Craigs Investment Partners investment adviser Mike Burrowes has joined with lawyer Alex Boock, from Fyfe Karamaena Lawyers, and Harcourts property consultant Tania Stoddard to host a series of retirement planning events.
The next seminar will be held at Andersons Bay Bowling Club on May 18, targeted at those thinking of or planning for retirement, as well as those in it.
It will comprise a panel discussion from each of the three hosts’ perspectives.
Mr Burrowes said having conversations around the big topics relating to retirement would hopefully "plant some seeds to think about" so people could start planning, rather than leaving it.
Mr Burrowes often encountered people who were too scared to plan. There was somewhat of a mindset of "if I plan for it, then I’ve got to make some decisions, and that scares me".
The team approach was about "trying to pull all the pieces of the puzzle together" and making some smart decisions.
While he believed people were getting better at understanding the need to not leave surprises after their death, there was still room for improvement. More conversations, as families, should be held earlier to avoid surprises.
People were grieving after a death, but at least an estate could be left in good order.
Some overseas countries, including the United States and in Europe, were more advanced with talking around inter-generational passing of wealth.
Often offspring, with their own children and mortgages, needed help now, not when older.
Mr Burrowes ran a similar event in Mosgiel last year and received great feedback.
Another was planned soon for Roslyn.
"The key point for people is come along, there’s no obligation. Have a listen, get some ideas. If you take one thing away from it and it helps you, that’s great, right?"
