Moving into residential aged care is a significant life event, and for veterans, understanding the financial aspects, particularly the means test, is crucial. It's not just about finding a comfortable place; it's about ensuring you know how much you can expect to contribute and how much government support might be available.
What Exactly is a Means Assessment?
At its heart, a means assessment for aged care is a thorough look at your income and assets. Think of it as a way for the government to figure out your capacity to contribute to your aged care costs. This assessment determines the level of government subsidy you might be eligible for and, consequently, the amount you'll be asked to pay. It's a process that can take some time, so getting it underway as soon as you start considering aged care is a smart move to avoid any unexpected financial surprises in those initial months.
Who Handles Your Means Test?
This is where things can get a little specific, depending on your circumstances. Both the Department of Veterans' Affairs (DVA) and Services Australia play a role. DVA typically handles the means assessment for veterans, their partners, and war widow(er)s who are receiving certain DVA income support pensions, such as the service pension, income support supplement, or an age pension administered by DVA. It also applies to veterans with qualifying service who receive a DVA Disability Compensation Payment, and war widow(er)s receiving a DVA war widow(er)'s pension along with the income support supplement.
For all other DVA clients, Services Australia will be the one to conduct the assessment. If you're unsure about which payment you receive or who will conduct your assessment, reaching out to DVA directly on 1800 VETERAN (1800 838 372) is the best way to get clarity. If you don't fall into the DVA-assessed categories, Services Australia has information available on their website or you can call them on 1800 200 422.
Getting Started with DVA
If you're a DVA client who needs DVA to conduct your means assessment, the process involves submitting your income and asset information. You'll need to update these details and then request the assessment. There are a couple of forms you might use:
- SA457 – Residential Aged Care – Calculation of your cost of care: This form is generally for clients with approved qualifying service, or those who haven't updated their income and assets in the last six months and are receiving one of the specified DVA income support payments.
- SA485 – Residential Aged Care Property details for Services Australia and DVA customers: This one is for homeowners who have kept their income and asset information up-to-date with DVA in the preceding six months and are receiving a DVA income support payment.
Interestingly, if you don't own a home and receive a DVA income support payment, you can often update your income and assets over the phone and request the assessment that way. Just give DVA a call on 1800 VETERAN.
Sending Your Information
Once your form is complete, you'll need to send it, along with any supporting documents, to DVA. You have a couple of options: you can email it to income.support.aged.care@dva.gov.au, making sure to include your name and DVA file number in the subject line. Alternatively, you can send it by post to the Department of Veterans’ Affairs, Aged Care Assets Assessments, GPO Box 9998, Brisbane QLD 4001. It's always a good idea to keep copies of everything you send, just in case.
Nominating a Representative
Sometimes, dealing with these processes can be easier with a little help. You have the option to nominate someone to act on your behalf. This could be a partner, a family member, a trustee, or a legal representative. You can set this up through MyService or by completing a specific form. Just remember, authorising a representative with DVA doesn't automatically extend to other government departments, so you might need to make separate arrangements for them.
Navigating the aged care system can feel complex, but understanding the means test is a significant step. By gathering your information and knowing who to contact, you can approach this transition with greater confidence.
