Kaye Fallick, Author at Retirement Essentials

Could this retirement crystal ball reduce the fear of running out?

What if you had a crystal ball? Would that help you eliminate your FORO – the fear of running out?

I’ve been writing about retirement income for nearly 25 years now (yes, let’s agree that I started when I was a teenager, NOT!). But all jokes aside, there are two observations that haven’t changed over time. These are two related, but very different, research findings:

Almost 50% of retirees do not know if their money will last across retirement or whether they will outlive their savings (most recently reported by Vanguard in How Australia Retires, 2024)

Those who have received financial advice are twice as likely to be confident they will have enough money across their retirement (from The Value of Advice, CPA, 2020)

Over the years I have been covering retirement income, these two findings have remained consistent across diverse sources of research which cover all socio-economic groups.

So it’s worth posing the question whether there is a there is a useful link to be made between the two.

Can we reconcile the enhanced confidence of those who has received advice with a much lower level of the fear of running out?

Affordable travel guide: Saving money on travel in 2025

by Kaye Fallick | Planning for Retirement

Welcome to Retirement Essentials annual affordable travel guide. This year we have again approached the experts for their insider tips on how to get maximum bang for your buck when you travel in 2025. We’ve left the group touring and cruising adventures aside, in favour of local experiences with hostel accommodation and holiday parks front and centre. We’ve also sought the expertise of Amy Gardener from the Seniors in Melbourne website for her insights into affordable city adventures. And for those who love road trips, we asked author and motoring expert, Lee Atkinson, how to make road trips more affordable – and unforgettable. We hope there is something for everyone in this bumper travel guide – and invite your feedback and tips so that other members of Retirement Essentials can benefit from your experience.

Don’t forget, your Pension Concession Card, your Commonwealth Seniors Health Card and your state or territory-based Seniors Card can reward you with discounts and lower transport costs right across Australia.

Government health entitlements: Your 2025 wellbeing checklist

by Kaye Fallick | News and Articles

One of our most popular articles last year was a guide to Putting your health first, by author and academic, Professor Cassandra Szoeke.

It’s well worth your time clicking on the link to reread Cassandra’s helpful insights. While the main focus of Retirement Essentials remains your financial health, we also urge you to prioritise your physical and mental wellbeing. To quote a well-worn saying – ‘There’s no point in being the richest man or woman in the cemetery’. To support you in this endeavour, we have created a handy list of health services provided by federal and state governments as well as some specific programs for older Australians.

We hope you find this reminder useful and encourage you to share it with any friends or loved ones you feel it might benefit as well. We all often neglect our health at the expense of other, seemingly, more important activities. But that’s not generally the best set of priorities. In fact, taking our health for granted is a risky plan. Putting your health first, second and third in 2025 will provide a firm foundation for all the other ‘must-dos’ in your life.

But first, a note of caution. The following summary is far from exhaustive. The Federal and state governments sponsored HealthDirect website provides much more detailed information, with a comprehensive list of checks for people aged 60, 70 and over.