Enjoying retirement as a retirement account holder

Allan Youngman was a Maintenance Crew Leader at NZAS, and is now a retirement account holder in the Fund.

I worked as a maintenance Crew Leader at NZAS in Reduction Maintenance with a crew of nine tradesmen including apprentices. My usual day at work would start with a toolbox meeting with my team discussing events from the last business day and planning the day ahead accordingly. I would also update colleagues on any safety issues, followed by a leaders meeting and on job inspection. My everyday focus was to make the workflow as seamless as possible.

I retired from my job approximately 4 months ago and I have financial security mainly through my superannuation fund combined with other savings, which I did plan for over the years. I put a lot of thought into making sure that I had a modern home, no debt and a retirement plan once I retired.

I would definitely recommend the NZAS Retirement Fund to all employees as I can say from my experience that having a large nest egg is a great feeling. This has given me the liberty to live a happy and stress free life, even though I am not working anymore.

Due to the recent political and financial instabilities around the world, I did choose a lower risk investment option in the Fund to limit my exposure; and I am glad that I had the option to do this. It is hard to constantly think about the future when you are young as it seems so distant, but what I did over the years was to contribute as much as I comfortably could towards my savings. History tells me that the Fund will continue to grow over time and the investments you make now will help secure your future. I still keep my money in the Fund, because in my experience, it continues to be a superior investment compared with the major banks as I can access my money at any time if needed.

My family always takes priority; I have 3 adopted grandchildren who bring great joy to my world. My life post-retirement has been quite busy as I have numerous hobbies including hunting, vehicles, motor bikes and jet boating to name just a few.