What Are My Retirement and Super Investment Options?

Whether you have a regular job or own a business, it is important to start thinking NOW about your future. You should be considering investing money now to give you as much time as possible to grow your savings ‘bucket’, so that you don’t have to stress about having enough money when you retire (or even worry if you are going to be able to).

So, what are your retirement and super investment options? Let’s take a look at the common investment channels of shares, properties, fixed interest and cash. The proportion of your total investment ‘bucket’ that you have in each of these areas lets you know what type of investment you’ve got, how much risk you’re taking, and what types of returns you can hope to get.

Growth investments. These are attractive because you have the potential for a higher return over a longer period of time. However, this also may mean that you could lose money too! Growth investments are when you invest mostly in shares and properties (around 85%), though some risk-takers invest all of their money this way.

Balanced investments. This type of investment has around seventy percent in shares and properties. The rest of your investments will usually be in fixed interest or even cash. The potential returns may be lower, but the potential for losses are lower as well. Moderate balanced investments means that you are usually investing half in shares and properties.

Conservative investments. This is when you invest around thirty percent in shares and property, and therefore a higher amount in fixed interest and cash. As the name suggests, conservative investments are a relatively safe option to save for your future, however, there is less potential to make as much money with your investments.

Cash investments. When you invest in cash, you are usually putting all of your money into our Australian deposit-taking institutions. You may also take out a capital guaranteed life insurance policy. Cash investments are the most secure, with minimal chances of losing your savings, but there is also minimal chance of your investment bucket growing significantly.

No matter which direction you choose, you need to make sure that it is right for you. You have to decide how much risk you are willing to take in order to have the retirement that you want.

Contact us to learn more about the range of investment options Nationwide Super has to offer.