Confidence levels among pre-retirees are at a 10-year low, according to Investments Trends, as they believe they feel unprepared for retirement.
In the firm’s latest annual Retirement Income Report, surveyed Australian’s attitudes to retirement and post-retirement issues,
Only half said they were prepared for retirement, down from 75% last year, and non-retirees expected their retirement income to be on average $3,200 per month.
Concerns about the cost of medical treatment rose from 32% last year to 43% while inflation concerns rose from 28% to 42%.
This fear of insufficient funds was driving non-retirees to seek retirement-related information to improve their preparations with the most-used source being their superannuation fund followed by financial advisers.
They were also seeking enhancements around projections for cost of living, expected weekly income and inflation adjustments.
When it came to accessing retirement solutions, non-retirees felt longevity protection, a guaranteed minimum income and flexible access to funds were the most essential features offered by a retirement income product.
“Preference for retirement products varies significantly by age, super balance and evolves over time. We found that many members are unable to articulate their requirements, highlighting the importance of providing both education and advice at this life stage,” said Dougal Guild, research director at Investment Trends.
The lower outlook for inflation has set the stage for another two rate cuts over the first half of 2026, according to Westpac.
With private asset valuations emerging as a key concern for both regulators and the broader market, Apollo Global Management has called on the corporate regulator to issue clear principles on valuation practices, including guidance on the disclosures it expects from market participants.
Institutional asset owners are largely rethinking their exposure to the US, with private markets increasingly being viewed as a strategic investment allocation, new research has shown.
Australia’s corporate regulator has been told it must quickly modernise its oversight of private markets, after being caught off guard by the complexity, size, and opacity of the asset class now dominating institutional portfolios.