Live Well Financial Planning

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Live Well Financial Planning

Financial Planning isn't about how much you earn. It's about you. Your initial chat is complimentary and we look forward to meeting you

Your finances should support how you want to live, and help you make the most of every opportunity that comes your way. Eastern Financial Pty Ltd ABN 58 461 393 808 trading as Live Well Financial Planning is a Corporate Authorised Representative 001243268 of Alliance Wealth Pty Ltd ABN 93 161 647 007 AFSL 449221 www.centrepointalliance.com.au/fsg/aw

13/10/2026

You've probably heard the term 'Transition to Retirement' (or TTR) thrown around, but here's what it actually means.

👉 Once you hit your preservation age, you can start drawing an income from your super - even while you're still working.

👉 You can access between 4% and 10% of your super balance each year as a TTR pension.

👉 It's designed to give you flexibility: cut back your hours without cutting your income, or keep working full-time and use it as a tax strategy - salary sacrificing more into super while topping up your pay from the TTR pension.

👉 Once you fully retire, turn 65, or meet another "condition of release," it automatically converts into a standard account-based pension.

Basically, it's a way to ease into retirement on your terms.

Need help planning? Book a free Retirement Review with our team:

📆 Book at https://bit.ly/4e2jujM
📲 Call John on 0466 017 624
📧 Email [email protected]

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*This is general information. It is not financial advice. We have not considered your personal financial circumstances. You should consider the appropriateness of the advice for your circumstances before making any decision.

04/10/2026

That's what a financial plan really does - it takes everything you're working toward and makes it something you can actually act on today.

30/09/2026

If you've ever taken time off work, gone part-time, or just feel behind on super, this one's worth knowing about. Depending on your income and how much cap space you've got sitting unused, that can mean thousands of dollars in extra tax savings.

👉 The concessional contributions cap this year is $32,500. But if your super balance was under $500,000 on 30 June, unused cap space from the past five years doesn't just disappear - you can carry it forward.

👉 So if you took time off, dropped to part-time, or simply weren't in a position to max out your super in previous years, you may be able to contribute well above the standard cap this year to make up for it.

👉 It's one of the best tools available for rebuilding super later in life, or making the most of a higher-income year. But it doesn't last forever - each year's unused cap carries forward 5 years before it expires.

Want some help? Book a chat with our team:

📆 Book at https://bit.ly/4e2jujM
📞 Call John on 0466 017 624
📩 Email [email protected]

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*This is general information. It is not financial advice. We have not considered your personal financial circumstances. You should consider the appropriateness of the advice for your circumstances before making any decision.

20/09/2026

Most people think that their retirement either has to be self-funded or struggling on the pension. But in reality, most of our clients have a strategic blend of super, pension and self-funding.

It's all about carefully planning what you're eligible for, so that you have enough to enjoy retirement with peace of mind.

Working out where you sit in all this isn't something you need to figure out alone. We're here to help.

Book your free Retirement Review with our team:

📆 Book at https://bit.ly/4e2jujM
📲 Call John on 0466 017 624
📧 Email [email protected]

____

*This is general information. It is not financial advice. We have not considered your personal financial circumstances. You should consider the appropriateness of the advice for your circumstances before making any decision.

27/08/2026

Most people think about super all wrong: boring, government-imposed retirement savings. Yep, not exactly exciting.

But it's actually the foundation of your investment strategy for retiring well, and one of the most tax-effective investment vehicles you'll ever have access to.

So what do voluntary contributions actually give you? Here's what's on the table:

👉 Salary sacrifice: Contributing extra from your pre-tax pay. It's taxed at 15% instead of your normal tax rate (up to 47%).

👉 Catch-up contributions: If you haven't used your full super contribution limit in recent years (and your balance is under $500,000), you can make up for it now and contribute more than the maximum yearly cap, at the lower, more tax-effective rate.

👉 Government co-contribution: If you're a lower-to-middle income earner and make an after-tax contribution, the government may match it, up to $500 for free.

👉 The trade-off: Voluntary contributions are locked away until you reach preservation age. It's a genuine, long-term investment, not a savings account you can dip into.

The right amount depends on your income, your goals, and how soon you need access to your money. Let's work out what makes sense for you.

📆 Book at https://bit.ly/4e2jujM
📲 Call John on 0466 017 624
📧 Email [email protected]
____

*This is general information. It is not financial advice. We have not considered your personal financial circumstances. You should consider the appropriateness of the advice for your circumstances before making any decision.

