Most of us like to benchmark ourselves; our income, house prices, super savings or even how many steps a day we walk. It’s a very human characteristic, but also a useful one. Why? Because knowing our place in the overall scheme of things can often help us...
Retirement planning can feel like a merry-go round of decisions, leaving you dizzy with the different directions you can pursue. With so many moving parts, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. Two recent member dilemmas have highlighted how different people...
One of the great myths about retirement over the last 20 or so years is the significant sums of money you are going to need. For far too long the myth of a million dollars was prevalent. This went largely unchallenged when most Australians were saving for...
As retirement approaches, it’s natural to ask, “Am I going to be okay financially?” For Australians with a modest super balance, this question can feel urgent. Many people worry they won’t have enough to live comfortably, particularly if they’ve worked...
As retirement approaches, deciding what to do with your accrued leave is an important step. Whether you choose to take your leave as paid time off or cash it out as a lump sum, understanding the financial and practical implications will help you make the...
Practical steps to understanding Retirement is a major life milestone—often exciting, but sometimes uncertain. Superannuation, Account-Based Pensions (ABPs), investments and spending plans all have moving parts, and working out how they fit together can feel...
Q: We’re still working but my husband’s health isn’t great. Could we clear our mortgage using super so he can stop working sooner? That’s the question Mia brought to me recently. She and her husband Raj live in a family home in outer Melbourne. Both are in...
Make sure you read this first The end of one financial year or the beginning of another is a very popular time to step back from full-time work. Of course some people are ‘age’ driven and respond to a very specific birthdate trigger such as Preservation Age...
Discount and concession cards Most of us love a discount. And when the cost of living is persistently high, concession cards are worth their weight in gold. There are a range of discount and concession cards available to older Australians. But the rules...