Discover how Bec's approach to retirement planning is helping others navigate this exciting life stage—and why she’s so passionate about creating a retirement that truly feels epic. Plus, learn what you can expect from Bec’s upcoming webinar on 8 May, where she’ll share the six pillars of an epic retirement. 

When did you first become interested in retirement planning and why are you so passionate about it?

I was watching my parents back in 2013 navigate the journey into their 60s and back then there wasn’t much online to help them, yet they were prolific internet users. So, I set about building a media company for over-60s that addressed and normalised modern retirement. It became the largest digital media site for mature Australians in its time.  

I stepped away from this business after 10 years in 2023 to write How to Have an Epic Retirement as a truly independent voice. I learnt from the million-person following we developed about all the problems people had navigating retirement but in everyday media I couldn’t ‘solve’ them … or help people help themselves. 

Your book, How to Have an Epic Retirement, was the number one bestselling retirement book in Australia in 2023 and 2024. What inspired you to write it and create a new approach to retirement?

A lot of what people face as they head into retirement are lessons they’ve never had to learn before—things you often only need to figure out once. And let’s be honest, plenty of businesses count on people not understanding the system. But the real power lies in educating yourself, so you don’t make costly, uninformed, or rushed decisions. 

That was the inspiration behind the book—to create the go-to guide for modern retirement. A resource that could be updated and live on for a new generation of retirees navigating a world where, increasingly, no one is writing these lessons down anymore. 

My next book has been inspired by the incredible community that has formed around Epic Retirement—especially those in their late 40s and 50s who aren’t necessarily thinking about retiring yet but want to learn about how to live a longer, better quality life without waiting for full retirement. They’re looking for financial confidence and the freedom to make the most of life now and live their pre-retirement years well while also preparing well for a future, different and very modern retirement. They’re the first generation to have had superannuation throughout their working lives, and many are starting to realise they can use it strategically to create more choices long before they retire. It’s called ‘Prime Time: 27 lessons for the new midlife’ and it will be out in July.  

You talk about designing the best years of our lives—what does an ‘epic retirement’ look like to you?

An epic retirement is all about having choices—and understanding them well. It’s a stage of life where you shift from relying on income from work to living off passive income sources, while still having the freedom to work on things you truly enjoy. The best part? You get to decide how you spend your time. 

As you make this transition, you gain the opportunity to fill your days with what truly excites you—whether that’s meaningful pursuits, travel, family, or personal growth. But to make the most of it, you need to be confident about how your money works and how to make it last. Financial confidence is key. Just as important is looking after your health and having goals that inspire you. 

Thanks to the evolution of superannuation, we have more power than ever to design these years on our own terms. This could be the most exciting phase of life yet—if we choose to embrace it fully. And because we’re living longer than ever – it really can be an epic retirement. 

How has longer life expectancy changed the way we should plan for retirement?

Longer life expectancy means we should set more goals, see a bigger future for ourselves, and aspire to live in good health for longer. It means we need to better understand how to make our money last a long lifetime, and it means we need to find a sense of purpose beyond the workplace so life doesn’t become dull.  

What’s the biggest misconception about happiness in retirement?

That if you’re unhappy you have to sit in it. There’s three different types of happiness people should understand as they head into retirement—and you have the power to seek out all three. Hedonic happiness will give you little hits of joy, eudaimonic happiness will bring you longer standing sense of meaning and purpose and community, and social happiness will engage you and give you a sense of belonging—and all of these three are important and valuable to seek out. Remember—they won’t seek you out—you have to seek them. 

What are the key factors to achieving financial confidence in retirement, especially without a big super balance?

There’s actually 12 things that go into the creation of financial confidence. They’re simple things—but they’re important to learn about and understand. Think of them like gears in a car or on a bike. You need to know how each of them works so you can be confident in the choices you are making that they won’t impact you negatively later in life. 
 
But for those with not a lot of money, the key is to understand how the systems of retirement really work. Particularly how the age pension and superannuation work together to create layers of income that interact. And to understand your cost of living and lifestyle budget well. Your layers of income and your expenses need to shape your behaviour in retirement—so you live within your means and seek out happiness that you can afford. 

What advice do you have for people seeking fulfilment and purpose beyond work as they enter retirement?

Take some time to evaluate the skills you have that, when you use them, time disappears. What are you doing when that happens—maybe it’s at work or maybe it’s at home. Then stew on how you could find ways to use that skill in purposeful activities in retirement. For some people in former care or education careers, it’s their empathy and understanding—working with people to improve them. For others in office roles, it’s their organisation skills. Both are extraordinarily valuable in volunteering later in life. 

What can CareSuper members expect at your upcoming Epic Retirement event on 8 May? 

We’re going to walk through all six pillars of an epic retirement. It’s a truly comprehensive whirlwind session where you’ll get a taste of how you create your own epic retirement and all the lessons you need to grasp as you dive towards it. Hopefully an inspiring and invigorating session for all. 

Register now for Bec’s one-off webinar 

Join Bec on Thursday, 8 May from 6pm to 7.30pm Australian eastern standard time for her live webinar where she’ll share her six pillars for an epic retirement. 

This exclusive members-only event is a one-off and it won’t be recorded. With limited spots available, it’s first in, best dressed—so make sure you register quickly! 

Don't miss out. Register now.

  
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