I have NO superannuation & reaching retirement age! What will happen to me?

I am a 52 yr female housewife who does not have any superannuation. My husband is 55 and does have a superannuation portfolio. We both own our own home and also have an investment property. I am concerned about our pending retirement and how my husband and I will survive financially. What will this mean for me when I come to retirement age?

P.S I am Australian.

You still have years to get ready so since you own your home and investment property you should have good cash flow to save.
Many of us in the USA don't have pensions so must invest for retirement. Since your husband will have money and you have investment property and own your own home you shouldn't be in bad shape to retire in the next 10-15 years.

You need to get a job. I know, being out of the workforce for a long time makes it a bit daunting, but seriously, apply for a job. This will generate some cash flow. If you're living comfortably off your partner's income, you can stash this money as savings. If you need a hand writing cover letters, email me and I'll help you out.

You have 13 years to save some money to retire on. Owning your own home and an investment property is a good start. I'm assuming you're an Australian (we have 'super') and I suggest perhaps using the equity in your properties to buy another investment property. This will give you the capital gains you will need as you move into retirement. You can later sell the properties if you need to, invest the funds in a mutual or managed fund, and live off the dividend.

Your partner might have to look at postponing retirement.

I recommend you consult a financial planner about your position. They can recommend products that might make more effective use of the resources you have now.

Number one, though, is that you need to move back into the workforce. Even a part time job somewhere will have benefits. If you earned $5000 a year after tax, in 13 years, if you saved it, you'd have $65 000. That's nothing to sneeze at. So get motivated and start thinking about stuff you'd like to do. There is still heaps of time to improve your situation.

Best wishes

Superannuation alludes to a retirement plan--typically in the form of a guaranteed annuity. Your husband's "annuity" or "pension" will depend upon his company's retirement plan. I would hope your husband is familiar with his company's policy about his age of retirement and what he can expect as a "pension".

As a "housewife", you have no retirement benefits.