Q: I’ve been following the progress of the government’s major changed rules for legacy pensions and I understand that what was being proposed last September has now become law. I have a Centrelink assets test-exempt pension with an entitlement to the government age pension. Where do I stand? James

A: Before the introduction of account-based superannuation pensions in 2007, when the government was still figuring out how to encourage Australians to take their money as regular pension payments instead of making lump sum withdrawals, one method that was allowed for several years was a Centrelink asset test-exempt pension.