Financial
Roadmap
A clear, personalised path to your financial goals.
21 March, 2018
What are the Best Investments for Retirees?
First Financial Team
It’s a simple question. But with a market choice of over 5,000 managed investments and around 2,200 stocks, the answer is most definitely not. Finding the right investment mix to meet your needs can be a complicated and bewildering process.
Work with your adviser
Which is why working with a financial adviser is the best decision you can make.
Together you build a portfolio that is relevant for your time of life, based on your current circumstances, and adjusted for your attitude to risk.
Your adviser does the hard work.
You get on with the important business of enjoying your retirement.
Confidence and clarity
Key to building a portfolio is choosing investments. At First Financial the advisers draw from a pre-approved list of around 200 highest quality investments.
The unique in-house Investment Committee is a team of economists, talented planners and external consultants who constantly review the approved list looking for opportunities.
These experts provide quantitative and qualitative due diligence, monitoring, and insight to produce a “best-of-breed” investment choice. So the advisers can focus on the client. And construct your portfolio and strategy with clarity and confidence.
Our investment choice
At First Financial we favour assets that produce significant stable income streams over those where returns primarily come from capital gains.
We like large cap equities that provide a more stable cash-flow and more transparency than some managed funds.
We prefer mainstream assets that are easily understood.
We like liquid assets that are easily accessible.
Building a portfolio
Understanding each client’s circumstances is critical when building an investment portfolio. This means unpacking your retirement objectives.
How much money will you need to fund your lifestyle? What’s your wish list? Will you work again? To what extent will you get the age pension? What type of bequest do you want to plan for?
Over a series of personal one-on-one sessions, we track your current circumstances and financial position.
Together we take a detailed look at your retirement goals and aspirations. How much cash-flow you need to achieve those goals is critical.
Avoid the cookie cutter approach
At First Financial, we don’t fit our clients into a profile type. We use a unique, client-first methodology to get an honest picture of your retirement profile.
So we’re able to choose an asset allocation and build a portfolio that matches your needs and your tolerance to market risk.
The result is a retirement plan that achieves your goals.
Be prepared
For a retiree this means cash-flow is delivered when you need it. Even when the markets fall. We don’t avoid discussing the possibility of market fluctuations. We want our client’s to be informed and prepared.
The best way to do this is with a strategy that preserves capital by managing the true risk – selling at the worst possible times. And we position our retiree clients to always have cash-flow to last a market downturn.
We cannot guarantee you will always be immune to fluctuations in the market. We CAN build an investment portfolio to protect you from having to sell during those times.
Buckets of cash!
We do this by positioning a client’s expected cash-flow into buckets. Three to be precise!
We maintain 12 months’ cash in the client’s first bucket, in the second fixed-interest bucket we keep one to five years cash-flow.
The third bucket holds a client’s long-term, five-year-plus portfolio.
We take your future very seriously. You’ll always have cash-flow, even when the markets take a dive.
You’re in safe hands
The best investments for retirees provide cash-flow and growth in a robust portfolio that meets your needs and lasts your lifetime.
Working with your advisor is a long-term collaboration.
Our job is to structure your investment portfolio so you have a sustainable cash-flow and the confidence to spend it on your retirement dreams.
Speak to a First Financial adviser for a detailed discussion about planning for your retirement! Read more Retirement Planning articles.
YOUR FINANCIAL JOUNEY
Building your financial future
Every client journey begins with a conversation. We look closely at where you are now, what matters to you, and what’s possible. Then we structure our advice to match.
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Efficiency
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Investing
Tailored plans aligned with your goals and risk profile.
Ongoing
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Regular guidance to keep your plan on track.
CLIENT STORY
Graeme and Craig
Life Stage:
Retired and semi-retired
Background:
Referred by friends helped through aged care, Craig sought secure financial guidance after inheriting funds.
- Invest inheritance securely without high risk
- Maintain a modest lifestyle with confidence
- Building trust for someone new to advice
- Accessible, personalised advice
- Provided a low-risk strategy with regular income
- Reassured with steady, market-aware updates
- Established trust through responsiveness and warmth
- Delivered calm, expert support through all transitions
“We feel very secure with First Financial, the income just comes in, and we know everything is being looked after. It’s not just safe, it’s smart. We’ve recommended them to others because we genuinely believe in the team.”
