The five financial decisions that matter most in the last 10 years before retirement
And in this weekend's Nine newspapers: The retirement question most Australians never ask – but should
In this edition
Feature: The five financial decisions that matter most in the last 10 years before retirement
From Bec’s Desk: The new criteria for the Tick has launched
The Age and Sydney Morning Herald: The retirement question most Australians never ask – but should
Prime Time: Two shows - ‘Choosing the right superfund in 2026: the criteria are changing’ and ‘The cost of retirement just went up; Here’s what you need to know’
Ad - Before we start — a big thanks to our newsletter sponsor this week, Viking
Enjoy 8 Days in the Mediterranean from $4,795pp, plus companion flies free*
Don’t miss incredible value with Viking’s Explorer Sale, ending 31 March. Enjoy a more inclusive way to cruise the Mediterranean with one shore excursion in every port of call, all onboard meals included, and wine, beer and soft drinks with lunch and dinner.
Sail on board Viking’s award‑winning small ocean ships, designed for destination‑focused exploration and enriching experiences — no kids, no casinos and no hidden extras. With 24‑hour room service, free Wi‑Fi and thoughtfully curated itineraries, every detail is taken care of.
Use code CFE25 and companion flies free up to $2,500 per booking on 2026–2028 ocean voyages.*
The five financial decisions that matter most in the last 10 years before retirement
For most people, the really powerful decisions about retirement chiefly happen in the final decade before retirement.
Your 50s and early 60s are a surprisingly influential window of time. Earnings are often at their peak, mortgages are starting to shrink or disappear, children are becoming financially independent, and for the first time many people finally have the ability to direct serious money toward their future.
It’s also the moment when the horizon becomes real. Retirement is no longer some abstract idea that sits decades away. It’s visible. You can start to feel it approaching and that changes the kinds of decisions people start making.
Over the years I’ve found that there are five financial decisions that tend to shape retirement more than anything else in this period. See if you can add any that are looming for you.
What to do about the family home and the mortgage.
Many people arrive in their 50s still carrying some level of housing debt. That’s not unusual anymore. What matters is how deliberately you deal with it. Some people aggressively pay it down before retirement. Others plan to downsize later using some of their super and clear it that way. Either approach can work, but it needs to be intentional.
How much to boost superannuation contributions in the final stretch.
The super system is incredibly powerful in this period because of the tax concessions available both when you contribute money at 15% tax and when you’re in the retirement phase and it is tax free. Salary sacrifice, concessional contributions and catch-up rules can make a really meaningful difference to retirement income if they’re used strategically during these years.
How much investment risk do you want to be taking?
This is where many people make mistakes. As retirement gets closer, the instinct is often to pull back on investment risk dramatically. But retirement itself can last 25 or 30 years. Your money still needs to grow. The challenge is finding the right balance between protecting capital and maintaining long-term growth.
Contemplating whether to gradually transition out of full-time work.
More and more people are discovering that retirement doesn’t have to be a sudden stop. Part-time work, consulting, seasonal work or portfolio careers can dramatically ease the financial and psychological transition into retirement. And you can take a gentler approach to your retirement journey. You might even decide to try it for a bit with a sabbatical before you commit.
Considering how your retirement income will actually work.
This is the point where many people realise that retirement income doesn’t come from just one source. It often involves a combination of super drawdowns, investment income, possible Age Pension eligibility, and sometimes part-time work along the way.
When people start thinking about these decisions early enough, something interesting happens. Retirement stops feeling like a scary cliff edge you plan to jump off. Instead it becomes something you gradually shape over time with a little more confidence.
And that’s really the goal. Not simply reaching retirement, but arriving there with options, choices and things you’re excited about.
Are these the five that are in front of you or can you see others?
I cover a lot more on this in both my books - How to Have an Epic Retirement and if you’re not ready for retirement, Prime Time: 27 Lessons for the New Midlife.
From Bec’s Desk:
This week I’m going to be short and sweet.
I’ve had a quiet and very productive week. A quick trip to Sydney and back, and lots of course co-ordination and management with two programs currently in full flight.
Both of our current courses are now in week three: the HESTA Exclusive Epic Retirement Program and the Epic Retirement Flagship Course for Autumn 2026. Next week I head into filming for the UK edition of the course, so I’m deep in scripting and planning at the moment.
