The honest answer is as soon as you can name a retirement date you want. Five to ten years out gives you room to adjust super contributions, pay down debt, and stress-test the numbers. Three years out is still enough time to sequence things properly. Inside two years is when most of the easy levers have closed, but a written plan still helps you avoid expensive mistakes.

ASFA's Retirement Standard suggests around $630,000 for a single and $730,000 for a couple to fund a comfortable retirement, assuming part Age Pension. But these are averages, not your number. Your number depends on what you want to spend, when you want to retire, whether you own your home, and what other assets and income you'll have. We model your specific numbers as part of your written plan.

Yes, plenty of people do, especially when combined with a part Age Pension and a paid-off home. $500,000 drawn at around 4 per cent gives roughly $20,000 a year, plus Age Pension entitlements as your assets reduce. Whether that's enough depends on your spending. We work this through with you using current Centrelink rates and your own costs and lifestyle expectations.

The Age Pension is means-tested against assets and income, and your super counts in both tests once you reach Age Pension age. The interaction matters. Drawing super in a way that triggers the assets test can cost you Age Pension you didn't realise you were entitled to. Structuring drawdowns and account-based pensions properly can preserve thousands a year in pension entitlements over a long retirement.

Often yes, but not always. Paying down a mortgage with non-concessional super contributions can be tax-effective, and entering retirement debt-free reduces stress and required income. But if your mortgage rate is low and your super is earning more after tax, the maths can change. We model both scenarios so you can see the trade-off in real numbers, not opinions.

If your situation is simple and you're confident with super, tax, Centrelink, and investment risk, no, you can do it yourself. Most people we see come because the rules interact in ways that aren't obvious, and one missed decision (wrong drawdown order, wrong contribution timing, wrong fund selection at 65) can cost more than years of advice fees. The first meeting is free, so the cost of finding out is nothing.

This is sequencing risk, and it's the single biggest threat to a long retirement. Drawing income from a portfolio that's just dropped 20 to 30 per cent locks in losses you can't recover from. The fix is structural rather than heroic: hold two to three years of income in defensive assets, draw from that bucket through downturns, and let growth assets recover before you sell them. We design your portfolio with this risk specifically in mind.

Absolutely, and for many people it's the smartest path. A transition-to-retirement income stream can supplement reduced work hours while preserving super contributions. Part-time income also delays drawdown on capital, which extends how long your savings last. The key is structuring the transition so super, tax, and Centrelink rules work for you rather than against you.

A written retirement plan (Statement of Advice) costs between $3,300 and $6,600 depending on complexity. Ongoing advice, if you want it, ranges from $1,650 to $9,900 a year depending on the level of service. We're fee-based, never commission-paid, and the first meeting is free. You see the quoted fee in writing before you commit to anything.

Yes. We're authorised representatives of Akumin Financial Planning Pty Ltd (AFSL 232706), bound by the financial advisers' Code of Ethics and the Privacy Act. Your file is held securely, and we never share your information without your written consent except where required by law. The first meeting is exploratory, and you don't need to share anything until you're ready.