CLIENT STORY
John
Life Stage:
Retired business owner
Background:
After decades of running a successful pharmacy, John sought financial guidance to simplify decision-making and support long-term planning.
- Navigated the sale of a long-held business
- Wanted simple, honest advice after burnout
- Needed a hands-on adviser he could talk to
- Desired financial guidance aligned with lifestyle goals
- Crafted a strategy that supports relaxed, post-work life
- Offered approachable, plain-English advice
- Maintained an ongoing, trustworthy relationship
- Provided flexibility with investments and cash flow
“I feel genuinely supported by First Financial. I can ask anything, and there’s no pressure, just clear advice and real care. The money’s growing, I’m not stressed about it, and I feel completely at ease for the first time. I don’t miss work, but I’d miss the support I get from First Financial.”
CLIENT STORY
Tim and Adam
Life Stage:
Early retirement and working professional
Background:
When Tim received an overseas medical settlement, he and Adam had just 14 days left in a 90-day window. They needed clear guidance, fast. A referral led them to First Financial.
- Only two weeks left to meet urgent legal and financial deadlines
- Wanted to preserve capital while setting up income for the future
- Needed a plan that supported both retirement and ongoing work
- Hoped to find advice that felt personal, not transactional
- Managed every moving piece, from legal documents to super rollovers
- Designed a strategy that supported both Tim’s retirement and Adam’s career
- Offered clear guidance with steady follow-through, with no stress or pressure
- Built in ethical investing and flexibility, without sacrificing performance
“We’re in totally different life stages, but First Financial built a strategy that supports us both. From urgent legal steps to ethical investing, they handled every detail with calm, care, and real expertise. It’s financial freedom without compromise, and we couldn’t have done it without them.”
CLIENT STORY
Larry and Virginia
Life Stage:
Newly retired
Background:
As retirement neared, Larry and Virginia were ready to enjoy travel, family, and freedom, without uncertainty. A friend recommended First Financial, and from the first meeting, they had a clear plan, a safety net, and people they trusted.
- Wanted to travel and enjoy retirement without second-guessing finances
- Needed a structured income plan with buffers for the unexpected
- Valued guidance that felt honest and human, not overcomplicated
- Needed people they could call and count on
- Created a reliable income stream with a set-aside safety net for the unexpected
- Gave them the freedom to travel and spend meaningfully with family
- Kept advice simple, thoughtful, and tailored to what mattered to them
- Built a lasting partnership based on trust
“We’ve travelled the world, Europe, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, without once stressing about the money. They made everything feel simple and gave us the confidence to live well. We feel secure because we know exactly where we stand, and that peace of mind means everything.”
CLIENT STORY
Lyn
Life Stage:
Retired widow
Background:
Lyn stepped into financial management for the first time after her husband's passing. With patience and care, First Financial supported her through grief, learning, and empowerment.
- Had never managed finances before
- Was overwhelmed after her husband’s passing
- Needed plain-English explanations and patience
- Sought emotional support and practical clarity
- Offered caring, respectful advice at her pace
- Rebuilt confidence with diagrams, stories, and reassurance
- Supported gradual decision-making around retirement
- Remained a trusted constant through major transitions
“After my husband passed, I was completely unsure where to start. First Financial gave me the space to learn, to ask questions, to grow confident. They drew a diagram that I still have. And now, I sleep well at night knowing I’ve got someone in my corner.”
CLIENT STORY
Jan
Life Stage:
Retired
Background:
Jan's husband managed the finances until entering aged care. Jan gradually stepped into the financial picture with First Financial’s support.
- Needed financial guidance after business sale
- Lacked experience managing complex finances
- Sought consistent income and long-term structure
- Wanted a familiar, reliable relationship
- Provided long-term support through several transitions
- Helped structure income reliably for retirement
- Empowered Jan through education and reassurance
- Delivered calm advice through both grief and growth
“The money just comes in. I don’t have to think about it. And I know they’re always there. They’ve always been there in the background, just quietly making things work.”
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