By Timothy Moore, Monash University Every other year, retired couple Jorg and Jan journey some 5,000 kilometres in their campervan from Port Fairy in southeastern Australia to Broome in the far northwest for a change of lifestyle and scenery. There they catch up with other couples from across the nation, who often ... Read more
Adjusting to retirement: 8 factors that can help
This is an extract from Enjoying Retirement by Michael Longhurst, published by Hachette Australia. Out now. $29.99. Michael Longhurst is a retired psychologist and leading authority in the area of adjustment to retirement. This extract presents findings from a research program that analysed the retirement ... Read more
Super for beginners, part 24: Do I have to withdraw my super when I turn 65?
Q: I retired, sold my large house, downgraded, invested spare money and one month after I invested, I lost $50,000 just like that. I would like to know whether I can keep my super going beyond age 65, perhaps to age 67 to help recoup my losses on my outside investments? A: I’m very sorry to read about your ... Read more
What is ‘quality’ in aged care? Here’s what studies say
By Joseph Ibrahim, Monash University A challenge facing the recently announced Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety will be to define “quality”. Everyone has their own idea of what quality of care and quality of life in residential aged care may look like. The Conversation asked readers how they ... Read more
Superannuation death benefits and the $1.6 million transfer balance cap
We have received many questions from readers about how the new $1.6 million transfer balance cap will operate when a fund member dies, especially if the fund member has arranged for his or her spouse to receive a superannuation death benefit pension, including a reversionary pension. This article provides a brief ... Read more
Superannuation death benefits: Who receives super payments, and how much tax is paid?
On the death of a super fund member, a superannuation death benefit can be paid to the dependants of the fund member, or to the fund member’s estate. The term ‘dependant’ has two special meanings when referring to superannuation death benefits. A super fund can only directly pay a superannuation death benefit to ... Read more
Superannuation death benefits: Dear Dad, Tax for everything
If you plan to leave your super to your adult children when you die, your superannuation death benefit may be hit with benefits tax, even though you would have received that benefit tax-free (if aged 60 or over) while you were alive. The reason for this inconsistency is that superannuation death benefits paid to ... Read more
Life expectancy: Will you outlive your retirement savings?
Every five years, the latest data is released on average life expectancies, that is, how many years you’re expected to live, on average. The table contained later in this article contains the most up-to-date information on expected lifetimes. Note: The next batch of official data on life expectancies will be ... Read more
Maximum life expectancy: Have we reached our longevity limit?
Australians born today are expected to live longer than Aussies born five years earlier, on average, according to the Australian Life Tables. The prospect of a longer life doesn’t seem to apply however if you’re a woman or man in your late-eighties or nineties (see Tables 1 and 2 later in this article). A firm fact ... Read more
Retirement Income Reckoner
The SuperGuide Retirement Income Reckoner allows you to discover what type of annual income (indexed for inflation), you can expect in retirement (including PART Age Pension) for a range of superannuation balances. You can find out what type of income your retirement savings will deliver based on 8 different ... Read more
How Much Super Is Enough Reckoner
The How Much Super Is Enough Reckoner allows you to discover how much superannuation you need in retirement to deliver your ideal indexed annual income over retirement (including PART Age Pension). You can find out the super savings you will need for a $50,000 a year retirement, a $60,000 a year retirement, a ... Read more
Reality check: How much does it cost to live in retirement?
We all have expectations about what our retirement will look like in terms of lifestyle, but how does retirement actually pan out for those living in retirement? SuperGuide regularly publishes articles and reckoners on the lump sums necessary on retirement to live your desired lifestyle, and we also publish articles on ... Read more
