Cutting through confusion and complexity Assumptions are a gateway to a mistake, so the saying goes. Despite this, many of us are still prone to making assumptions or veering into denial about financial decisions when it all feels too hard or too...
Retirement Income Articles
Should Craig retire completely or go part-time?
Nicole answers Craig’s dilemma This week we talk to adviser, Nicole Bell, who spends her time working with Retirement Essentials members to help them get better financial outcomes. She recently spent time with Craig, who is 69, currently working full-time,...
Rethinking the tax you pay on your retirement income
The last day of October is the final date when individuals can file their tax returns unless they are represented by a tax agent. Many retirees – those on a Full Age Pension or those whose sole source of income is from their super – won’t be required to file...
What are Pension funds? How do they work?
Recent research from financial services provider, AMP, reports that 70% of Australians do not know what an Account-Based Pension is. We doubt this is the case with Retirement Essentials members, but it was a handy reminder that the complexity of many aspects...
What women want works well for everyone
At the end of August Vanguard Super released insights from its How Australia Retires study. This report focused on gender differences in retirement planning and retirement income. At one level you might ask if we learn anything new from such surveys or are...
Creating your one-stop shop Retirement Salary
The regular Retirement Essentials Retirement Pulse surveys reveal two interesting things about retirees. The first is that the majority say they are much more content in retirement than they were when they were working. And a similar number tell us...
Your home and your retirement
Should you stay or go?And what are the implications? If you are a homeowner, you have many different ways to use your family home to help fund your retirement. The first major fork in the road is the decision whether you will ultimately stay in your current...
What is a lifetime income stream?
Would one suit you? Most retirees would be happy to know their income was guaranteed for life. But unless you are one of the handful of Australians with untold wealth, this isn’t always possible. There are products you can purchase to ensure a regular income...
Super funds report card: Are retirees missing out?
A recently released report from the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) and the Australian Prudential Regulatory Authority (APRA) reveals a massive gap in the support that retirees should now be receiving from their super fund – and what...