by James Coyle | Jun 8, 2023 | Centrelink Age Pension
Increase in Age Pension age to 70: Is this a good idea? On 1 July, the Age Pension eligibility age will increase to 67, the final incremental increase in a process that started in 2017 when the eligibility age was 65. . Unlike the situation in France, where the...
by James Coyle | Jun 8, 2023 | Planning for Retirement, Retirement Income
What happens to retirement savings and income when inflation is high? Inflation is having a major impact on most Australian households, affecting both young and old. Last week the Reserve Bank again raised interest rates, to an 11-year high of 4.1 per cent. You may...
by James Coyle | Jun 1, 2023 | Centrelink Age Pension, Commonwealth Seniors Health Card
Which concession card is best for Ken? Last week we had a call from Ken who was very confused about his health card entitlement. Which prompted us to share the following comparison of concession cards so you know which one best suits your age and stage. Ken is single...
by James Coyle | May 31, 2023 | Retirement Income, Superannuation
Transfer Balance Cap explained Will you be affected on 1 July? On 6 February we reported that Consumer Price Indexation of the $1.7 million super Transfer Balance Cap means it will increase to $1.9 million on 1 July. That change has now been confirmed and it will make...
by James Coyle | May 31, 2023 | Retirement Income
Five ways retirees run out of money And how to avoid them The most common and greatest fear in retirement is running out of money. Of course most people don’t. Unlike many nations, Australia has a regularly indexed safety net which allows most retirees to at least...
by James Coyle | May 29, 2023 | Centrelink Age Pension
We frequently write about simple steps that you can make to improve your Age Pension entitlements. This can include: Revaluing their personal assets. Hint: Garage sale value, not what you would pay for them new. Organising household assets so a greater proportion are...
by James Coyle | May 29, 2023 | Planning for Retirement
Great retirement trade-offs: And how to resolve them Most of our life choices involve a trade-off. Should we eat the chips or lose a kilo? Should we book the holiday or save the money? Should we watch TV or go for a walk? Retirement, too, involves some fundamental...
by James Coyle | May 29, 2023 | Centrelink Age Pension
On 1 July the income and assets thresholds for Age Pensions will change. This is a timely reminder for people who have previously been ineligible that it’s worth taking another look. We’ll let you know as soon as Centrelink announces the new amounts. And you can...
by James Coyle | May 24, 2023 | Retirement Advice
We’re very appreciative of your ongoing support of the Retirement Pulse surveys. Your answers continue to inform the way we respond to your needs and to the information we offer in our weekly enewsletters. In the April Retirement Pulse we asked questions about...
by James Coyle | May 17, 2023 | Retirement Income, Superannuation
Minimum drawdown rates explained: How much, how fast? The minimum drawdown rates for income payments from super are about to double. We mentioned this last week in our overall Federal Budget coverage. But because it can have such an impact on your retirement savings,...
