Australian Finance Podcast Super at retirement, pension timing and health costs – Q&A
Mar 5, 2026
Tahli Cavagnino, senior adviser at Rask Advice and retirement specialist, breaks down key retirement decisions. She covers whether to use non-super savings before pension, timing and partial rollovers to optimise cashflow and Centrelink, transfer balance cap risks, why super funds merge, and using super for big health costs like dental. Short, practical guidance on structuring the transition to retirement.
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Saved $800 By Questioning A Mechanic With A Polite Message
- Tahli negotiated her car service bill by asking for a breakdown and questioning the labour charge, reducing the final bill by about $800.
- She used ChatGPT to draft a polite message and got the mechanic to correct a math error from $2,900 to $2,100.
Use Pension Phase For Tax Savings While Drawing From Other Assets
- Convert super to a pension when eligible to access tax-free earnings and reduce tax on fund returns.
- If needs exceed the pension minimum (e.g., 4%), top up cashflow from non-super assets so you only withdraw the required minimum from super.
Model Company vs Super Tax Outcomes With A Professional
- If you have assets in a company taxed at 30%, get an accountant or financial adviser to model whether to draw on company funds or convert super to pension.
- Consider tax trade-offs, contribution limits and Centrelink impacts before moving money between structures.
