Written by Christopher Hall, AdvDipFP | Authorised Representative, AFSL 526688 | May 2026 Succession planning and estate planning are not the same conversation — though most Australians treat them as one. Estate planning covers the legal instruments that govern how assets are distributed after death: the will, powers of attorney, and guardianship arrangements. Succession planning is broader, and begins while people are still alive: how wealth is structured, who owns what, how

Written by Christopher Hall, AdvDipFP | Authorised Representative, AFSL 526688 | May 2026 The reason approximately 70% of widows leave their financial adviser within 12 months of their spouse's death (Holmes, 2026) is structural rather than personal: most adviser relationships are built primarily around the husband as the primary financial decision-maker, leaving the surviving spouse without an established relationship to fall back on at the moment it matters most. Investment

Written by Christopher Hall, AdvDipFP | Authorised Representative, AFSL 526688 | May 2026 The Treasury Best Practice Principles for retirement income are a set of 19 guidelines released in 2026, directing super funds to better guide Australian members through the transition from accumulation to retirement. With 2.5 million Australians expected to retire in the next decade (Treasury, 2026), the principles address one of the most significant gaps in the superannuation system: m