Feeling like you’re no clearer on your retirement options after hours researching?

You’ve put in the work to prepare as best as you can for your retirement. Taken proactive action to educate yourself as much as you can around planning for your retirement.

You’ve done a good job of building a nest egg, done the research, and probably feel like you’re on track or just unsure.

You think you’ve got a good handle of most things…

But something’s still nagging you, are you really set up for the retirement lifestyle you’ve envisioned?

Deep down, you have questions or feelings that there’s something missing. Or maybe through the research you’re more confused than ever with conflicting information.

If so, you’re not alone…

Many people are in the same position. Spending time on educating themselves, reading a ton of articles about planning for retirement. But trying to put it all together and gaining the clarity they need, they’re still struggling.

After all, the last thing you want to do is to make a massive mistake and have to live a frugal retirement.

Retirement is a massive transition. One which has many moving parts. You have one chance to get it right and get the clarity and confidence you need to make sound financial decisions.Ultimately giving you the control over your retirement options.

What a place to be? But you’re not there yet, so what’s getting in the way?

The Common Roadblock – Unanswered Questions

Here’s the thing, research and using online calculators can only take you so far…

Sure, you’ll gain some knowledge and maybe learn something you didn’t know. But putting it into action is a whole different ball game.

It’s a little like me researching how to conduct a brain operation, sure you’d probably get everything you need online these days. But would I actually do it? Hell no…

If you’ve reached a point where generic blog posts or calculators don’t seem to cover your specific questions, you’re not alone.

On my website there’s over 200 blogs and video’s. It’s over two decades of knowledge I’ve gained by being in the trenches with client planning and living in retirement every single day.

Over that time we’ve helped clients navigate major world events like Sept 11, Global Financial Crisis and more recently The Global Pandemic. Along with life which has many twists and turns.

All provide their unique set of circumstances. It’s knowing the common mistakes many people make and how to avoid them.

With all these resources available on my website, would you be able to plan your retirement confidently by studying and reading them all? Probably not…

Why?

Every blog post covers a specific point related to retirement planning. There’s many inputs and outputs to be considered. It’s complex. What works for one person does not necessarily work that well with another.

All for one reason alone, everyone’s an individual and has their own unique set of circumstances and beliefs.

It’s the reason many financially savvy Australians find themselves stuck on key decisions about retirement.

Many people are seeking a simplistic answer to the question,

“How Much Is Enough?”

Sure, you could plug a couple of numbers into a generic calculator and it might spit out a number you’re happy with. Or it might not.

But the BIG question people want an answer to but aren’t asking, is “Will I Be Okay In Retirement?”.

And of course there’s other questions people are hunting for answers to:

• How much money can I comfortably live on?
• How do I generate my retirement income without running out?
• Am I set up properly to draw down my super without worrying?
• When can I retire? Is it sooner or later?
• Is there something I’m missing that could impact my financial security later on?

As you can see and you might agree, there are no easy answers to these questions.

Understanding the Bigger Picture

Retirement planning is not just about investments. It goes far beyond that, particularly when the modern retirement could be 30 years or more.

You may feel confident that you’ve saved enough for a comfortable retirement. It’s the strategic decisions about how you use your assets which can make all the difference. It’s not just about having enough money; it’s about structuring it wisely to make sure it lasts.

For instance, a couple we worked with recently, had saved diligently through their working years. Based on their assets would be comfortable through retirement. However, what they didn’t know is if they structured their assets in a certain way, the outcome would be far different.

In this case, income for life no matter how long they lived. Added an extra $300k they could spend through their retirement confidently. Taking their income from $70k to around $90k pa indexed for the rest of their life.

Here’s the key to unlocking your retirement. Until you know the path you are on, it’s difficult to make sound financial decisions. This is where clarity and confidence comes from.

It doesn’t matter whether you have a little or a lot saved for retirement, you have BLINDSPOTS.

How do I know? We’ve seen it all. I don’t say that to big note myself, that’s not my style. I say it because if you can identify your own BLINDSPOTS, you’ll save yourself from a lot of pain later on.

You might be overlooking key elements like tax efficiency, income timing and risk management – all factors that impact how comfortable and confident you will feel in retirement.

And let’s not forget the potentially generous tip you might leave to the tax office. How do you plan around that?

