Register For Our Mailing List

Register to receive our free weekly newsletter including editorials.

Home / 273

The reality of three phases of retirement

Planning for how you would like your retirement years to play out can be an exciting proposition. Amid those holidays and time spent with family, however, it is important to also consider the 'frailty years'. They are the later years of retirement where you might experience physical and cognitive decline. A plan is needed if you want to maintain independence for as long as possible.

The reality is that we are all likely to experience some cognitive decline or lose some of our physical ability as we age. This is a natural process but does not mean we will all develop dementia or lose the ability to live independently.

But at some point, we may need to ask for help with our normal activities of daily living. This might be help we access in our own home, or we might need to move into residential care for a higher level of support.

Funding the increasing costs of care allows greater independence and control, which is key to a happier retirement. Take control while you still have capacity to make these choices yourself.

Rethinking retirement planning

We need to rethink our approach to retirement planning to consider the increasing cost and complexity of aged care.

Recognising and accounting for retirement income needs can reduce the risk of retiring with insufficient savings. This should include the means to deal with the increased cost of care in the later stages of retirement which can influence when we are 'retirement ready'.

Historically, the approach to retirement planning has been to decide what income you need and then calculate how much you need to save to generate this income. Most people assume a flat (or declining) level of income which grows with inflation. However, if you consider the cost of care, the pattern is more likely to follow an upwards curve as shown in the graph below.

 Retirement phases: care-free, quiet, and frailty years

Retirement phases: care-free, quiet, and frailty years

The three phases of retirement

There are three phases of retirement linked to a retiree’s health, including years:

  • without disability
  • with some disability
  • with severe disability.

Retirement planning and projections need to consider the income requirements for each of these phases, including the frailty years when expenditure patterns change.

An average 65-year-old retiree will have a health pattern as shown in the diagram below.

Spending patterns in retirement are likely to vary over the three phases.

Phase 1 is the initial period of retirement with 'care-free' years to focus on travel, spending time with family and friends and basically loving life! Health and wellbeing during this time are good, and the income needs of this phase of retirement are generally well accounted for in the planning process.

Phase 2 includes the 'quiet' years when health starts to decline. As we experience some disability, the level of activity and therefore spending declines.

Phase 3 is when we experience severe disability, and can be described as the 'frailty' years. This can account for 17%-25% of retirement years where help may be needed with daily living activities, and more is likely to be spent on dealing with aged care needs.

Preference for ageing in place

Older Australians strongly prefer to age in place (in their homes) rather than move into residential care. The costs of aged care have been accelerating at a rate higher than inflation. The opportunities for home care (in terms of home adaptations) are also increasing, adding pressure to retiree household budgets.

We might need increasing levels of support over the last 10-12 years of our life, with many people experiencing high levels of care dependency in the last 4-5 years.  This may require income to cover:

  • home care costs
  • home adaptions to make the home suitable, such as widening doorways for wheelchairs and ramps.

Aged care costs can be difficult to predict and can vary from $100 - $5,000 a week ($5,200 p.a. - $260,000 p.a.) depending on care needs and family circumstances. Access to government subsidies helps to drastically reduce the cost payable by the user, but having adequate savings expands the options available and the ability to control the level and type of care received.


Did you know: ASFA Retirement Standard

Modest retirement for a single 85-year-old only allows $31.04 per week for care and cleaning. This is less than half the basic daily fee for a home package and that’s before extras!


Fragility is the third pillar of retirement risks

When planning for retirement and calculating the required level of savings, we usually consider two key retirement risks - longevity and sequencing risk. Longevity risk means savings may run out earlier than anticipated.

There is a third pillar of retirement risk – frailty risk - which if ignored, could also cause savings to run out earlier than anticipated, exacerbating the longevity risk. We need to manage the greater spending in the third phase, and in particular, care costs could be significant. Planning for frailty years should consider independence and control and the ability to stay in your home as long as possible, including:

  • How you expect to fund aged care costs – recognising that legislation has been shifting towards a greater user-pays basis
  • The role of your home in meeting aged care costs – including your willingness to access the equity in your home as against a preference to maintain the equity in your home as an inheritance for your family
  • Ability to rely on family and friends to provide care and financial support
  • If you choose to move to residential care, what options you have for funding the accommodation deposit and ongoing costs

It is important that you discuss these issues with your financial planner to ensure that you plan for a secure and comfortable retirement throughout all phases of your retirement – including the frailty years.