14/08/2026

School fees. A mortgage. An investment portfolio. Saving for retirement one day. Right now it might feel like each of these is pulling money in a different direction.

But, what if they didn't have to compete?

A good plan doesn't tackle these one at a time - it works out how they fit together, so paying down the mortgage doesn't mean neglecting the kids' education fund, and investing for the future doesn't mean sacrificing life right now.

Let's build a family financial plan that works for where you are now, and where you're headed. Book a chat with our team:

📆 Book at https://bit.ly/4e2jujM
📲 Call John on 0466 017 624
📧 Email [email protected]

31/07/2026

Short answer: it depends on your finances and, what kind of downsizing you mean.

👉 Selling for something smaller can free up cash and lower your costs. However, your home isn't assessed for the Age Pension while you live in it - what's left over can count towards both the assets test and the income test. But if you buy your next home within 12 months, that portion stays exempt.

👉 Retirement living isn't one-size-fits-all. Some options carry a hefty exit fee (25-40% with a classic retirement village), but others, like land lease or strata-titled communities, don't. It's worth knowing which model you're actually looking at.

👉 The pension impact varies more than people expect. A couple releasing $300,000 might see no change to their pension at all, while a single person releasing the same amount could lose part of theirs.

👉 The super upside: If you're eligible, you can contribute up to $300,000 each (up to $600,000 for a couple) from the sale of your home into super, separate from the usual caps.

If you're planning your next move, it's important to know your numbers. Let's chat!

📆 Book at https://bit.ly/4e2jujM
📲 Call John on 0466 017 624
📧 Email [email protected]

____

*This is general information. It is not financial advice. We have not considered your personal financial circumstances. You should consider the appropriateness of the advice for your circumstances before making any decision.

17/07/2026

A new financial year, means new changes when it comes to your money. Here are a few things you should know in July. 👉

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*This is general information. It is not financial advice. We have not considered your personal financial circumstances. You should consider the appropriateness of the advice for your circumstances before making any decision

30/06/2026

If we had a dollar for every time someone asked us ""How much money do I actually need to retire?"", we'd probably be retired ourselves! And you can forget the 'million-dollar retirement myth' - here's what the actual data says.

A few things to note:

🔵 Both figures assume you own your home outright by the time you stop working.

🔵 To fund a Comfortable retirement, ASFA estimates you'll need a super balance of around $630k for singles or $730k for couples at 67 (this accounts for drawing down your balance over time, plus part Age Pension entitlements).

🔵 A ""Comfortable"" standard gives you the money to cover: private health insurance, a reliable vehicle, dining out regularly, interstate travel every year and overseas every seven years and more.

But, everyone's different! And your own 'magic number' will support your own unique goals and lifestyle. A tailored retirement strategy will maximise your super and pension entitlements so you have enough.

We're passionate about people having the finances to enjoy their retirement. If you're ready to start planning, we're ready too.

Book your free, first appointment with our team:

📆 Book at https://bit.ly/4e2jujM
📲 Call John on 0466 017 624
📧 Email [email protected]

___

*This is general information. It is not financial advice. We have not considered your personal financial circumstances. You should consider the appropriateness of the advice for your circumstances before making any decision.

23/06/2026

Division 296 has been debated, revised, and delayed - but as of March 2026, it's officially law. And it starts on 1 July 2026.

So what is it?

🟢 Division 296 is a new tax on super earnings for balances above $3 million. Right now, super earnings are taxed at a flat 15% no matter how much you have.

🟢 Under the new rules, any earnings on the portion of your balance above $3M get taxed at an extra 15% on top - so 30% total. Above $10M, that rate jumps to 40%. The good news is the thresholds are indexed, so they'll rise over time.

Here's what most people aren't thinking about 👉 The $3M threshold sounds like it only affects the ultra-wealthy. But it's really a household conversation, especially for couples.

If one partner passes away and their super is left to the surviving spouse, that balance will be added to their partner's super fund. That alone could push someone over $3M for the first time and into Division 296 territory - without any new money ever being added.

If you or your partner have saved significant super, now's the time to look at how it's structured. The rules have changed. The planning should too.

Book your free, first appointment with our team:

📆 Book at https://bit.ly/4e2jujM
📲 Call John on 0466 017 624
📧 Email [email protected]

___

*This is general information. It is not financial advice. We have not considered your personal financial circumstances. You should consider the appropriateness of the advice for your circumstances before making any decision.

Address

Shop 1, 59 Canterbury Road Canterbury
Melbourne, VIC
3126

Website

https://www.livewellfinancialplanning.com.au/

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Katherine Isbrandt - About Retirement

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