The Australian Retirement Library

What a financial planner charges $8,000 to explain — in plain English

Six guides from a retired tax preparer with 38 years inside the system. Whether you're planning retirement or already in it — the pension rules, super traps, and entitlements most Australians miss. Every figure verified against Services Australia and the ATO.

The Australian Retirement Library
Guide 01
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The Age Pension Playbook
Craig Millar
The Age Pension Playbook  ·  Craig Millar
The Australian Retirement Library
Guide 02
Your Home & Aged Care
Craig Millar
Your Home & Aged Care  ·  Craig Millar
The Australian Retirement Library
Guide 03
When Your Partner Dies
Craig Millar
When Your Partner Dies  ·  Craig Millar
The Australian Retirement Library
Guide 04
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Helping Your Family
Craig Millar
Helping Your Family  ·  Craig Millar
Exclusive
The Australian Retirement Library
Guide 05
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Super Death Tax & Your Estate
Craig Millar
Super Death Tax & Your Estate  ·  Craig Millar
Exclusive
The Australian Retirement Library
Guide 06
When You Die: The Paperwork
Craig Millar
When You Die: The Paperwork  ·  Craig Millar
Get all 6 guides for AU $322 → See what's inside

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38 years in tax preparation Verified against ATO & Services Australia Updated for 2026/27 tax year
Figures sourced from Services Australia Australian Taxation Office SuperGuide
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Years preparing
Australian tax returns
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Plain-English
guides
$0
Left on the table
after reading these
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Real stories

What retirees are saying

Real comments from Craig's YouTube channel — these are the problems the guides solve

B

"I have between 2.0 and 2.2 million at 60. We own our home and an investment property. Financial advisor wants us to work until 65 but I don't want to give up the few healthy years I may have. I am petrified of running out of money in my late 70s or 80s."

@bretthugo7639

YouTube comment

D

"It is criminal deception when the government does not inform pensioners of all the legitimate claims that they are entitled to. The government should be giving all pensioners an interview so they do not miss out."

@DarrallRose

4 likes

M

"One firm wanted $8k for super financial planning advice, yeah nah. See the problem is if you chuck say $900k in a drawdown calculator it says you can have a $65k income until your 90s... who's right, who's wrong?"

@metcruza5536

YouTube comment

S

"I'd love to see information about things to consider when a couple becomes a widow or widower. A lot of the bills remain the same but the pension decreases."

@semiruralkindalife6591

YouTube comment

M

"As a 60 year old planning on retiring at the end of August, it astounds me that people don't educate themselves about their super. For a lot of us, our super is probably the second biggest asset outside of owning a home."

@markandkim66

6 likes

P

"These videos always assume you retire at pension age — 67 — but many people are now retiring at 60. This changes this whole discussion."

@pauls8456

4 likes

The library

The six guides

Each one solves a problem most retirees don't realise they have — until it costs them.

Guide 01

The Age Pension playbook

Retiring at 60? 65? 67? This guide covers the gap years before pension age, what happens to your super when you stop working, the assets test, income test, deeming rates, and the entitlements most people don't know exist — whether you're self-funded or heading for the pension.

AU $67 Get this guide →
Guide 02

Your home, your pension, and aged care

If you need aged care, your home could be counted against you. The 2-year exemption rule, the RAD vs DAP decision, and how the family home is treated — before Centrelink decides for you.

AU $67 Get this guide →
Guide 03

When your partner dies

The bills stay the same but the pension drops overnight. You flip from couple to single thresholds, jointly-owned assets don't halve, and the pension can stop entirely. The claims, the 14-week bereavement period, and the steps nobody tells the surviving partner about.

AU $67 Get this guide →
Guide 04

Helping your family without losing your pension

Give money the wrong way and Centrelink's 5-year gifting rule slashes your pension — even if the money's gone. Done right, you help them and keep every dollar.

AU $67 Get this guide →
Advanced guide Guide 05

Super death tax and your estate

Between super fund fees and the taxman, many retirees feel the system is rigged against them. Your super doesn't automatically go where you think — non-dependant adult children can pay up to 32% tax on your death benefit. Here's how to structure it so the ATO doesn't take a third.

AU $97 Get this guide →
Advanced guide Guide 06

When you die: the paperwork your family needs

Your family has weeks of Centrelink notifications, super claims, tax returns, and legal paperwork. This step-by-step checklist makes it manageable.

