Financial Guidance Boosting Retirement Security

1

The report, anchored in the noteworthy findings from the Challenger Retirement Happiness Index, indicates that Australians who haven't benefitted from professional financial guidance are 39% more likely to feel the pinch of living expenses than the 25% who have been counselled financially.

Insights into the behavior of Australians entering or navigating retirement underscored a common thread – the acknowledgment of the link between financial awareness and contentment. Here's what the research delineated:

• Close to half of Australians over 60 have consulted a financial adviser at some point.
• Seventeen percent are actively seeking advice, while approximately one-third have done so in the past.
• Individuals who proceed without counsel are 40%, significantly more prone than the 26% who've been advised, to believe that rising living costs will undermine their retirement savings.
• The demographic split reveals married individuals over 60 engaging more with professional advisory services (20%) in comparison to singles (12%).

Delving into the geographic spread of financial consultancy, disparities emerge among residents of different states:

1. Residents of NSW, Victoria, and South Australia surpass their neighbours in Western Australia in financial advice seeking – with 19%, 17%, and 27% respectively, engaging advisors, in stark contrast to WA's 8%.
2. Moreover, Queenslanders and Western Australians are more inclined towards financial self-sufficiency or non-engagement, with 29% and 31% respectively, neither having sought nor planning to seek financial advice, compared with Victoria's mere 19%.

A convening of over 1000 Australians over the age of 60 allowed Challenger, in collaboration with the independent research entity YouGov, to unravel the factors influencing retirement satisfaction.

Mandy Mannix, Challenger's Customer Experience Chief Executive, reacted to these findings by drawing attention to a poignant fact – almost half of the survey participants desired greater budgetary safekeeping. This sentiment resonates with the industry's commitment to elevating retirees' later years through enhanced happiness and security.

Published:Monday, 8th Apr 2024
Source: Paige Estritori

Share this news item:

Finance News

Rates on the Rise: Market Jitters Lead to ASX Plunge 29 Apr 2024: .Paige Estritori Significant market movements underscore the growing concerns over a possible interest rate hike by the Reserve Bank of Australia, resulting in a marked drop in the nation’s share market. The S&P/ASX200 index faced a jarring fall, dropping 1.4 per cent which translates into a 107.1 point retreat, ending the session at 7575.9—a notable slump affecting a broad range of sectors. - read more

Tax Tension: Australians Grapple with Surging Income Levies as Inflation Undermines Earnings 26 Apr 2024: .Paige Estritori Amidst soaring living expenses and aggressive interest rate increases to quell inflation, Australians face an additional financial burden as income tax impositions outpace those in other affluent nations. This echelon of fiscal pressure is compounded by the unfortunate fact that their earnings are making a retreat in real value terms. - read more

Avoid Hefty Fines: Key ATO Dates to Remember 23 Apr 2024: .Paige Estritori Australians are being cautioned about the possibility of incurring a $313 penalty if they fail to observe two critical Australian Taxation Office (ATO) deadlines looming ahead. As tax season approaches, individuals must take note of these important dates to avoid fines. - read more

Inflation Outlook Brightens as Australia Braces for Key CPI Update 22 Apr 2024: .Paige Estritori A crucial announcement regarding consumer prices is forthcoming as the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) anxiously waits to steer its future monetary policy decisions. Analysts and economy watchers alike have their eyes locked onto the publication of first-quarter consumer price index (CPI) data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics, set to impact the nation's economic direction. - read more

Alarming Rise in Australian Student Loans Calls for Immediate Action 19 Apr 2024: .Paige Estritori A fresh analysis has sparked concern over the surging levels of student debt in Australia, invigorating discussions for policy revisions in the impending national budget. Projections denote that during the initial tenure of the incumbent Labor administration, the cumulative student debt may swell by an extraordinary $12.3 billion, marking a 16% escalation. This upward trend raises alarms for prospective and current students grappling with the financial barriers of higher education, and ignites a dialogue on the urgency of governmental intervention. - read more

ANZ Bank Bids Farewell to Cheque Books Amid Digital Shift 19 Apr 2024: .Paige Estritori The fintech landscape continues its relentless advance as ANZ, one of the leading banks in Australia, has declared a pivotal shift in its operations that will see the discontinuation of cheque book issuance. This calculated move aligns with broader trends in digital banking and paves the way for modern financial interactions among its clientele. - read more

Economic Indicators Suggest a Brighter Outlook: Analyst Insights 17 Apr 2024: .Paige Estritori Recent data unfolds a more optimistic economic landscape, as tracked by ClearBridge Investments, revealing a period of robust activity amidst the recovery from pandemic-related disruptions. Transitioning from a heightened risk of recession to a more balanced, watchful stance, the firm's recession risk assessment has shifted from a stark red to a tentative yellow on their monitoring dashboard. - read more

Centuria Capital Expands Reach in Property Debt Sphere 16 Apr 2024: .Paige Estritori Amidst a turbulent market, Centuria Capital Group has strategically bolstered its presence in the property debt market, acquiring an additional 30% stake in Centuria Bass Credit Pty Ltd. This expansion reflects a value of $57 million, resulting in Centuria Capital Group's ownership rising from 50% to a commanding 80%. - read more

Strategic Navigation Vital for Central Banks Amid Economic Flux 16 Apr 2024: .Paige Estritori The freshly released insights from Principal Asset Management for Q2 2024 suggest central banks, the US Federal Reserve in particular, face an increasingly complex policy-making environment. Their task is to smoothly navigate the economy through a deceleration in inflation without prematurely lowering interest rates, a move that could potentially undermine financial stability. - read more