FAQ

How can I be sure the data I use in my Planner is secure?

The type of email required to purchase to the Planner is one associated with a Google Account. Google security is one of the strongest in the workd trusted by billions of Gmail users. When you click on the BUY button this then engages the Stripe 2 factor authentication if you have purchsed using this email on Stripe before and sends you a 6 digit validation code for extra security before you proceed to payment.

The Planner data is all stored on the Google servers and can only be accessed by someone opening your Planner on a device that has been signed into your Google Account. So, the security protection is completely under your control.  Also, you must be using a computer that is signed in to the Google account associated with your email. If not, the Planner will open but you will not be able to edit data.

Data you share with us in the subscription process, as well as that you use in the Planner, is also protected by the provisions of our Privacy Policy.

How do I sign up for a Google Account?

You can sign up for a Google Account by following the instructions in the video on the Resources Page.

I received my welcome email but the planner link doesn’t work, why?

To use the planner the email you order the subscription with must be associated with a Google Account. 

You must be using a computer that is signed in to the Google Account associated with your email. If not, the Planner will not open correctly.

How do I save the Planner to my local device?

You can’t. It is saved on the Google server only and locked to your Google Account for access. You can Bookmark the Planner in your browser by clicking the Favourites "Star" in the URL bar and selecting the favourites folder into which you want to save.

I can open the Planner on my phone (or tablet) but it is so small I can’t read the data. How do I make it bigger?

The Planner will open on any device with a browser, and which is logged in to the correct Google Account, BUT, as we state when signing up, the Planner is designed to be used on a large screen device like a PC, laptop or decent sized tablet. It is not designed for small screen devices and we will not be providing a version that supports small screens as it is not practical to do so.

How do I share the Planner with someone else?

You can’t. It is saved on our server only and locked to your Google Account for access. If someone else wants to use the planner they need to Purchase with their on email associated with their google account.

How do I access the formatting menu for cells in the Planner?

You can’t. All menu functionality is disabled. The Planner is very complex and providing access to menu functionality would risk destroying the integrity of calculations.

I purchased to the Planner a few years ago. How do I get updated data for pension and ASFA included in my Planner?

If you purchased less than 5 years ago, the Planner still provides a reasonable estimate of your financial plan using the data loaded at that time. If it was longer ago, we recommend subscribing again and getting the latest version of the Planner. You can review the latest version of ASFA data or the pension data any time by clicking the appropriate link for ASFA or Service Australia on the Resources Page.

I purchased but did not receive a welcome email. How can I get my Planner?

You can submit a request at the following link. If the email you provide exists in our payment records we will test that there is a Google Account associated with that email and regenerate the welcome email. If not, you either did not complete payment or you need to check your spam folder(s) to find the welcome email or you failed to set up your Google Account before purchase.
If you enquire about anything else using this form we will not respond.

Welcome Email Missing Enquiry

I have a question not covered by the FAQ. How do I ask the question?

We do not provide direct email or phone support except for welcome email and delete data queries. If you have a question you can ask it in the  Customer Service query. You can also make a post on the Facebook Group and a community member may be able to assist.

What happens if I accidentally purchase with the wrong email address? Can I transfer my subscription?

No. We only share the Planner with the Google user associated with the email address you provide. This will be the email included in your payment so we can’t allow a different email to share the Planner allocated to the email you provide as it would be a breach of our Privacy Policy. We do not allow you to proceed to payment unless you provide a valid email ending in "@gmail.com". If you want to check you are using the correct email address before subscribing sign-in to your Google Account on your browser and make sure you use that email when subscribing.

Can I update or change the information I input into the Planner later?

Absolutely! The whole point of the Planner is to allow you to model your financial plan for retirement. You can change your data as often as you like to test different scenarios. We recommend printing the plan to paper or PDF each time so you can then compare different scenarios easily. 

What should I do if the Planner isn’t calculating my pension correctly?

The Planner uses the Centrelink rules current at the time you purchase. We have tested the results thoroughly and, provided you input the correct data for your circumstances, it will calculate correctly based on that data. If your circumstnces change in the future compared to the forecast position in your plan, your annual submission to Centrelink will adjust the pension ccordingly.

Can the Planner handle early retirement (before age 60) or late retirement (after 70)?

Yes! The age you plan to retire is irrelevant. The Planner still calculates your financial plan to the end age you specify no matter what age you plan to retire.

How is inflation taken into account in the Planner's calculations?

CPI (or inflation) is applied to all the pension data elements noted as CPI Adjusted in the Pension Data sections of the Summary Tab. It also applies to the Rent Assistance elements noted if you don’t own your home and plan to rent in retirement. No other data adjusts to CPI.

What happens after I pay? Is there a trial or refund available if I change my mind?

After you pay, you receive a full version of the Planner. As the cost to purchase is minimal, we do not offer a trial as most users will get their data right first time and have a complete plan on the first try. We do, however, provide full access to all “How To” videos on the Resources Page that you can review before subscribing. In particular, The "How To Use The Summary Tab” video provides a comprehensive understanding of the tool and walks through a number of scenarios demonstrating how it works.

Is the subscription a one-time fee or ongoing? Will I be charged again next year?

You pay a one-time fee only. There are no recurring or in-app fees associated with the Planner.

Who else can access my Planner data? Is it ever used for marketing or shared with third parties?

No one else can access your Planner as it is associated only with your Google Account. Even if you are not signed in to your account you will only be able to see the Planner with no editing allowed. This is a feature of the strong security provided by Google. We use none of your data for marketing and will never share with third parties.

How do I permanently delete my Planner and all associated data?

When you are absolutely certain that you no longer need to use the Planner, you can use the Delete Data Request form. You must use the same email you used to purchase for us to be able to identify it is a valid request. We may send a confirmation request to that email before we delete. Procede carefully. The form asks you to confirm you understand deletion is not reversible.

