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<\/p>\nAnd if it is, we need to teach two things. The first: financial planning doesn\u2019t have to be about quitting work forever as soon as you can. It can be about building your ability to make choices. Getting to a point where you could ease off, work part-time, or say no to something that drains you, because you\u2019ve got some financial confidence backing you up. That\u2019s powerful.<\/p>\n
The second: purposeful work doesn\u2019t have to stop. Unless your health fails or your priorities shift, you can keep doing good work well into your 70s if you want to. Some of the most energised pre- and post-retirees I know are doing just that. They\u2019ve pieced together lives that include a little paid work, some unpaid projects, volunteering, grandparenting, mentoring \u2013 whatever lights them up. And they\u2019re doing it on their terms.<\/p>\n
In fact, the Retire with Purpose report shows, 81 per cent of Australians who haven\u2019t yet retired plan to continue working in some form \u2013 through part-time roles, hybrid jobs, volunteering, or creative pursuits. They\u2019re not looking to check out. They\u2019re looking to transition into a life that reflects their values and choices.<\/p>\n
So, if that\u2019s the retirement model you\u2019re chasing, here\u2019s what needs to change.<\/p>\n
1. Do your financial planning earlier (yes, even if it bores you to death)<\/p>\n
Nearly half of retirees in the report said they were financially unprepared when retirement arrived. According to ABS data, only 31 per cent of Australians retire by choice. On the flip side, four out of five working Australians who got advice felt confident about retiring at their chosen age.<\/p>\n
So why aren\u2019t we getting advice sooner?<\/p>\n
If you start planning in your 40s or 50s instead of panicking in your 60s, you\u2019re far more likely to feel ready \u2013 not just to retire, but to choose what\u2019s next. Don\u2019t call it retirement planning if that feels too grim. Call it \u201cI want options\u201d planning. You\u2019re working towards the point where you have enough \u2013 enough to go part-time, buy breathing space, or shift out of a career path that\u2019s run its course. The point is: you want to be the one calling the shots.<\/p>\n
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Fifty and 60-somethings struggle to get interviews for roles they\u2019re clearly qualified for.Credit: Louie Douvis<\/p>\n
2. Let\u2019s stop sidelining older workers<\/p>\n
Ever heard a story about a capable 50 or 60-something looking for a job? They struggle to get interviews for roles they\u2019re clearly qualified for \u2013 and would love to do. Some even strip experience off their CV just to get in the door.<\/p>\n
Many say they\u2019d happily take a pay cut and work for a younger boss, just to step back and still do work they care about. They\u2019re not asking to cruise. They just don\u2019t want the top job any more.<\/p>\n
But younger managers often feel unsure \u2013 or worse, threatened \u2013 and sideline these skilled, experienced workers.<\/p>\n
If we want this to work, we need to shift our thinking. Train younger managers to understand that older workers often have different, perfectly reasonable goals \u2013 just like we once taught them that mothers make great employees who deserve flexibility.<\/p>\n
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3. Stay curious or get left behind<\/p>\n
This one\u2019s on us. If you want to stay employed into your 60s and beyond, you can\u2019t check out mentally. If you\u2019re resisting tech, grumbling about younger colleagues, or coasting on old credentials, you\u2019re not helping yourself \u2013 or your age group.<\/p>\n
The best older workers I know stay curious. They learn new tools, adapt to multi-generational teams, stay humble \u2013 and they get invited to stick around.<\/p>\n
And then there are the grumblers. Bored stiff. Counting the days. I get it \u2013 some jobs do suck the joy out of you. But if you\u2019ve mentally left the building, that\u2019s not helping you or your team.<\/p>\n
Take a break. Reskill. Pivot. Start shaping a future you want to step into, not just counting down to a date you hope will save you.<\/p>\n
4. Make retirement a safe thing to talk about<\/p>\n
Most people don\u2019t tell their boss they\u2019re thinking about retirement until they absolutely have to. One in four Australians in this report say they don\u2019t feel comfortable discussing it at all. Why? Because we\u2019re scared of being sidelined. Of being quietly shuffled out of the good projects. Of being seen as halfway out the door. We can do better than that.<\/p>\n
Workplaces should help people plan their exit over time \u2013 not force them to pretend everything\u2019s fine until they\u2019re suddenly gone. When people can plan and shape their transition, everybody wins.<\/p>\n
As UniSuper\u2019s manager of retirement solutions Giacomo Tarantolo, put it: \u201cRetirement in Australia is changing. No longer is retirement seen as a full stop, but rather a transition to a new life focused on flexibility, fulfilment, and finding purpose in new ways.\u201d<\/p>\n
I love hearing that from a super fund \u2013 that this stage of life is about more than just money, superannuation access, and financial advice. Because it is. It\u2019s not about retiring early or working forever. It\u2019s about getting yourself into a position where you decide how the next stage plays out \u2013 before someone else decides for you.<\/p>\n
Bec Wilson is author of the bestseller How to Have an Epic Retirement and the newly released Prime Time: 27 Lessons for the New Midlife<\/a>. She writes a weekly newsletter at epicretirement.net<\/a> and hosts the Prime Time<\/a> podcast.<\/p>\n Advice given in this article is general in nature and is not intended to influence readers\u2019 decisions about investing or financial products. They should always seek their own professional advice that takes into account their own personal circumstances before making financial decisions.<\/p>\n