“Do I really need a million dollars to retire?” Mailbag episode

Nothing spikes the heart rate quite like seeing a headline claiming you need a million dollars to retire.

This week’s Ask the Experts listener is 47, the kids are nearly out the door, and retirement planning in New Zealand has suddenly stopped feeling like a ‘one day’ problem.

Which means the recent run of articles about retirement savings, retirement villages, or aged care costs are sending her straight into panic mode.

She’s heard the horror stories, of complex retirement village contracts, huge upfront costs, expensive aged care facilities, and now she’s wo...