Retirement Planning Brisbane | Expert Advice for Your Future
Retirement means different things to different people. For some, traveling around in Australia in a caravan is a life-long dream but for others flying at the pointy end of the plane and staying in 5-star hotels around the world is more how they see life after work. Or maybe spending more time with the grandkids or volunteering in your local community rate high on your list of retirement goals.
Lifelong can provide you with financial retirement planning advice by understanding your retirement needs followed by a personalised retirement planning strategy by a financial planning professional. We all have different ideas of what the second half of our lives looks like and that’s why planning for your retirement is so important.
Why is Retirement Planning Important?
We are living longer and for most of us compulsory superannuation payments or the Age Pension alone won’t be enough to help us achieve the retirement lifestyle we’re dreaming about.
Putting a long-term financial plan in place will provide you with the comfort of knowing that you can do all those things that you dreamed of and that your financial future is under control.
How We Can Help
Lifelong Wealth in Greater Brisbane, based in Strathpine and Bald Hills, where our team of experienced financial planners can help you with advice for retirement planning, by work out how much money you have now, how much you might have in the future and where it is coming from.
We will help you:
- Identify your retirement goals
- Review your income and cashflow requirements
- Identify what assets (house, savings, investments) you have and how much they are worth
- Assess how much super you have and when you can access it
- Find ways to grow your retirement income
- Put plans in place to make your money last in retirement
- Determine when you can apply for the age pension and whether you are likely to be eligible.
- Review your estate planning
How Much Money Do I Need to Retire Comfortably?
This is the magic question and how much money you need in your retirement nest egg will depend entirely on how you want to live in retirement.
According to the February 2026 ASFA Retirement Standard, the superannuation balance required for a ‘comfortable’ retirement has reached a record high. To maintain this lifestyle, single homeowners now need approximately $630,000, while couples require $730,000 in retirement savings.
The Standard is updated four times a year to take into consideration the rising price of items like food and utility bills, as well as changing lifestyle expectations and spending habits.
The Standard includes the cost of things such as health, communication, clothing, travel and household goods.
To see the latest Standard click here
Why Greater Brisbane Residents Need a Localised Retirment Strategy
Effective retirement planning is about more than just a set of numbers: it is about the life you intend to lead right here in Queensland. While the general rules of superannuation are the same across Australia, the actual cost of living and the tax environment can look very different once you are “on the ground.” At Lifelong Wealth, we believe Greater Brisbane residents need a plan that understands our local economy and the specific lifestyle opportunities our region provides.
1. Navigating Queensland-Specific Financial Factors
The way your assets are handled can change depending on which side of the state border you live on. For many of our clients in the Brisbane region, property is a major piece of the puzzle. We provide specialised retirement advice regarding local factors like Queensland Land Tax thresholds, which are essential to get right if you plan on keeping investment properties to fund your future. If your retirement planning involves selling a larger family home in Greater Brisbane to downsize, we can show you how to use Queensland state-based stamp duty concessions and federal “downsizer” contributions to keep more of your hard-earned equity for yourself.
2. Expertise in Local Superannuation Hubs
A huge number of people in the Greater Brisbane area have built their retirement savings through local funds like QSuper or Australian Retirement Trust (formerly Sunsuper). These funds often have their own unique structures, defined benefit rules, or specific insurance setups that many “national” advisors might not be familiar with. Because our team is based in Strathpine and Bald Hills, we work with these funds every day. This expertise is a core part of our retirement planning process: we know how to help you get the most out of your specific account so that your move from the workforce into retirement is as straightforward as possible.
3. Budgeting for the Queensland Lifestyle
Whether your version of retirement involves regular trips from Brisbane Airport to see the world or simply hitching up the caravan for a long weekend on the coast, your budget needs to be realistic. We look at local factors that impact your wallet, such as council rates in the Moreton Bay region and the cost of the active, outdoor life that makes Queensland so popular. By using local knowledge, we provide a much clearer picture of the retirement advice you need to enjoy the “second half” of your life without financial stress.
