The Retirement School

Recent episodes

1. Topic Four: Superannuation - Retirement Income Accounts

   Jul 29, 2026

   In this topic we discuss the two main superannuation accounts available to you: Accumulation and Retirement Income Accounts and the key differences and benefits of each. We also discuss some of the features of retirement income accounts including: eligibility requirements, age based minimum drawdowns, regular income vs lump sums, restrictions on contributions and insurance, retirement bonuses, ability to transfer or roll back, balance limits imposed by the Transfer Cap and Centrelink/Age Pension impacts. There is also a discussion on Transition to Retirement Income accounts and who they are suitable for. The link below contains some of the examples of income drawdowns and the table of age based minimum drawdowns. Topic Four Retirement Income Accounts - NOTES.docx The link below provides further reading on the Transfer Cap and Transition to Retirement Income accounts: Transfer balance cap | Australian Taxation Office Transition to retirement income streams (TRIS) | Australian Taxation Office Action plan: 1) Read the product guide on retirement income accounts for your current super provider and check it suits your needs in terms of frequency of payments, investment options and ability to withdraw lump sums 2) Determine if there is a retirement bonus paid and check eligibility 3) Seek advice from your super fund or an independent financial adviser if you are interested in a Transition to Retirement income stream or simply how to work how much income you need from a retirement income account 4) Understand Centrelink impacts if this is relevant to you and listen to Topic Six for more information on this.

2. Topic Three: Superannuation - Insurance

   Jul 29, 2026

   In this topic we discuss the personal insurance you may have in your superannuation account and what it covers you for. We also look at some of the features of insurance which include: age limits, pre existing medical conditions, duplication of insurance, what information you will need to do an insurance review and considerations before you cancel insurance at retirement. Action plan: 1) Identify if you have any current insurance in any super account you hold, what the amounts are, what the premium costs are and what age expiry and any other conditions that might be impacted by your decision to retire; 2) Meet with a financial adviser to undertake an insurance needs analysis to identify if you should retain your insurance and what amounts, features and benefits would be best suited to you and/or help you understand if you should cancel it. 3) Understand the impact of changing super accounts at retirement and any impact this will have on insurance you hold which we will discuss in the next topic.

3. Topic Two: Superannuation - Contributions

   Jul 29, 2026

   Contributing to super can make the most significant difference to your retirement savings. In this topic we discuss the rules around contributing to super including the different limits for before and after tax contributions, how salary sacrifice works, how you can make personal tax deductible contributions and opportunities like the government co contribution, downsizer contribution and spouse contribution. The notes on the link below show an example of salary sacrifice, and instructions on how to use MyGov to check your contributions limit availability. Topic Two Contributions NOTES.docx The links below take you to the current rules for contributions as published by the Australian Taxation Office: Concessional contributions cap | Australian Taxation Office Non-concessional contributions cap | Australian Taxation Office Super co-contribution | Australian Taxation Office Downsizer super contributions | Australian Taxation Office Spouse super contributions | Australian Taxation Office Action plan: 1) Check the rate your employer is making as mandated contributions to understand if it is pre tax or after tax and whether it allows any space to make further contributions in each financial year. 2) Check if you are eligible for any catch up concessional contributions. The easiest way to do this is via MyGov reporting and there is a short instruction showing you how to do this in the Notes. 3) You can also check non concessional contribution history on MyGov if you have a lump sum available to contribute from your own savings (see Notes). 4) Check eligibility for co contribution, downsizer and spouse contributions on the ATO website (see Links) or by talking to your super fund. 5) Contributions can be tricky as there are a lot of rules to comply with and penalties could apply for getting it wrong. Consider getting financial advice to make sure you maximise the contributions you can make within the appropriate limits.

4. Topic One: Superannuation - Investment options

   Jul 29, 2026

   Choosing an investment option for your super can have a significant impact on your retirement savings over time. In this topic we explore how you work out what investment option might be suitable for you and how to determine if that needs to change at retirement. We also discuss key investment themes like asset allocation, diversification, performance, active and passive investment choices, the "bucket" approach, and switching investments. Notes for this topic which includes tables, charts and graphs referred to in the episode can be found by following this link: Topic One Investments - NOTES.docx Action plan: 1) Identify what investment option you are currently in and understand the returns (performance) and compare it to others – make sure you look into how they are invested. You could also refer to www.superratings.com.au 2) Understand the risk involved with the investment option you are currently in and look for the likelihood of a negative year and what type of falls might be experienced and think about how comfortable you are with that by understanding your investment timeframe and understanding how long you have to be able to absorb a negative year. 3) Make an appointment with a financial adviser to identify your investor profile and get investment option advice. Or you could start by contacting your super fund to see if they offer this service or have an investor quiz you can take online.

5. Introduction to The Retirement School

   Jul 15, 2026

   Hello and thank you for your interest in subscribing to The Retirement School. This short introduction tells you a little about your host Bec Sullivan and runs through what the course covers. The course is due to go live in July 2026.