Do I have to sell my home when I move into Aged Care?

When you move into care, you will be asked to pay for your accommodation as either a refundable lump sum (referred to as a Refundable Accommodation Deposit, or RAD for short) or a daily "rental" payment (referred to as a Daily Accommodation Payment, or DAP for short).

Some residents may choose to sell their home to make these payments. Other residents may choose to keep their home so that other family members can live there or so they can earn rental income.

The choice is up to you. You are not forced to sell your home.

The choice you make may impact how much you pay for your care and how much Age Pension you are eligible to receive.

It is important to make sure whichever choice you make, that you have enough cash flow (or available assets) to pay your fees and meet other expenses. Navigating through the financial aspects of aged care can be complicated, especially as you should take into consideration:

• How your age pension is affected?

• How to pay for your accommodation?

• What will you pay for your ongoing care?

• Whether you need to pay any tax?

• Whether you have enough cashflow to pay for your care and living expenses?

• The impact on your net wealth and your estate?

You can also access free information to help you understand the rules from Centrelink or www.myagedcare.gov.au. However, as specialists in Aged Care Financial Planning, we can help to tailor a plan that works for you and your family.

We can talk you through the care options available to you, the costs associated with them and the best way to restructure your finances to pay for the appropriate care.