LIFESTYLE NEWSLETTER 15 March 2009

TRY YOUR RETIREMENT INCOME NOW

If you are saying that you will be able to live with less money in your retirement, try to live off that amount for one month.

If you don’t succeed, chat with me – Bernard Kelly mobile 0414 778 518 – and I’ll help you explore your options.

LESS THAN 30% PLAN TO RETIRE BEFORE 70

A survey by the Australian Bureau of Statistics taken in mid-2008, released late February, reports than less than 30 per cent of middle-aged and older Australians now intend to retire before they turn 70.

The survey was taken in mid 2008, and released in late February.

The causes appear to be threefold.

There is a growing awareness that many of us will remain very active well past age 70, that boredom is all too common for many early retirees, and of course most of us don’t have enough funds for 20-25 years of a dignified retirement.

So we’ll be happy to keep working.

AVOID ANY RELIANCE ON GOVERNMENT WELFARE

The consultation paper on retirement incomes – as part of the Henry review into the tax system – notes that there are now five people of working age for each person over 65.

However by 2047, this ratio will fall to only 2.4 persons.

The consequence of having relatively more of us retired and less of us in the workforce will mean that the cost of the age pension will increase from 2.5% of the gross domestic product to 4.4%.

In addition there will be larger demands by the health sector to pay for the ever increasing cost of caring for an increasingly older population and ever increasingly costly medical equipment and drugs.

The economy will simply not be able to sustain the pension as we currently know it.

A likely scenario is that we will only have access to the pension, and the Pharmaceutical Benefits scheme etc., once we have exhausted our super.

So plan now to avoid any reliance on government welfare, as it may not be there when you’ll need it.

If you would like me to help you explore your options for 20-25 years of dignified retirement, contact me – Bernard Kelly – any time on admin@retirelaughing.com

HOW MUCH INCOME WILL YOU REALLY NEED?

Most of us underestimate lifestyle costs, medical expenses and inflation.

What is enough? What is not enough?

If you’ve given even the slightest thought to retirement, you’ve probably heard or read that you need about 70% of your final salary to live comfortably in retirement.

This estimate is frequently repeated … but that doesn’t mean it is true, but at least it’s a reference point.

You won’t learn how much retirement income you’ll need by reading this article.

For that you’ll need to meet with someone who can talk common sense about your lifestyle needs and short-term and long-term expenses.

And I don’t mean a financial planner. I mean someone who doesn’t have a vested interest in selling you financial products.

I mean someone who can talk common sense.

That said, there are some factors which affect retirement income needs – and too often, they go unconsidered.

HEALTH

Most of us will face a major health problem at some point in our retirement – perhaps even multiple or chronic health problems.

We don’t want to think about it, but it’s a reality.

And if you don’t have enough money for day-to-day living, you’ll probably end up with a mental health problem.

My solution is to find some form of modest employment – even perhaps a “profitable hobby”.

HERIDITY

If you come from a family where people frequently live into their 80s and 90s, you may well live longer. Imagine retiring at 65 and living to 95.

You would need 30 years of inflation-protected retirement income.Investments.

These must be diversified, and inflation protected.

You’ll need to find a path between carrying too much risk, and being conservative.

SPENDING HABITS

If you’re like most of us, you probably spend 90% or 95% of your income. Will your spending habits change drastically once you retire? Probably not.

GOVERNMENT WELFARE (or lack thereof).

Over the years, the government has progressively restricted access to welfare. This can only be expected to continue.

So will you have enough?

Let me know if you’d like me to help you explore your options. Contact me – Bernard Kelly – anytime via admin@retirelaughing.com

With acknowledgments to Bill Losey of Retirement Intelligence