Planning to Retire in 2025? Here’s how you can make it epic
And in today's newspapers, 'Finally there’s some good news about super and retirement'
In this edition
Feature: Planning to Retire in 2025? Here’s how you can make it epic
From Bec’s Desk: Counting down
SMH/TheAge: Finally there’s some good news about super and retirement
Prime Time: How volunteering can help reshape your life in retirement
Autumn Flagship Course coming very soon
Our new, Autumn Edition of the How to Have an Epic Retirement Flagship Course is taking expressions of interest. There will be a 25% early bird discount for the first 200 people so get in there and get your name down. It kicks off in Feb 2025.
Want to learn more ➡️ visit the website here
And, here’s a smart idea - Why not start prepping your boss to pay for it?! Quite a few of our recent attendees had asked their companies to support them doing the course. And increasingly, I’m getting asked about whether companies can offer it to their staff as a workplace benefit. Yes - they can! So can super funds!
Planning to retire in 2025? Here’s how you can make it epic
If you’re considering retiring (in the modern sense) in the year ahead—stepping into one of the most exciting chapters of your life—and you want your retirement to be more than just the end of working, now is the time to start planning with intention. With the end of 2024 in sight, it’s the perfect moment to begin shaping the retirement you truly want.
Retirement today is no longer a quiet wind-down; it’s a chance to embrace purpose, adventure, and financial confidence over 25–35 vibrant years.
I want you to take the time to prepare, envision, and take action to make your retirement truly epic. Here’s how to get started.
Step 1: Define what retirement means to you
Before you dive into the details, take time to picture your ideal retirement. Everyone’s dream looks different—what’s yours? Think about three things.
Purpose: How will you spend your days? What will give you a sense of meaning?
Happiness: What activities, relationships, or pursuits bring you joy?
Adventure: Is travel on your list? A new hobby? Or even a part-time career doing something you love?
By defining your vision, you’re not just thinking about retirement—you’re building a mission for this exciting phase of life. And note - money is not a defining ideal.
Step 2: Get your finances and your financial confidence in shape
Financial confidence is key to retiring well. In 2025, you want to feel secure, knowing your money can support your lifestyle and goals.
Create a budget: Figure out how much you’ll need each year to live comfortably while pursuing your dreams.
Learn how to layer your income: Understand how government pensions, superannuation, investments, and savings will work together to fund your retirement.
Leverage tax concessions: Make sure you’re maximising tax concessions and all other available financial benefits to stretch your money further.
If you’re not confident in your plan yet, the first quarter of 2025 is time to become literate, then, you might want to contemplate meeting with a financial adviser and make sure everything is on track.
Step 3: Prioritise your health
Health is the foundation of an epic retirement. Without it, even the best plans can feel out of reach.
Make prevention a priority: Schedule your check-ups and start paying attention to your body’s signals.
Build healthy habits: Commit to daily exercise and better nutrition to support a longer, healthier life.
Learn about longevity science: Explore modern science on ageing and how to slow physical and mental decline.
By taking care of your health now, you’re setting yourself up for decades of enjoyment in retirement.
Step 4: Plan your time and adventures
Retirement is a gift of time—but how you spend it will shape your experience.
Structure your days: Think about how you’ll stay engaged and fulfilled. Whether it’s volunteering, picking up a new hobby, or simply spending quality time with loved ones, plan activities that give your days purpose. You need things to look forward to every week - things that give you a sense of belonging.
Dream big: If travel is on your list, start mapping out your dream destinations. Build your bucket list, research costs, and save for the adventures that matter most to you. Look ahead 3-5 years to get motivated and start prioritising both the trips of your dreams, and some trips you’d do if the opportunity popped up!
Step 5: Future-proof your housing vision
Where you live plays a huge role in your retirement experience. Now is the time to think ahead:
How do you live in a place that maximises your life goals now? Is that low maintenances or high lifestyle? Functional utility or affordability?
Is your home suitable for ageing in place?
Does it fit your lifestyle goals and financial plan?
Are there adjustments you can make now to increase comfort and accessibility?
Practical choices today can make a big difference in your long-term happiness and security.
Step 6: Get ready to transition - and consider doing it slowly
Retiring in 2025 is a big life shift, so take time to prepare mentally and emotionally.
Are there any skills, knowledge, or relationships you want to build before stepping away from work?’
Have you got some outside work projects to help you fill the gap in the first months while you establish longer term activities?
Do you have a support network to help you adjust to this new stage?
The key to a successful retirement is approaching it as a beginning, not an end - and not trying to become retired instantly — think of it as a continuum.
