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10 tips to ensure a successful retirement

– Are you looking forward to retirement? Of course you are. Check out our top 10 tips to make sure you're on track. The sooner you get started, the more likely you'll have a happy and healthy retirement. Tip one is take stock. How do you want to live in retirement? Do you want to move to a new area? Do you want to do a bit of travel? How much is it going to cost? How much do you have saved? Are you on track? If not, what are you
going to do to get there? Tip two. Plan for the rest of your life. Most people are in retirement
longer than they expect. While your health and family history will influence the length of your life, most people are living longer. In fact, you could easily
live into your 90s. Plan for the long term and don't forget that you may need extra
assistance as you get older. Tip three. Review your investments. For your savings to last
the rest of your life you need to have the right mix of growth and defensive assets and you also need to have something to bring in an income and also a bit of growth. Diversifying your assets across cash, fixed interest, shares and property can help smooth the returns. Tip four. Stick to your plan. Investments can quickly change in value and while it's tempting
to sell out of shares when markets go south, this is often the worst
thing that you can do. It's important to remain
focused on the long-term as they usually recover
if given a long enough period of time. Tip five. Get the structure right. By changing the way you own investments and the way you receive the income can reduce the amount of tax you pay and also increase the
amount of age pension or DVA pension you receive. Even if you aren't
entitled to an age pension, you may be eligible for discounts which can save money over the long term. Tip six. Get your affairs in order. Estate planning allows you
to pass on the right assets to the right people at the right time. Unfortunately we are all going
to pass away at some point. The first step in a good estate plan is by getting a will. You should also speak with your solicitor about enduring power of attorney and advanced medical directive. And remember to review your estate plan every few years as
circumstances change over time. Tip seven. Stay fit and healthy. If you stay physically and mentally active you're more likely to enjoy
a longer, healthier life. Take up a hobby, learn a new skill or maybe volunteer in the community. Tip eight. Rethink the move. Some retirees move to a new location that they've always wanted to retire in and it hasn't measured
up to what they expected. If this is something you want to do, perhaps move there
temporarily just to make sure it lives up to your expectations. Tip three. Review your investments. For your savings to last
the rest of your life, you need to have the right mix of growth and defensive assets and you
also need to have something to bring in an income
and also a bit of growth. Diversifying your assets across cash, fixed interest, shares
and property can help smooth the returns. Tip four. Stick to your plan. Investments can quickly change in value and while it's tempting
to sell out of shares when markets go south, this is often the worst
thing that you can do. It's important to remain
focused on the long-term as they usually recover
if given a long enough period of time. Tip five. Get the structure right. By changing the way you own investments and the way you receive income, you can reduce the amount of tax you pay and also increase the
amount of age pension or DVA pension you receive. Even if you aren't
entitled to an age pension, you may be eligible for discount. (upbeat music)

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