Is it ever too late to start saving for retirement - and how much do you need?

The word ‘Retirement’ can prompt a range of reactions. Some yawn, because it’s ages away and there’s heaps of time to sort it. Some people feel a little uncomfortable because it’s not ages away, and they’re not sure if they’re sorted - and some panic because it’s just around the corner they know they’re not sorted.  

Listener Sandra is in one of the latter two stages. She wrote in to Nadine with the following concern: 

I am 57, have been single for 20 years, and most of that time I have been self employed. 

I have struggled watching my friends over the years with two incomes traveling, upgrading their homes, new cars etc. 

I work long hours and don’t feel like I’m getting anywhere. I realize that I actually lack focus. My relationship with money has not been great and as I get closer to retirement age, I’m starting to realize it’s now or never to start turning that around but am so confused at how to do that. 

To get the answers for people like Sandra, this week Nadine is joined by Tom Hartman, the personal finance lead at the Retirement Commission. 

If you have a question you want answered, or a financial story to share, get in touch at [email protected] 

For the tools mentioned by Tom in the episode, visit here: https://sorted.org.nz/tools/ 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.