Client with a partner

When a client aged 65 years or over has a partner, the financial means assessment includes the assets and income of both the client and their partner.

A partner, in relation to the client, means a person who is either:

• legally married to, or in a civil union with the client or
• in a de facto relationship with the client

A client is not considered single for the Financial Means Assessment if they are living apart only because one partner is in residential care, or is unable to reaffirm their marriage or civil union.

Clients who are over 65 must have assets equal to or below the applicable threshold to be financially eligible for a Residential Care Subsidy.

Assets that can be realised by the client and/or the client's partner are included in the financial means assessment. This may include the value of assets that the client and/or their partner have deprived themselves of or gifted in excess of allowable limits.

Even if the partner regards their assets as their own separate property, they are still included in the means assessment. If they are subject to a Property (Relationships) Act 1976 agreement, then the separate property assets will still be counted unless the couple have separated.

For more information see:

• Assets
• Asset thresholds
• Exempt assets
• Means assessment of assets