Hitting the milestone of $1 million in the bank should feel like financial freedom, but for many people approaching retirement, it’s the moment where the fear kicks in.

When a term deposit matures and you’re suddenly responsible for a seven-figure lump sum, the pressure to “not mess it up” can feel overwhelming.

That’s exactly the situation in today’s Ask the Experts episode. Our listener is 59, single, mortgage-free, and ready to retire soon, but unsure what to do with the $1 million they’ve worked their whole life to save.

EnableMe strategic coach Katie Wesney joins me to break it all down:

• how to invest a $1 million lump sum safely
• cash vs managed funds vs shares in retirement
• how long a million dollars really lasts
• how to structure money into short-, medium-, and long-term “buckets”
• and why doing nothing can sometimes be the biggest risk of all

If you have a letter you’d like us to answer, please send it through to ask@francescook.co.nz and you might feature on our next episode!

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This podcast was filmed and produced by Fanaticals

Video editing & content production by Lana Byrne 

Audio engineering by Tash Chittock

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