Retirement Planning Services

Comprehensive Retirement Solutions for Every Stage

Review Your Finances

Reviewing your finances is the foundation of any good retirement plan. Start by taking a close look at your current financial situation: review your income, regular expenses, assets and any outstanding debts. This honest assessment will help you understand your financial situation and how much income you’ll need in retirement to support your desired lifestyle.

Use resources like the Moneysmart website to get a clear picture of your finances and to model different retirement scenarios. Don’t forget to include your superannuation, your super fund balance, the concessional contributions cap and the transfer balance cap, to make sure you’re maximising your retirement savings.

Seeking professional advice from a financial adviser can be invaluable at this stage. An adviser can help you make informed financial decisions, optimise your contributions and develop a retirement plan tailored to your individual needs. By reviewing your finances now, you’ll be better equipped to plan for a secure and enjoyable retirement.

Pre-Retirement Planning

For accomplished professionals ready to transition from earning to living

You’ve built a successful career and earned the respect of your peers. You know the value of proven strategies, but now the focus shifts from building wealth to protecting it and creating a sustainable retirement income. The milestone of retiring brings important decisions about your future, including when to stop working and how to manage your finances. The questions that matter most at this stage are personal: When can I stop working? Am I doing enough to maintain my lifestyle? What opportunities might I be missing that could secure my retirement even more?

Navigating the Transition with Confidence

Many professionals feel a natural loyalty to the investment strategies that have served them well throughout their careers. However, the transition to retirement requires a fundamental shift in approach, from growth-focused strategies to income and preservation-focused planning. As you approach retirement, it’s important to review your asset allocation to optimise your investment strategy for income and risk management. We specialise in helping you make this transition while building on the foundation of your previous success. How you choose to spend your time and resources in retirement is just as important as your financial planning.

Our Pre-Retirement Planning Process:

• Retirement Readiness Assessment: Comprehensive review of your current situation and retirement income needs
• Income Replacement Strategy: Creating income streams to replace your employment earnings
• Conservative Growth Integration: Adding stability-focused strategies to your existing portfolio
• Market Volatility Protection: Implementing downside protection to secure your retirement timeline
• Superannuation Contribution Planning: Deciding when and how much to contribute to your superannuation, including the benefits of paying extra into your super fund, especially if you have extra cash available in midlife

The CARE Investment Philosophy for Pre-Retirees

At the heart of our pre-retirement approach is our proven CARE investment philosophy, designed to address the unique challenges of those approaching retirement. This strategy builds what we call a “4-year pause button” – a strategic financial buffer that provides:

• Emotional Market Protection: Freedom from making hasty decisions during market downturns
• Income Continuity: Passive income streams while markets recover
• Asset Preservation: Ability to hold quality investments without forced selling
• Timeline Security: Protection against market events delaying your retirement plans

Most people delay making extra contributions to their superannuation until later in life, but starting earlier, even with small amounts of extra cash, can have significant benefits due to compounding and tax advantages. Using extra cash to make additional contributions can boost your super balance and give you more options in retirement. It’s also important to understand your preservation age, as this determines when you can access your superannuation funds and shapes your retirement planning.

The CARE philosophy means market volatility doesn’t derail your retirement dreams. By planning for economic uncertainty, you can retire with confidence knowing your timeline is secure, no matter what the markets bring.

Find out how we’ve helped other professionals navigate their pre-retirement transition with confidence and security.

Retirement Income

Building an income stream in retirement is crucial to maintaining your lifestyle once you stop working. Start by looking at how you can boost your super fund with extra contributions, which can make a big difference over time. Look at investment options that generate income, such as dividend-paying shares or rental properties, to top up your super.

Also consider your eligibility for the age pension or government age pension, which can provide additional support. Be aware of the tax implications of your retirement income, including income tax and capital gains tax, so you’re not paying more than you need to. The Moneysmart website has calculators to help you estimate your retirement income and plan for your retirement goals.

A financial planner can work with you to develop a comprehensive financial plan that aligns with your retirement goals so you can achieve a comfortable retirement and peace of mind.

Pre-Retirement

Investing for pre-retirees is about creating a strategy that balances growth with security so your savings last throughout your retirement years. Diversifying your investments across different asset classes, shares, property and fixed income, can help manage risk and provide multiple sources of income.