The other big focus of my week was launching the new criteria for the 2026 evaluation of the Epic Retirement Tick. We released a terrific podcast about it, and I wrote an article for the Sydney Morning Herald. There’s a new set of criteria you can download from the website if you’d like to look objectively at what your superfund is offering.
And, we released TWO podcasts because we had to - these two were both timely and important. Both are below.
I’ve also been playing around with one of the new features on Facebook. If you’re over there, you might have noticed I’ve launched two new Channels.
These are a bit like a behind-the-scenes feed where I can share quick ideas, short insights and the occasional thought that doesn’t quite warrant a full article or podcast.
One is focused on Australian epic retirement stuff that come up during the week. The other is for UK epic retirement stuff, as that audience has been growing quickly with the UK edition of the book and course.
The nice thing about these Channels is that they’re a direct way for me to share snippets, short videos and posts with geographically specific audiences, without relying on the Facebook algorithm to decide who sees them.
They’re informal, quick to read, and a way for me to share things in real time rather than waiting for the next newsletter. I’ll be sharing all my educational reels there too.
If you’d like to follow along, you can join them here:
Australian Channel: click here
UK Channel: click here
See you in there.
Until next week - make it epic!
Cheers
Bec xx
Author, podcast host, columnist, retirement educator, and guest speaker
The retirement question most Australians never ask – but should
For most of us, superannuation has been easy to ignore. Money goes in, investments tick along, the balance grows. You glance at it occasionally, think “looks okay,” and get on with life. But something shifts the moment retirement stops being something far in the distance.
Suddenly, you’re not asking “how much have I got?” You’re asking something much harder: “Will this actually be enough to live on, and for how long?”
That’s the moment many Australians discover an uncomfortable truth: the fund that helped them accumulate money over 30 years may not be well equipped to help them use that money.
Saving for retirement and living on that money are genuinely different problems. One is about growth and investing and keeping fees low. The other is about converting a lump sum into a reliable income that lasts for potentially for two or three decades while navigating market swings, the age pension, health costs, and the sheer unpredictability of a long life.
Most of us have never asked our super fund a simple but important question: are you actually ready to help me with retirement?
This article was published in The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald on Saturday 7th March 2026. Read the whole article here. Note - it has a sign-up gate but no paywall.
Choosing the right superfund in 2026: the criteria are changing
If you’ve ever looked at your super fund and thought, “Is this actually delivering for my retirement… or just delivering great ads?” – this episode is for you.
Today is a major update to the Epic Retirement Tick for 2026.
I’m joined by Ian Fryer, General Manager of Chant West, who works with me to develop the rigorous criteria and together with his team, assess the funds. And David Bell, Executive Director of the Conexus Institute – one of Australia’s leading independent retirement policy voices and think tanks.
We go deeper than just explaining what’s changed. We unpack why the criteria matter – and the impact the Tick is already having inside super funds.
If you want to see the criteria, we’ll make it available on the Epic Retirement Institute website at www.epicretirement.net/epictick.
LISTEN TO THIS EPISODE OF THE PODCAST HERE:
The cost of retirement just went up; Here’s what you need to know
For the first time in three years, ASFA has lifted the lump sum needed for a “comfortable” and a “modest” retirement. The headlines say Australians may now need $35k–$40k more in super than previously estimated for a comfortable retirement and $10-$20k more for a modest retirement.
So… what changed?
In this episode, I sit down with Mary Delahunty, CEO of ASFA, the creators of these benchmarks to unpack the new Retirement Standard, why the benchmark moved, and what it actually means for your future plans.
LISTEN TO THIS EPISODE OF THE PODCAST HERE:
Hi Bec, those 5 questions formed part of our strategy. In Aus and nearly 64. We are mortgage free.
I'm now retired (unintentionally) and am fortunate that my partner still works, building their super. She will review before EFY and contribute extra.
I am about to change my super into pension phase, to benefit from the tax break. I have a SMSF and enjoy following and researching the stocks and some ETFs.
Hardest part was the psychological pivot to not actually having a job and filling my days meaningfully.
After being a self employed business owner for 40+ years financial decisions are by no means the most difficult problems to face. Filling the 60+ hours each week no longer taken up with work is far more problematical when no preplanning had been undertaken. " Selling your soul to the company stove" comes to mind. I am a victim and I know many others who are in the same boat.