Make 2025 the start of something extraordinary
Your retirement is what you make it — and if you’re planning to do it in 2025 - do it well. With a little planning, this change can mark the beginning of the most rewarding and exciting phase of your life. Whether it’s focusing on health, building financial confidence, or ticking off bucket-list adventures, every decision you make now brings you closer to the retirement you’ve always dreamed of. As long as you’re proactive, curious and interested in the journey - not just the destination.
So, what’s your first step? Tell us in the comments.
Order signed copies of How to Have an Epic Retirement for gifting season
You can now purchase a signed copy of How to Have an Epic Retirement. I’ve popped up an Australian online store where you can order your copy and get it in time for Christmas gift giving. It’s something I love to do.
If you’re a corporate and want to give signed copies as gifts - we’ve got a ‘bulk deal’ too. (Or don’t hesitate to contact me by email for larger bulk options).
You can also order your copy from Amazon online and Big W online too. Or pick up a copy at your local Big W, or QBD stores.
What a week! This week I popped to Sydney for the Association of Superannuation Funds of Australia (ASFA) Conference. There was a reasonable-enough focus on retirement at the event, so I was keen to hear what all the experts were saying. Make sure you read my deep-dive in today’s The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald below. I came away rather pleased with the industry’s momentum!
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Other than that the week was a wipeout! My daughter left for overseas, and by day two I missed her so much I booked a holiday to go see her in a couple of months ☺️. Thankfully Qantas is now doing classic rewards dribbles throughout the year — I managed to score some tickets for a bargain. (Worth noting this change to the Qantas FF program folks! I love it when we can find good ways to travel for less).
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I released a wonderful podcast with David Halliday and Inspector Gunnar Hardy about volunteering with the SES. David is the lead moderator of The Epic Retirement Club and he lives our mission as a real inspiration and talks about how the volunteering is shaping his new sense of purpose beyond work. Have a listen — below!
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And the Summer Edition of the How to Have an Epic Retirement Course came to an official close (although we’re doing a bonus event Monday!). Thanks to everyone who has been a student. I’m loving your passion for learning about modern retirement — you make everything I do worthwhile.
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Last of all - I’m gearing up into 2025 — preparing to launch our next Flagship Course for February. And another in April. Exciting stuff!
Don’t forget to send me your letters about how you’re building your own Epic Retirement! I love them and I’m doing a Christmas podcast on your letters… Please, send them to bec@epicretirement.com.au.
Many thanks! Bec Wilson
Author, podcast host, columnist, retirement educator, and guest speaker
Finally there’s some good news about super and retirement
Extract of article published in print in The Age, The Sydney Morning Herald, Brisbane Times, WA Today on Sunday 24th November 2024.
This week, the superannuation industry gathered for its annual talkfest, and while these events can feel like an insider’s game, this year it was different – everyday people were the real winners.
The Albanese government announced some long-overdue reforms to the retirement phase of super – and the industry rallied around retirement for once. Together, the interest in, and the changes being made, might actually make your life easier as you approach retirement.
If you’re thinking, this sounds like industry talk, not my problem, let me stop you right there. These changes are aimed squarely at solving real retirement problems for everyday Australians like you – problems you might not even realise can be fixed.
For those approaching retirement in the next 10 years, there are three important shifts.
1. There will be changes to the retirement products offered by super funds
Let’s be honest: most Australians today won’t retire with millions of dollars in super. For the majority, it’s about piecing together enough for a comfortable life, with the pension often the largest income layer. But the media still frames retirement as a “wealth management” problem – something reserved for the super-rich.
The reality? Retirement isn’t about managing millions, it’s about managing enough. That’s where the reforms announced this week get interesting.
How can you get yourself retirement ready? Read on, in The Age, The Sydney Morning Herald, Brisbane Times and WA Today.
How volunteering can help reshape your life in retirement
Imagine retiring after a lifetime of outdoor work and wondering, what’s next? For David Halliday, the answer came in the form of an orange uniform and a commitment to community—joining the SES.
On today’s podcast, I’m joined by two special guests: Inspector Gunnar Hardy, Commander of the Liverpool Unit, NSW SES, and David Halliday, a Prime Timer who recently stepped into the world of volunteering with the SES.
Many of you will already recognise David as one of the incredible moderators of our Epic Retirement Club, where he does a fantastic job keeping the community vibrant and engaged. Having him on the show to share his personal journey of finding purpose in this new phase of life is an absolute treat.
Today we explore the power of volunteering with the SES through David’s lens with a behind-the-scenes look at what it means to be part of this vital organisation.
LISTEN TO THIS EPISODE OF THE PODCAST HERE:
The links to SMH article trigger the paywall 😟