Investing in super

It’s important to get your super investment strategy right.

Reviewing your portfolio regularly and getting advice can make all the difference to your savings and income in retirement.

We talked to Certified Financial Planner professional Matt Torney from Muirfield Financial Services about how to make sure you’re taking the right approach with your super investments.

What sort of questions can help you determine the best strategy for investing your super?

One of the first questions to address is what your investment timeframe is.

We encourage people to be optimistic about their life expectancy so they can make sure their income from super and other sources doesn’t run out.

Knowing your investment timeframe can help you calculate how much you should be contributing to super before retiring, how much you’ll need to withdraw when you stop working, and the level of return you’re going to want to make it all balance out for a long and comfortable retirement.

The next question is how much risk you’re willing to accept to increase your potential returns.

Eliminating risk isn’t possible, but you do want to manage your investment risk, so it passes the “sleep at night” test.

For most people, leaving money in the bank with existing interest rates simply does not provide enough return on your investment.

On the other hand, investing all your super into shares is likely to be too much of a rollercoaster ride.

Getting the balance right can help provide peace of mind and sufficient funding to meet your retirement income needs.

Finally, you should consider your level of investment knowledge and experience and who you’re relying on for advice on your investment decisions.

If you’re taking your cues from a chat with “Bitcoin Bob”, you may not be making the right choices for you and your circumstances.