When developing your investment plan, consider your risk tolerance, investment time frame and specific pre-retirement goals. Professional advice from a financial adviser can help you navigate the many investment options and make decisions that support a secure pre-retirement. The Moneysmart website is also a great resource to learn about different investment strategies and build a plan that suits you.

By investing wisely and regularly reviewing your portfolio, you can work towards your pre-retirement goals and enjoy the lifestyle you’ve planned.

Pre-Retirement Options

Choosing the right pre-retirement option is part of your overall pre-retirement plan. You may have several options to consider, such as making extra super contributions, paying off debt or building an emergency fund. Each option has different benefits and trade-offs, so it’s important to weigh them up in light of your financial situation and pre-retirement goals.

Use the Moneysmart website to explore the options and see how they fit into your broader plan. A financial adviser can provide professional advice to help you understand the implications of each option and make decisions that support your long-term financial well-being.

Remember, your needs and goals may change over time, so it’s important to regularly review your pre-retirement plan to ensure it continues to meet your expectations and supports your desired lifestyle.

Pre-Retirement Lifestyle Optimisation

For retirees living the life they’ve earned

After a lifetime of hard work and dedication, you deserve to enjoy your retirement with peace of mind. Our “Live the Life” approach recognises that successful retirement is not just about having enough money, it’s about having a comprehensive strategy that adapts to changing circumstances while preserving your wealth for the long term.

Long-Term Relationship for Lasting Security

We believe in building long-term relationships with our retired clients, working together over many years to make thoughtful adjustments to your financial plan. This ongoing relationship ensures your strategy evolves with changing markets, tax laws and personal circumstances while maintaining the stability and conservatism that retirement requires. Regularly reviewing your plan helps you stay on track as your life and goals change. Aligning your financial plans with your retirement goals is key to lasting security. Talk to your adviser about your retirement goals and any concerns you may have.

Our Retirement Lifestyle Focus:

Income Boost: We work to provide you with a stable income that remains consistent even when markets are volatile. Our investment philosophy helps you avoid emotional reactions to market fluctuations so you can make rational long-term decisions.

Wealth Protection: We help you see beyond short-term market ups and downs and focus on the long-term benefits of holding quality assets. This is critical to maintaining and growing your wealth over a potentially 20-30 year retirement.

Tax Efficient Wealth Transfer: We plan to maximise the tax-free transfer of assets to your beneficiaries so your legacy is preserved and your family benefits from your lifetime of work.

Government Benefit Optimisation: Where applicable, we help you access additional support such as Commonwealth Seniors Health Care Card (CSHCC) benefits and Age Pension strategies that complement your overall retirement plan. We also help you determine if you are eligible for additional government benefits or schemes such as the Retirement Bonus or Pension Bonus Scheme. Services Australia offers valuable financial education and support resources, including their Financial Information Service, to help you make informed decisions.

Retirement Lifestyle Elements:

• Longevity Planning – Making your money last as long as you do
• Healthcare Cost Management – Planning for increasing health expenses
• Lifestyle Flexibility – Enjoying travel, hobbies and family time
• Legacy Planning – Optimising wealth transfer to the next generation
• Peace of Mind – Having the security to enjoy your retirement years
• Insurance Protection – Including insurance to protect your wealth and have peace of mind for you and your family
• Business Interests – Managing business interests or business superannuation funds as part of your retirement planning
• Planning for Tough Times – Planning for tough times and unexpected events, so your financial security is maintained

Managing your retirement funds is key to long-term stability and supporting your overall financial plans.

Why Our Planning Approach Works

Conservative Yet Strategic: We balance capital preservation with smart growth strategies to keep your wealth in line with inflation and support your lifestyle in retirement.

Market Volatility Management: Our investment philosophies are designed to help retirees maintain their lifestyle and avoid emotional financial decisions during uncertain market periods.

Holistic Approach: We consider all aspects of retirement planning from investment management to tax optimisation, estate planning and government benefit strategies.

Ongoing Adaptation: Retirement planning doesn’t end when you retire. We provide continuous monitoring and adjustment so your plan remains optimal as circumstances change.

Proven Track Record: Our strategies have helped many clients successfully transition to and thrive in retirement, maintain their desired lifestyle and preserve wealth for the future.

Ready to Secure Your Future?

Your retirement should be a time of enjoyment, not financial stress. Let’s talk about how our retirement planning strategies can give you security, income and peace of mind to truly enjoy this next chapter of your life.

Get in touch today to book your retirement planning appointment and find out how we can help you retire well and live stylishly.