 

Assyat David is a Director of Aged Care Steps.

RELATED ARTICLES

Living the lifestyle you want in retirement

Retirement catches most people unplanned

10 ways to fix Australia’s broken retirement income system

banner

Most viewed in recent weeks

16 ASX stocks to buy and hold forever, updated

This time last year, I highlighted 16 ASX stocks that investors could own indefinitely. One year on, I look at whether there should be any changes to the list of stocks as well as which companies are worth buying now. 

UniSuper’s boss flags a potential correction ahead

The CIO of Australia’s fourth largest super fund by assets, John Pearce, suggests the odds favour a flat year for markets, with the possibility of a correction of 10% or more. However, he’ll use any dip as a buying opportunity.

2025-26 super thresholds – key changes and implications

The ABS recently released figures which are used to determine key superannuation rates and thresholds that will apply from 1 July 2025. This outlines the rates and thresholds that are changing and those that aren’t.  

Is Gen X ready for retirement?

With the arrival of the new year, the first members of ‘Generation X’ turned 60, marking the start of the MTV generation’s collective journey towards retirement. Are Gen Xers and our retirement system ready for the transition?

Why the $5.4 trillion wealth transfer is a generational tragedy

The intergenerational wealth transfer, largely driven by a housing boom, exacerbates economic inequality, stifles productivity, and impedes social mobility. Solutions lie in addressing the housing problem, not taxing wealth.

What Warren Buffett isn’t saying speaks volumes

Warren Buffett's annual shareholder letter has been fixture for avid investors for decades. In his latest letter, Buffett is reticent on many key topics, but his actions rather than words are sending clear signals to investors.

Latest Updates

Investing

Designing a life, with money to spare

Are you living your life by default or by design? It strikes me that many people are doing the former and living according to others’ expectations of them, leading to poor choices including with their finances.

Investment strategies

A closer look at defensive assets for turbulent times

After the recent market slump, it's a good time to brush up on the defensive asset classes – what they are, why hold them, and how they can both deliver on your goals and increase the reliability of your desired outcomes.

Financial planning

Are lifetime income streams the answer or just the easy way out?

Lately, there's been a push by Government for lifetime income streams as a solution to retirement income challenges. We run the numbers on these products to see whether they deliver on what they promise.

Shares

Is it time to buy the Big Four banks?

The stellar run of the major ASX banks last year left many investors scratching their heads. After a recent share price pullback, has value emerged in these banks, or is it best to steer clear of them?

Investment strategies

The useful role that subordinated debt can play in your portfolio

If you’re struggling to replace the hybrid exposure in your portfolio, you’re not alone. Subordinated debt is an option, and here is a guide on what it is and how it can fit into your investment mix.

Shares

Europe is back and small caps there offer significant opportunities

Trump’s moves on tariffs, defence, and Ukraine, have awoken European Governments after a decade of lethargy. European small cap manager, Alantra Asset Management, says it could herald a new era for the continent.

Shares

Lessons from the rise and fall of founder-led companies

Founder-led companies often attract investors due to leaders' personal stakes and long-term vision. But founder presence alone does not guarantee success, and the challenge is to identify which ones will succeed in the long term.

Sponsors

Alliances

© 2025 Morningstar, Inc. All rights reserved.

Disclaimer
The data, research and opinions provided here are for information purposes; are not an offer to buy or sell a security; and are not warranted to be correct, complete or accurate. Morningstar, its affiliates, and third-party content providers are not responsible for any investment decisions, damages or losses resulting from, or related to, the data and analyses or their use. To the extent any content is general advice, it has been prepared for clients of Morningstar Australasia Pty Ltd (ABN: 95 090 665 544, AFSL: 240892), without reference to your financial objectives, situation or needs. For more information refer to our Financial Services Guide. You should consider the advice in light of these matters and if applicable, the relevant Product Disclosure Statement before making any decision to invest. Past performance does not necessarily indicate a financial product’s future performance. To obtain advice tailored to your situation, contact a professional financial adviser. Articles are current as at date of publication.
This website contains information and opinions provided by third parties. Inclusion of this information does not necessarily represent Morningstar’s positions, strategies or opinions and should not be considered an endorsement by Morningstar.