Helping everyday Australians enjoy their best possible retirement

Many retirees focus on reaching a ‘magic number’, but the real question isn’t just:

 ‘How much do I have?’—

It’s ‘How can I make it last?’

Super, Age Pension entitlements, and investment choices all play a role in sustaining income over time. Knowing how they can combine and which options to choose is critical.

What helps: A clear spending plan and a mix of income sources provide stability. Tools such as the Retirement Forecaster can help estimate how long your savings could last. More than just a superannuation calculator, your specific needs and situation, super strategies and Age Pension Entitlements are included to calculate what’s the best forward projection for your needs.

Many people approach retirement with a sense of ‘I’ll figure it out later,’ only to realise key financial choices—including when to access superannuation, how to structure income, or whether they’re eligible for government support—are best made well before they stop working.

The triggers which often prompt someone to seek help is reaching age 60 when withdrawals from super become tax free, and reaching 67 when Age Pension entitlements become available.

What helps: Those who seek advice early tend to feel more confident about their retirement. Even if you’re retiring soon, or have already retired it’s never too late to get a plan in place. Avoiding this task usually just leads to unnecessary stress.

For most Australians, superannuation is the second biggest source of retirement income after the Age Pension. Making the right decisions about how to use it can have a big impact on your financial security.

One common approach is to move super from accumulation phase into an Account-Based Pension (ABP), providing a regular, tax-free income for those aged 60 or over. But super can also be used in other ways to improve financial security.

Some retirees we speak to are considering whether to use their super to pay down a mortgage – a decision that depends on factors like interest rates, cash flow needs, and eligibility for an Age Pension. Others focus on boosting super to create more retirement income, using strategies like:

• Bring-forward rules – allowing larger contributions in a single year
• Catch-up provisions – making use of unused concessional contributions
• Downsizer contributions – adding proceeds from selling a home

For couples, a younger spouse strategy can also provide big benefits. If one partner is under 67, shifting super balances between spouses can increase Age Pension entitlements while balancing retirement savings across both accounts.

What helps: Managing super in retirement is where smart strategy really helps. The Australian superannuation and Age Pension system provides great opportunities, but it’s complex. Even the smartest retirees realise they ‘don’t know what they don’t know’ – so checking in with a financial planner ensures you’re considering all the right factors before making a decision.

Many retirees are surprised to learn they qualify for a part-Age Pension or the Commonwealth Seniors Health Card (CSHC), even if they don’t meet the full Age Pension threshold. These benefits can make a big difference in covering everyday costs.

What helps: Checking eligibility regularly—as circumstances change (like drawing down on super), pension entitlements can shift. An Entitlements Consultation can help you maximise your entitlements, ensuring you’re not leaving any benefits on the table.

Many retirees think they need to switch to cash or term deposits for perceived security, but investing too cautiously can erode purchasing power over time. Given longer life expectancies, growth investments are often needed to keep up with rising costs.

What helps: Keeping the right balance. This means having enough accessible cash for peace of mind while letting the rest continue growing inside super. Financial advice helps you understand the rules and how to apply them to your situation, giving you comfort that your financial decisions are in line with your long-term goals.