4. The Advantage of a Brisbane-Based Partner
Good retirement advice should be an ongoing conversation with someone who actually knows your community. By choosing a Brisbane financial advisor for your retirement planning, you aren’t just getting a report: you’re getting a partner who understands the local market. You can always drop into our Strathpine or Bald Hills offices for a face-to-face chat to review your goals. We live and work in the same part of the world as you, which gives us a practical, real-world understanding of the factors that will shape your financial future.
Please contact one of our qualified Brisbane Financial Advisors at LifeLong Wealth on (07) 3188 5140 to discuss your retirement planning strategy and personal needs.
Retirement Planning FAQ's
An investment strategy is useful as it usually relates to your investor risk profile. Depending on how much risk you would like to take, your investment strategy will usually reflect this and therefore you will be receiving your expected returns. An investment strategy will be related to your goals and so it can be tailored specifically to you and what risk you will take, what capital is needed and help advisers make the best recommendations for you.
We insure our house, our car and our health (even our pets!), yet life insurance is sometimes pushed to the back of our minds. We believe this is important to protect those close to you if something were to happen to you. Questions you can ask yourself is “what would my family do if I suddenly passed?”, “would they be able to live the same lifestyle as they are now if I was no longer there?”, and “who is reliant on me financially?”.
This question is like answering how long is a piece of string. If you are young, fit and healthy your life insurance premiums tends to be much cheaper than if you are middle/older aged with a few diagnosed conditions. However premiums can always change depending on your level of cover and exclusions, so it is best to come and speak to us as we can help you find a happy middle – enough cover for reasonable prices.
This question is the focus of our meetings and it all depends on you! Things to consider in answering this question would be how much do you need to live on, how much do you want to put away for big trips/holidays, are you single/partnered, are you expecting any large sums of money soon, and when are you planning to retire? We can assist you with this and show you different scenarios using our projections software.
The best answer to this is to come and see us!
We will help you establish goals and create recommendations based off your unique situation. We can show you projections depending on different scenarios and showing you what a difference some decisions can make (such as retiring at 60, 65 or 68!). We will discuss with you strategies you might not be aware of to take advantage of and how your tax will impact different decisions.
We have seen time and time again the disappointment on client’s faces when we project that they won’t be able to have the retirement they thought they would or that they might have to work longer because they had no plan in place from the start. It definitely is never too late to start, but the earlier you get a retirement plan in place, the more you can work towards it and reap the rewards in the years to come.
The 30-30-30-10 rule is a simple way to split investments across shares, bonds, property, and cash. While it looks balanced, it is not commonly used by advisors in Brisbane. Most retirement strategies are tailored to your goals, risk level, and timing. A fixed formula can miss important factors like property ownership, debt, and lifestyle costs. We help Brisbane clients build a strategy that reflects their real financial position, not a generic rule.
A $70,000 income is close to the “comfortable” benchmark from the Association of Superannuation Funds of Australia for couples. In Brisbane, homeowners retiring at 67 may need around $650,000 to $800,000 in super if supported by a part Age Pension. For a fully self-funded retirement, this may rise to $900,000 to $1.2 million. We factor in local living costs and inflation to ensure your plan supports your lifestyle long term.
A common mistake for Greater Brisbane retirees is underestimating how long retirement will last. Many people now spend 25 to 30 years or more in retirement, which can place pressure on savings. Other risks include drawing down funds too quickly during market downturns and not planning for tax. Without a clear strategy, your income may not last. We help you create a structured plan so your retirement remains financially secure over time.
Retiring at 60 on $100,000 a year in Brisbane requires a significant super balance, as you need to cover expenses before Age Pension eligibility. In most cases, this means around $1.8 million to $2.5 million, with about $2.0 million to $2.2 million as a guide. The exact amount depends on your investments and lifestyle. We help you plan for early retirement so your income remains sustainable for decades.
In Brisbane, the cost of retirement advice has increased due to stricter regulations and higher standards. A Statement of Advice typically ranges from $3,000 to $10,000, with more complex situations reaching $12,000 or more. Ongoing advice usually costs between $3,000 and $6,000 per year. Fees should always be transparent. We provide clear pricing upfront so you understand the value and long-term benefit of professional retirement planning.