Brenda’s Story
“Elizabeth changed my life. She ‘made’ me go back to work!”
Brenda’s Challenge
Having taken leave from a part-time role to set up her own business, Brenda decided she wanted to retire rather than return to work. However, she still had two mortgages to pay down on a home and an investment property. Brenda and her partner had several super funds and an offset account, but no savings or a clear path to achieving their retirement goals, which included investing responsibly.
“Elizabeth changed my life. She ‘made’ me go back to work!”
The Outcome
Brenda has now fully retired and is currently drawing sufficient income from her super/pension to meet her expenses. Her super savings are now tax-free and still growing. With her partner still working, Brenda is confident they will pay out one home loan completely so they can afford their desired retirement lifestyle.
How We Did It
We discussed and explored the ethical issues that really mattered to Brenda. Taking our advice, she and her partner made changes to their super to reflect their preferences. They invested in an ethical fund which was fossil-free and lower-cost than existing funds.
Brenda returned to work for two years and enjoyed it while opting for a maximum salary sacrifice to minimise tax and increase her savings.
We suggested paying a lump sum to reduce her mortgage amount and leave a lump sum in an ethical investment to grow savings in a tax-advantaged environment.