Speculation about the future of the nation's retirement savings system will only lead to savers taking their eye off the prize - a way to fund their retirement.
Superannuation is set to be a part of this year’s Federal budget, with any changes likely to be discussed at length in the press and by industry bodies.
As it stands, many Australians already have low interest in their retirement savings, often translating to a misunderstanding of how super will benefit them after ending paid employment.
For all the time spent debating potential changes, little has been spent examining the headwinds every saver will face upon retirement.
With retirement being a new life stage, the perks of no longer working can be buried by vulnerabilities that come with managing savings.
There are a number of unique issues those living of their savings need to be aware of.
Firstly, with our life expectancy increasing, the length of time our savings must last is ballooning.
The threat of running out of money while we are still living is very real.
While generalisations are made about how long we will live for, it remains an unknown in the retirement planning equation.
Consequently those already retired, or close to it have an ever growing reliance on their super to fund all of their later years or risk being solely dependent on the Age Pension, which is widely touted as insufficient to live a comfortable life.
Secondly, leaving the workforce also marks the end of receiving a monthly pay cheque.
For many it corresponds with living off less money than they might be accustomed to.
Adjusting spending habits can be easier said than done, but the reality is a combination of superannuation and the Age Pension will put less cash in the bank than ordinary pay from employment for many.
Finally, with no more monthly deposits from your employer it elevates the importance of consistent, positive returns from your life savings.
Globally sharemarkets have had a spluttering start to this year.
In an update this week, The International Monetary Fund stated the current outlook for weak global growth could lead to a return of financial distress.
While highs and lows in financial markets is part of investing, retirees - or those close to it - don’t have the luxury of waiting for a rebound like those who are growing their super.
One or more years of negative returns leads to not only lower super balances, but also less income produced.
The end result is less money to spend, either each year or shortening the length of time your savings might have lasted.
For the most part, changes to superannuation are beyond our control but knowing of the headwinds retirees face is something everyone should be aware of.