPTO is impossible if you were in jail due to any circumstance for the full financial year in Australia.
• You must be 65 years and six months old, Australia’s requirement for pension age. However, you don’t need to get a pension in order to be eligible for SAPTO. You can still benefit from the scheme if you meet the age pension requirement.
• To claim the SAPTO under the age factor, an individual must satisfy one of the following requirements: –
  •  You received a pension or allowance from Centrelink.
  •  Recipient of benefit, allowance, or pension from DVA.
• In case you are eligible for the pension and allowance but didn’t get it due to any reason, you must satisfy one of the below-mentioned conditions to claim the SAPTO: –
  • You have been residing in Australia for the last ten years, out of which five years were continuous.
  • You are a woman who received a widow B pension, partner allowance, or widow allowance.

Note: This list doesn’t contain all the information regarding the eligibility criteria for claiming SAPTO. For in-depth information regarding this, you should contact professionals or Centrelink.

Final Verdict

With SAPTO, seniors and pensioners can earn more without paying taxes in Australia. However, most people are unaware of what it is and how it works. And for those, we have created this comprehensive guide that contains vital information regarding the same. So, if you are a senior citizen, pensioner or retiring soon, ensure you know everything about SAPTO.