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...
Stop now - or keep working? Retirement at 67 is often seen as the default, but is it really the best choice for everyone? Helen, who turns 67 in April, is weighing up her options. She has $275,000 in superannuation, $25,000 in personal assets, and $10,000 in...
Last week, I discussed the most common retirement questions our members ask during strategy consultations with our advisers. One of the big ones is: ‘Do I have enough? Sometimes that thought is closely linked to ‘Do I have enough - yet?’ The real question...
Later this week some of us will drown our loved ones in attention, flowers, chocolates and positive messages. Others will wonder why it’s so hard to get a booking at the local taverna on Friday night. Yes, it's Valentines Day on the 14th and a big day in...
Your superannuation strategy doesn’t end when you begin drawing your savings in an Account-Based Pension. It’s common for retirees to keep accumulating super through part-time work or lump sum contributions from windfalls like property sales or...
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...
More than one fifth of Australian retirees currently live in poverty, according to a recent report by The Australia Institute. Given that we are one of the richest nations in the world this is both disturbing and difficult to believe. Today we review these...