Why General Tools Aren’t Enough

Many people take the self-directed route, using tools and calculators, but they can’t tell you what’s specific to your situation.

They don’t account for your unique goals, unexpected expenses, or their fact that retirement isn’t a straight line – life happens.

For instance, I was speaking with a couple recently who had used an online calculator. However, walking away disappointed as it would not take into account their unique circumstances.

They weren’t confident it was giving them the answers they needed. It’s a common occurrence.

While you might think you are financially literate even experienced financial planners need to lean on technical experts from time to time.

You need to understand critical aspects of retirement planning like risk tolerance in retirement. Understanding the level of risk you need to be taking versus what you think you might need.

Understanding the structure of layering your assets to drawdown your income safely in retirement while not leaving you exposed.

The impact of longevity may have on how long your money may last. If you use an online calculator you’re likely to be underestimating this critical factor.

Any one of these areas play a critical role in your retirement planning and getting it right. You could write a book on each aspect, that’s how complex it can be.

Why You Need To Get Clarity

Imagine having a clear, customised roadmap that answers your questions on super, income streams and how to make sure you don’t run out of money.

Recently we put all the options for a client in front of them. They had been concerned whether they had enough and could they retire earlier if they wanted to.

We completed a detailed cashflow analysis based on their specific needs. Ultimately showing them they would not run out of money and in fact they could spend more money than what they had thought.

The relief on their faces was undeniable. Their comment, “that’s great, that’s what we wanted, it’s already worth the money we’ve paid”.

But that’s not the end of it, the structure needs to be right to deliver this outcome which something we’re working on right now.

As a retirement specialist with over two decades of retirement planning experience, I can help fill in the missing pieces so you know how you’re positioned financially for retirement.

Not only that, but identify the specific blindspots you have which may leave you exposed in your retirement years.

The Benefits of Feeling Prepared

Retirement planning is not just about how you invest your money.

It’s about the confidence to make sound financial and life decisions. In Vanguard’s recent research on how Australians retire, they found only 31% had a good idea or exact plan on how they were going to achieve their desired lifestyle in retirement.

That’s astounding…

Which means 69% have no clear plan or a vague plan at best on how they were going to achieve their desired retirement. WOW, why you wouldn’t want to plan probably one of the most important periods of your life is mind boggling to me.

Confidence comes from being well prepared. Understanding the environment you’re transitioning to. Covering all bases, understanding your BLINDSPOTS, putting in safety margins to protect you from life’s surprises and understanding all your options so you can make confident financial decisions.

Ultimately understanding how you are going to extract your income so you can live a great lifestyle in retirement without the risk of running out of money allows you to be prepared.

Not only that, when you plan for this critical transition you achieve peace of mind, knowing you’ve covered everything you can. Left no stone unturned to make your retirement years the best years you can.

When you have a plan you are confident in, you can enjoy the retirement you’ve worked so hard for – without constantly second-guessing your decisions.

How would it feel knowing you’ve planned well for retirement? You’ve explored all your options and put in place a robust plan to live the life you want in retirement without regrets or having to live frugally.

How would it feel?

Time to get your retirement in order?

It’s time to step off the research treadmill and get real answers to your questions. It’s time to stop wasting precious time and avoid drifting into retirement.

If you want to make your retirement a priority. To know what’s really possible for you. To know all your options. Know how to avoid costly mistakes in your retirement planning.

You’re probably not looking for another blog post or calculator. You want to know how you plan for your retirement lifestyle safely without risking running out of money.

It’s time to book a Retirement Clarity Call by clicking here. On your call we’ll brainstorm what you may be missing in your planning. We’ll look under the bonnet and identify the one thing that’s missing which is stopping you from achieving the clarity and confidence you’re searching for.

You’ll walk away clear about what actions you need to be taking next.

If there’s a good match, we’ll book another time where we’ll help you map out a deep dive plan to help you retire on your terms.

Your retirement journey is yours to create – let’s make it extraordinary, one of no regrets.

Glenn Doherty – CFP – Financial Planner | Retirement Planning Specialist |Retirement Planning Made Simple for over 55’s within 7 years of retirement

We work with people in Adelaide and around Australia virtually via zoom!

financial planning adelaide Retirement Retirement Income Retirement Planning