Money

Super & retirement

Aged care

Opinion

If you’re heading to aged care, beware this common misconception

Rachel Lane Money contributor October 22, 2025 — 4.01am Advertisement

There’s a common misconception that once you reach the aged care lifetime cap, the bills stop. Sadly, that’s not quite true.

The lifetime cap limits how much you’ll pay toward your means-tested fees – in home care, that’s your income-tested care fee, and in residential aged care, it’s your means-tested care fee. The lifetime cap applies across both home care and residential aged care, acting as a safeguard so people don’t keep paying indefinitely for their care.

The lifetime cap protects you from paying endlessly towards your care, but daily living and accommodation fees keep ticking along.

If you

See Full Page