We’ve all made that crazy, quick decision to buy something special. And then wondered at leisure if we could afford it. That’s what happened with Aaron and Julie. They booked their dream trip to South America – and immediately had buyers’ remorse when they realised the significant hit this would be to their retirement affordability. The cancellation costs were astronomic, so they decided to see if there was any way of reversing this retirement income blooper. Fortunately, there is.
Andrew Dunkerley is one of the team of advisers who meet with everyday Australians at Retirement Essentials, supporting them to understand their options and ways to make every cent count. Perhaps one of his strongest characteristics is his empathy and refusal to judge hasty money decisions. He’s a problem solver who likes to listen, explore and then respond with ideas for members who may not have been aware of all the rules at their disposal.
Andrew grew up on the northern beaches in Sydney. His first job was as a trolley-boy at the local Franklins supermarket. He still loves Sydney beaches and goes ocean swimming as much as possible. After hours he can be found volunteering on a committee to help those with special needs. He says his life balance is in great shape!
‘I considered becoming a teacher, like my dad. But I saw what happened to him after years of strikes and felt there was a better career path for me. After specialising in maths and science at secondary school, I was a bit stuck. My next part-time job in a bottle shop introduced me to the commercial world. This led me to an interest in marketing, but it was the money side of my business degree that was most enjoyable. I really loved learning about the way money works and found this was something that a lot of people wanted help with. My many years in the industry super funds sector helped me to hone my skills in listening and advising.
The basis of everything I now do is to help people achieve what they want to get out of life, in the most efficient way possible, but also in a way they are very comfortable.’
There’s no such thing as a risk free investment nor a risk-free retirement. Andrew acknowledges this, but says,
‘My job is to help people understand the different degrees of risk related to their different options and to help them to choose a risk setting which aligns with their values and their temperament.’