Can you help me figure out if I have enough money to retire?

The purpose of the Planner is to assist you to use your data to help you make that decision. We cannot provide you advice on whether the plan you develop is suitable for your needs as we are not licensed advisers. But, most people are sufficiently adept to be able to work that out from the plan produced. If you have any doubts, you should probably take a copy of the printed plan to a trusted friend, family member or financial plan ner and get professional advice.

How do I know what income I’ll get from my superannuation?

Usually reviewing your Super Fund website will provide historical data for this. Usually with the disclaimer that past performance does not necessarily predict future performance. Even a financial planner would provide the same disclaimer in the plan they produce for $4,000+.

What’s the average annual cost of living in retirement in Australia?

There are links on the Resources Page to the Association of Super Funds of Australia website which provides comprehensive data for these numbers. The Detailed Expense Budget Tab displays the data current at the time you purchase for your chosen circumstances as well.

Do I need to include the value of my car or jewellery in retirement planning?

Yes! All non-financial assets (usually cash or Super that earn income) must be included as a total in the Personal Assets field on the Summary Tab. The Personal Assets Calculator Tab is used to calculate the non-financial assets total to enter into the Summary Tab. This refers to both these asset classes. You can check the “How To” video for this Tab on the Resources Page. Alternatively, use the Centrelink link on the Resources Page to better understand what the rules are.

What kind of investment return should I assume in my plan?

We don’t provide any financial advice. You need to check the likely returns for your investments with your financial institutions (Super Fund, Banks etc where you have savings) and then use the Investment Average Earnings Tab to estimate the average of all your investments. These returns will vary over the life of your plan but the Planner uses the average you enter that you have reasonable confidence will be achieved.

How do I estimate my age pension for future years?

The Summary Tab of the Planner does this automatically for you based on the data you provide. The value is then shown in the second chart for each year in which you are entitled to receive the age pension. If you want to understand how the calculation works in each year review the How the Pension is Calculated “How To” video on the Resources Page.

How do I start using the Can I Afford to Retire Planner?

First click the Buy Planner button on the home page and complete the process through to making payment. You then receive a Welcome Email with your Planner link. Save this email in a safe place so you can access the link to open your Planner again. You can’t bookmark the Planner as it is not a normal browser page with a button to add to your favourites. Then watch the “How to Use The Summary Tab” video and any other “How To” videos you feel necessary on the Resources Page.

What devices work best with the Planner?

You can open the Planner on any device that supports a browser for your Google Account. However, there are a lot of data cells in the Planner and small screen devices will be almost impossible to use. A Desktop PC, Laptop or large screen Tablet is your best choice.

Why won’t the Planner open with my email address?

The Planner link is sent to the email you use when Subscribing. You must be signed-in to the Google Account for this email to use the Planner.

Can I use my work email to access the Planner?

You can only use an email associated with a Google Account. Even if your technical people at work say it is, they may impose restrictions that stop you using the Planner. We can't check this which is why we strongly advise only using a personal email that you know is associated with a Google Account.

Is there a version of the Planner that works on mobile phones?

There is way too much data to display for the small size of a mobile phone screen to be usable. The Planner will work but you will  find it very difficult to navigate.

How do I watch the “How To” videos?

Select the Resources Page from the menu and click on the video you wish to watch. Again because of the significant amount of data displayed in the Planner watching videos on small screen devices is not recommended.

I purchased but didn’t get the welcome email. What should I do?

Complete the form at this link, Welcome Email Not Received Enquiry, and we will resend the email to the email address you specify as long as you purchased using that email.

How do I make sure my data is secure in the Planner?

There are a number of articles in the  FAQ that explain the strong data security provisions. You don’t need to do anything as a Google Account is very secure. You must not share your sign-in details with anyone else.

Can I download a copy of my Planner to keep offline?

NO. You can only access it online. You can print a copy of the Planner or generate a PDF to keep a record of your data. Just like your bank account!

Why is everything in the Planner locked — I can’t change formatting or menus?

This ensures the integrity of the Planner which uses very complicated formulas and logic that 99.9% of users would not understand.

How is this better than using an adviser or free tools? 

As James Kirby, Wealth Editor for The Australian wrote, (see article extract on Buy Planner page) an adviser will cost upwards of $4,000 to generate a plan and then annually to keep your advice up to date. They will tell you they also provide advice to decide how much you need to survive retirement and how much you should plan to spend each year. The planner does exactly this by asking the same questions an adviser would ask. The best use of an advisor is to get advice on how to invest your retirement savings to get the best return and how to restructure assets to produce the best structure for early eligibility for the pension.

Free tools? There is no such thing as a free lunch! You get what you pay for! These may provide an indication, but they don’t give full disclosure on assumptions (like life expectancy) and earnings rates or pension entitlements. This is so you are encouraged to use their paid services or simply invest with them. When you use the planner you don't get asked to do either of those things.

Is there anyone I can talk to if I have a question that’s not listed?

Yes! You can come back here and ask me any questions at any time, 24/7. One of the reasons the Planner is so inexpensive is that we do not provide live agents. We regularly review responses to user queries and if our AI agent can't answer your question we may update the database with that reply. In this case you may receive a follow up email with the answer.

Does the planner cover people who rent or just homeowners?

Both Renters and Home Owners can use the planner. There are specific plan setup instructions in the Summary Tab How To Video that explain the situation for Renters. The planner then takes into account the Rental Assistance supplement provided for people who receive various payments from Centrelink, including the Aged Pension.

How much savings do I need to retire?

This a question you can either spend $4000+ with a financial planner to have answered or use the Can I Afford to Retire Planner to allow you to model your own circumstances for a significantly lesser amount.