AU $97 Get this guide →
Best value

Get the complete library

All six guides. Whether you're 56 and planning ahead or 70 and want to check you're not leaving money on the table — sort your pension, protect your home, plan your estate, and make sure your family knows what to do.

AU $462 AU $322

One-time payment • instant PDF download • yours to keep forever

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All 6 guides including 2 exclusives
Printable worksheets and checklists
Updated for 1 July 2026 thresholds
Free updates when rates change

30-day money-back guarantee

If these guides aren't useful to you, email me within 30 days and I'll refund you in full. No questions, no awkward forms. I've been doing this long enough to know the guides work — but you shouldn't have to take my word for it.

Inside the guides

What you'll find inside

Practical tools and clear explanations, not textbook theory

Assets test decision tree

Know in 5 minutes if you qualify for a full, part, or no pension

Deeming rate calculator

Work out exactly what Centrelink thinks you earn from your savings

Centrelink application checklist

Every document you need, in order, with no surprises

Aged care cost comparison

RAD vs DAP side-by-side with real dollar examples

Survivor pension planning

What to claim, what changes, and the 14-week bereavement period

Estate document organiser

The complete list your family needs when you're gone

Gifting strategy timeline

How much, when, and how to stay within the 5-year rule

Super death benefit structuring

Binding nominations, reversionary pensions, and re-contribution

Craig Millar

Why I wrote these guides

My name is Craig Millar. I spent 38 years preparing tax returns and sorting out superannuation for everyday Australians — in a small practice, not a big firm.

After I retired, I started volunteering — answering questions at community pension workshops and helping people navigate Centrelink. The same problems came up every time: retirees who didn't know what they were entitled to, families blindsided by the assets test, widows losing half their pension overnight because nobody told them to claim.

The information is all on government websites — somewhere, buried in 47 pages of policy language. These guides pull out what actually matters, explain it in plain English, and show you what to do about it.

Every figure is verified against Services Australia and the ATO. I'm not a financial adviser and this isn't personal advice — but after 38 years, I know the rules. And I know which ones most people miss.

SAIT diploma in accounting 38 years tax preparation Community volunteer
Questions

Common questions

Are these guides personalised financial advice?

No. These are general educational guides that explain the rules as published by the ATO and Services Australia. For advice specific to your situation, I always recommend speaking to a qualified financial adviser or accountant. These guides give you the knowledge to ask the right questions.

What format are the guides?

PDF files that you can read on any device — computer, tablet, or phone. You can also print them. Once you buy them, they're yours to keep.

Are the figures current?

Yes. All pension rates, asset thresholds, income test limits, and deeming rates are updated for the 2026/27 Australian financial year (from 1 July 2026). When rates change at the next indexation, you'll receive the updated version free.

I'm not retired yet but I'm close. Are these relevant?

Absolutely. Several strategies — particularly around the assets test, gifting rules, and downsizer contributions — work best when you plan 2–5 years before you retire. The earlier you read them, the more options you have.

Can I buy individual guides?

Yes — all six guides are available individually. Guides 1–4 are AU $67 each. Guides 5 and 6 (the advanced guides on super death tax and estate paperwork) are AU $97 each. The complete library (all six) is AU $322 and saves you AU $140.

What if I want a refund?

If the guides aren't useful to you, email me within 30 days and I'll refund you in full. No questions.

A financial planner charges $8,000. Craig charges $297.

Six guides. Plain English. The pension rules, super traps, and entitlements that affect your retirement — explained once, properly. No jargon, no upsell.

Get the library — AU $322 →

For less than one hour with an adviser — the rules explained for good.

FREE GUIDE

10 things Australian retirees are owed — that most never claim

From the Pension Supplement top-up to the Commonwealth Seniors Health Card, the Utilities Allowance to state-based concessions most people forget exist. Fourteen pages, plain English, zero sales pitch.

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Important: Craig Millar is a retired tax preparer with 38 years of experience. He holds a SAIT diploma in accounting. He is not a licensed financial adviser, CPA, or tax agent. The content in these guides is general educational information for the 2026/27 Australian financial year. It is not personal financial, tax, or legal advice.

Before making financial decisions, please consult a qualified financial adviser or registered tax agent who can assess your individual circumstances. All pension rates, asset test thresholds, income test limits, and deeming rates are sourced from Services Australia and the Australian Taxation Office as at 1 July 2026.

Complete library AU $322 Get it now →