The real cost of retirement

The real cost of retirement When you’re looking at saving and planning for retirement, it’s important to know how much you can expect to be spending. The latest retirement standard figures and other data sources can give you an idea of the cost of retirement, but what else do you need to take into account to ensure your financial wellbeing? Running the numbers – the retirement standard Since June 2006, the Association of Superannuation Funds of …

Putting yourself first when planning for retirement

Putting yourself first when planning for retirement You know when you’re on a plane about to take off and the cabin crew is demonstrating the safety procedures? They always say affix your own oxygen mask before trying to help anybody else attach theirs – children included. Research from the National Seniors Survey for 2017 has found that it is no longer a priority for many older Australians to leave an inheritance for their kids. With growing concerns …

Being prepared for aged care

Being prepared for aged care Aged care isn’t something most people want to think about when they’re planning for a life of freedom and comfort in retirement. But by taking the time to explore a few important issues and questions, you can get the best possible outcome if you should need support in later years. In a recent survey of more than 5000 older people in WA, only 12% of respondents have a plan in place …

Will you be renting in retirement?

Will you be renting in retirement? Is owning your home the best option for your senior years? Discover why renting in retirement could be on the rise and explore some advantages of being a tenant in later life. Being secure in a home you own is usually part of the picture – and costs – of life in retirement. In fact, Retirement Standard figures published by the Association of Superannuation Funds Australia (ASFA) are based on the assumption …

How would your superannuation stack up if paid as a monthly salary?

How would your superannuation stack up if paid as a monthly salary? Your super balance might look good as a lump sum figure, but would it suffice if divided into regular monthly repayments in retirement?  Superannuation is likely to be one of the biggest assets most of us will ever own, with expectations it could become the average Aussie’s greatest asset, overtaking the family home, in the coming decades1. If you checked your super balance …

Retirement lifestyles: What comfortable looks like 

Retirement lifestyles: What comfortable looks like What do you need to live comfortably in retirement? This will be different for everyone but it’s useful to think about whether you’ll have enough super for a modest or comfortable retirement. It’s important for you to decide what a comfortable lifestyle looks like for you. Here’s a guide from the Association of Superannuation Funds Australia (ASFA) Retirement Standard on what you might need. Lifestyle in today’s dollars A modest …

Downsizing should be a choice, not a wealth strategy

Downsizing should be a choice, not a wealth strategy Downsizing to a coastal town or regional hub can hold lifestyle appeal, but don’t bank on it as a strategy to fund your retirement. For many empty nesters, who may not have had the benefit of employer-paid super throughout their working life, the value of the family home can be seen as the jewel in the crown of a retirement funding strategy. After all, who cares …

How to work out your retirement number

How to work out your retirement number The amount of money needed for retirement is not one size fits all. How you’d like to spend your retirement is as unique as you. From the big life changing goals, to the smaller, more personal ones that give your life meaning. There’s no defined age you must retire by, and it isn’t just about your finances. Your state of mind, where you’d like to live, how you …

What is the retirement age in Australia?

What is the retirement age in Australia? With no definitive retirement age in Australia, the date you exit the workforce will probably come down to personal circumstances and whether you can afford it. The age you retire in Australia isn’t set in stone. You can really retire whenever you want to, but health, financial commitments and your ability to fund the lifestyle you want will play a big part. For this reason, you may want …

Money mistakes people make in their 50s and 60s

Money mistakes people make in their 50s and 60s Avoid these common money traps to make sure you have enough put aside for a comfortable retirement. When you’re in your 50s and 60s, you know you’ve worked long and hard for what you’ve achieved in life and probably have a fair idea of how you want to live in your future retirement. But it’s important not to become complacent and ignore the warning signs of …