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Retirement planning gets bad press. The consequence is that a majority of 45 to 64-year-old Australians have entered the land of denial when it comes to this issue.
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As Australians are now on average living longer, superannuation needs to stretch even further to cover living expenses. Will your money last as long as you live?
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Retirement

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With most Australians now living much longer and stronger we will all probably spend more time after full-time work, getting a new life. Retirement used to be the stage of life where you gave up work and looked forward to life full of Saturdays, but now a successful retirement takes a lot more planning and skill to get the timing right.

Retirement should be seen as the opportunity to seek new challenges, to try something different in the workforce or realise some of the dreams you’ve held throughout your working life. Finding your way through retirement requires planning for your whole future, not just focusing on your finances.

Planning not only offers the best chance to achieve your goals, it also helps you work out what the type of retirement you don’t want and can ensure you avoid the common mistakes that can see all your years of hard work simply wasted. We all value our independence very highly and the best way to maintain independence is through good health and a firm financial footing which will deliver maximum choice as we age.

The Retirement section of YourLifeChoices website has been organised into seven main categories to help you plan and enjoy the next stage of life. Critical points to consider when retirement planning are timing, your emotional readiness, how much (money) is enough and maximising your nest egg with an effective transition to retirement.

And don’t forget that every quarter we bring together the best brains in the business to answer your questions on how your super can work best for you, making the most of your income in retirement, your rights in retirement, the latest government, health and technology news, relationship dilemmas and so much more in our Retirement Update.

Timing your retirement
Ensuring the optimal timing of your retirement right is the first step, so how do you achieve this?

Retirement planning
Retirement planning is often considered in a purely financial terms, but there’s so much more to consider than just money.

How much is enough?
With people living longer on average in retirement, it’s understandable that running out of money is a major concern. So how much do you need to fund retirement?

Making the transition to retirement
Very few people go from working full time to full-time retirement, so what can you do to enjoy a successful transition?

Retirement income
There are several ways to secure an income in retirement, so here's a plain English summary of the main options.

Living in retirement
Options for living in retirement and how your home can help fund your retirement lifestyle are varied, so which choices do you need to consider?

Resources
Access our many retirement resources, including calculators, checklists, FAQs and quarterly Retirement Affordability Index.

Do you know if you qualify for an Age Pension? Find out with our RetirePlanner tool.

The makings of a successful life

Living a successful life is not always about career or money

The makings of a successful life

Hint: it’s got nothing to do with money, your career, a fancy car or a ...

What’s the secret?

Super is failing millions: KPMG

Super is failing millions: KPMG

Australia discriminates against the majority of its population, according to financial services giant KPMG.

The solution?

Are banks doing enough for retirees?

Do you believe the banks have abandoned Aussie retirees?

Left hanging

Noel helps ‘typical retirees’

Noel helps ‘typical retirees’

Could these retirees be better placed? Personal finance expert Noel Whittaker assesses their financial health ...

Case studies

Tax changes for older workers?

Older people working longer are being unfairly penalised for effectively trying to avoid pension poverty.

Fair go for older workers

Do you need financial advice?

Financial advice is a term with a multitude of meanings.

Getting good advice

Three resolutions for a new decade

A few simple changes could improve your quality of life in retirement.

New decade, new you?

Timing Your Retirement

Is retirement still attractive?

Staggering number of YourLifeChoices members don’t ever want to retire from work.

How long to work?

Seven questions about retirement

What comes to mind when you think of your retirement? Is it excitement?

The big questions

Older Aussies leading the world

Australia has ranked second in a study measuring the resilience of global workforces.

Are you adaptable?

Retirement Planning

Are banks doing enough for retirees?

Do you believe the banks have abandoned Aussie retirees?

Left hanging

Take guesswork out of retirement

Retired actuary and ‘rule of thumb’ co-creator John De Ravin explains how you can spend with confidence in retirement.

Don’t run out of money

Drought causes jump in food costs

Price rises in the September quarter were smaller than in the June quarter with all tribes experiencing similar increases but for different reasons.

Drought impact

How much is enough?

Take guesswork out of retirement

Retired actuary and ‘rule of thumb’ co-creator John De Ravin explains how you can spend with confidence in retirement.

Don’t run out of money

Boosting confidence in retirement

Do you know how much you can ‘safely’ spend in retirement? Accurium (part of the Challenger group) can help.

Needs versus wants

How much cash should retirees hold?

Author and retired actuary John De Ravin has some strong words for retirees holding too much cash in the bank.

Interest rate dilemma

Making the transition to retirement

Boomers redefining retirement

With baby boomers redefining retirement, workplaces must evolve, writes Luke Fitzpatrick.

Why old is gold

Older Aussies leading the world

Australia has ranked second in a study measuring the resilience of global workforces.

Are you adaptable?

Services to help you age at home

For all those who want to stay in their homes for as long as possible, Louise Biti, director of Aged Care Steps, has one critical piece of advice.

Home forever

Retirement Income

Noel helps ‘cash-strapped' retiree

Could this 'cash-strapped' retiree be better placed? Personal finance expert Noel Whittaker assesses her financial health.

Case study

Noel helps ‘affluent' retirees

Could these 'affluent' retirees be better organised financially? Personal finance expert Noel Whittaker assesses their strategy and tells what they could change.

Case study

How to make the most of a windfall

What should you do with an inheritance? Should you spend it on your mortgage? A car? How about a holiday? Will your inheritance affect your Age Pension? How does Centrelink assess a lump sum?

Make the most of your money

Living in retirement

Spice of life in retirement

Some people take to retirement like a duck to water; others find the work environment difficult to replace in a meaningful way. Here’s what you should consider.

Your journey