Earlier than most people do. The decade before you stop work is when the useful levers are still available: how much you put into super and in what form, how it's invested as your timeframe shortens, whether a transition-to-retirement strategy suits you, and how a balance becomes an income you can live on. Coming in at 55 or 60 leaves room to do something about the answer. Coming in the month before you finish work usually means working with whatever is already there.

This is one of the most common reasons people come to see us, and the answer depends on your age, your debt, and whether you're still working. The options usually include paying down the mortgage, contributing to super (which has caps and, in some cases, timing advantages), investing outside super where you need access to the money, or some combination. There's rarely urgency in the first few weeks — parking it somewhere safe while you think is a legitimate strategy. What's worth avoiding is a large decision made under emotional pressure that's difficult to unwind later.

Possibly. If you're 55 or older and you or your spouse have owned the home for at least 10 years, you may be able to make a downsizer contribution of up to $300,000 each, $600,000 for a couple, from the sale proceeds. It has to be made within 90 days of settlement, and it's once in a lifetime. It doesn't count towards the usual contribution caps, which is what makes it valuable. Despite the name, you don't have to buy somewhere smaller, or buy anything at all. The rules have changed several times, so it's worth checking your eligibility before you commit to a sale.

Multiple accounts mean multiple sets of fees, and often multiple insurance premiums quietly eroding balances you've forgotten about. The reason to slow down is that insurance: some older policies have terms you simply can't get again, and closing the account cancels the cover. Find out what you're holding before you roll anything over. It's also worth looking at how each fund is invested, not just what it charges.

At a minimum, a current will, an enduring power of attorney and an appointment of enduring guardian. Beyond that, the document people most often miss is a binding death benefit nomination on their superannuation — super doesn't automatically pass under your will, and getting that wrong is one of the more common and more expensive mistakes we see. Families with blended relationships, adult children in very different financial positions, or a business or property to pass on often benefit from a testamentary trust. We work alongside your solicitor and accountant on structure rather than replacing them.

Yes. Defence members have their own superannuation arrangements DFRDB, MSBS and ADF Super — with rules that differ meaningfully from a standard fund, particularly around defined benefit components and how invalidity benefits are treated.

University staff are usually in UniSuper, and often have accounts left behind at previous institutions. Both are worth a conversation, and neither is as unusual as people assume.