The SA457 Residential Aged Care Calculation of Your Cost of Care form is an official Services Australia form used by people who are moving into permanent Commonwealth-regulated residential aged care in Australia but who are not already receiving a Centrelink or Department of Veterans’ Affairs (DVA) pension or benefit.
This form helps Services Australia (Centrelink) assess how much you can afford to contribute to your aged care costs — specifically your Means Tested Care Fee and your Accommodation Payment.
It’s a crucial part of the means testing process and can make a big difference to the fees you pay and the subsidies you receive.
The SA457 Form (Cost of Residential Care) can be downloaded from:
SA457 Form (Cost of Residential Care) Download.
When you enter permanent residential aged care, the Australian Government wants to make sure that those who can afford to contribute more to their care do so, and that government funding is targeted fairly. That’s why everyone moving into care has to undergo means testing.
If you already receive a Centrelink or DVA pension, your income and asset details are often already on file — so you might not need to fill in this form. But if you don’t receive any of these payments, the SA457 is the main way to report your financial situation.
Completing the SA457:
Without this form, the default position is that you’re treated as a fully self-funded resident and could end up paying the maximum fees — so it’s well worth getting it done properly.
You should complete the SA457 if you:
It doesn’t matter how wealthy you are — it’s still a good idea to complete it so you can get an accurate fee assessment and protect your rights to any assistance you might qualify for.
The SA457 collects detailed information about your income and assets, including:
This includes things like:
Even if you don’t think you have any income, you must declare your sources honestly — and remember that “deeming rules” may apply to your financial investments (more on this below).
This includes both financial and non-financial assets:
For residential aged care means testing, the family home is treated differently from other assets — if you have a spouse or a “protected person” living there, it may be exempt or capped in value.
To complete your SA457, you may be asked for supporting documents such as:
Providing these upfront will help Centrelink process your assessment faster and avoid delays in your fee calculation.
Once you submit the SA457, Services Australia uses the information to calculate:
If you don’t complete the SA457, you’ll likely pay the full costs as if you were a fully self-funded resident — which can be very expensive.
When you declare your financial assets like bank accounts and shares, Centrelink uses “deeming” rules to work out your income from these assets. Deeming assumes you earn a standard rate of return, regardless of what you actually earn.
This can affect your Means Tested Care Fee — so it’s important to provide accurate information and understand how your investments will be treated.
The SA457 is a broad form for all income and assets. The SA485 is a separate form used to provide additional details specifically about real estate, such as your home or farm.
If you own property, you may be asked to complete both. The SA457 covers your total financial situation, while the SA485 dives deeper into property details like who lives there and whether any exemptions apply.
Here’s how to get started:
Here are some common pitfalls:
If Centrelink finds errors, it may delay your assessment or result in you paying the wrong amount.
Services Australia will:
It’s important to keep this letter for your records and share it with your aged care facility — they’ll use it to finalise your payment arrangements.
Yes — if your financial situation changes (for example, you sell a property, close an account, or your investments grow), you should update Centrelink so your means tested fees remain accurate. You may be required to complete another SA457 or provide updated documents.
If you’re unsure about how to complete the SA457:
The SA457 Residential Aged Care Income and Assets form is a key part of the means testing process for anyone moving into permanent aged care who does not already receive a Centrelink pension. Completing it thoroughly and accurately protects you from paying more than you should and ensures you access the right government subsidies.
Take your time, gather your documents, ask questions, and get advice if you need it. This will help you or your family feel confident about your financial arrangements and your rights as you settle into residential care.