• Visit the Department of Human Services' Older Australians site to find out if you are eligible for retirement payments.
• If you receive a Centrelink payment, you might be interested in Centrepay, a free direct bill paying service. 

This is a free, confidential service run by the Department of Human Resources to provide financial information. They also run free 'living in retirement' seminars. To find out more or to speak to a FIS officer, visit their website. 

For retirees (even if you’re not of pension age), there are two types of concession cards that provide a range of benefits, including help with the cost of medicines:

• Commonwealth Seniors Health Card – helps with the cost of prescription medicines and other health services if you are of pension age but do not qualify for the Age Pension.

• Pensioner Concession Card – allows you to access lower costs for utility and medical bills including discounts on eligible prescriptions, and in some states, discounts on public transport. 

Generally if you are over 60 and work less than 20 hours per week, you can get a government seniors card, which offers discounts on a range of commercial businesses and some public services. Each state has their own eligibility rules – see what your state offers below:

• New South Wales
• Victoria
• ACT
• Queensland
• Tasmania
• South Australia
• Western Australia
• Northern Territory

If you pay income tax, you may be able to take advantage of tax offsets designed for seniors. They are based on age, income and eligibility for government pensions, and allow you to earn more income. Find out more about the seniors and pensioners tax offset. 

If you and your family see many doctors and specialists during the year, the Medicare Safety Net is designed to reduce your out-of-pocket expenses once you've spent a certain amount. 

The government has created a 'safety net' threshold to help families with the cost of medicines. Once you spend up to the threshold, medicines will be less expensive or free for the rest of the calendar year. Apply for your Medicare PBS Safety Net Card at your pharmacy. 

In addition to the Age Pension, you may be eligible for a carer's allowance. 

You may want to continue to work past Age Pension age. The government’s Work Bonus is an incentive for pensioners to remain in the workforce past pension age by increasing the amount you can earn before your pension is reduced. You do not need to apply for the Work Bonus. If you receive eligible employment income, the Work Bonus will be automatically applied to your income test. 

A number of pensions and benefits may apply to you – to find out more visit the Department of Veterans' Affairs.