Terminal Illness Benefit - Proposed Change

The Assistant Treasurer, Josh Frydenberg, has announced that the Government would relax the life expectancy requirement for accessing super benefits on the basis of terminal illness.  The announcement was made on 7 May 2015.

The current life expectancy requirement is that life expectancy must be less than 12 months.  The “less than 12 months” requirement will be replaced by a requirement that life expectancy must be less than 24 months.  

It is proposed that this change will take effect on 1 July 2015.  

The other requirements to be satisfied for access on the basis of terminal illness remain.  In particular, the requirement that medical certificates be provided by two registered medical practitioners who certify, in their respective opinions, that due to the member suffering from an illness or having incurred an injury, the member is likely to die within 12 months (or, once amended within 24 months).