I don’t want to leave an inheritance. How do I spend it all before I die?

August 9, 2026 — 5:01am

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I don’t want to leave an inheritance. How can I live and use up everything I have built up? I’m 59 and don’t have children, so I don’t have anyone to leave my money to. I own my apartment and have some super.  I work full-time and think I need to keep working to 65, but would love to retire sooner.  

It’s inconvenient that we don’t know how long we are going to live. That’s the primary challenge you face here.

Your super could be invested in a lifetime annuity at the point that you retire. Lifetime annuities pay you a fixed amount of income every month until you pass away. Be sure to buy one which adjusts for inflation each year. Lifetime annuities don’t offer a lot of flexibility, so consider retaining a portion of your super in a more typical account-based pension.

You could access the equity in your home via selling and then........

© The Sydney Morning Herald