Defence Forces Retirement Benefits Act 1948

The Defence Forces Retirement Benefits Act 1948: A Comprehensive Overview

This Act provides retirement benefits for members of the Australian Defence Force, with various provisions and amendments to ensure fairness and equity. The Act is divided into several parts, including preliminary provisions, pensions and benefits, commutation of pension, family law superannuation splitting, application to pensioners who again become contributors, preservation of rights of certain members and former members, miscellaneous provisions, pension increases, and miscellaneous.

Key features of the Act include:

• Eligibility for retirement benefits is determined by service duration, age, and category number
• Members are divided into categories based on their annual pay rates, with each member having a unique category number
• The Act provides various types of pensions and benefits, including pension on retirement after 20 years' service, pension on death of member, and invalidity benefit
• The Act also deals with commutation of pension, family law superannuation splitting, application to pensioners who again become contributors, preservation of rights of certain members and former members, and miscellaneous provisions

The Act has undergone several amendments since its inception in 1948, with the most recent amendment being Act No. 112, 2020. The compilation includes amendments up to this point, providing a comprehensive overview of the Act's provisions.

Overall, the Defence Forces Retirement Benefits Act 1948 is an important piece of legislation that aims to provide fair and equitable retirement benefits to members of the Australian Defence Force.