Alexis George

AMP has launched the Retirement Confidence Pulse, a new national barometer tracking how financially confident Australians feel about life after work.

The inaugural Pulse score is 50/100 – a wake-up call that too many of us still lack financial peace of mind about retirement. The full report is available here.

The rising cost of living and surging household expenses have seen the annual cost of a comfortable retirement climb by more than $13,000 in just five years, with new ASFA data showing Australian couples aged 65 and over now need more than $75,000 a year to maintain that lifestyle^[1].

Alexis George, AMP Chief Executive, said: “Australians over the age of 65 will make up nearly a quarter of our population within four decades – a demographic shift set to reshape the nation’s economic and social landscape.

“Yet, as this Pulse shows, despite growing super balances and national wealth, too many feel financially insecure about life after work – an issue that needs to be front and centre for policymakers and the superannuation industry.”

• Gender gap: Only 2 in 5 women feel confident about retirement, versus nearly 3 in 5 men.
• The “Sandwich Generation”: Australians in their 40s are among the least confident (under 2 in 5) as they juggle mortgages, kids and caring for ageing parents.
• Single mums under pressure: Single mothers recorded particularly low confidence levels with less than 1 in 5 in their 40s confident about retirement, the second lowest of all tested.
• Confidence doesn’t arrive at 65: More than 1 in 3 Australians 65+ still feel financially insecure, worried their savings won’t last.
• The “confidence dividend” of coupledom: Partnered Australians (close to 3 in 5) are more confident than singles (2 in 5).
• Divorce dents security – especially for women: Only 1 in 3 separated/divorced women feel confident, versus over half of separated/divorced men.
• Work matters: Jobseekers in their 40s show deepest concerns, with just over 1 in 10 confident.
• The income divide: Confidence rises with income – 3 in 4 on $190K–$250K feel confident, versus 2 in 5 under $45K.
• The squeezed middle: Just half of middle-income Australians ($45K–$135K) are confident.

From insights to action: The Retirement Confidence Hub

To help turn these insights into practical solutions, AMP has created the Retirement Confidence Hub.

Through its Advisory Committee, the Hub brings together some of the most respected experts in the industry – including AMP’s Chief Economist Dr Shane Oliver and AMP’s Director of Retirement Ben Hillier. Nicola Stokes, CEO of the AMP Foundation, joins the Committee, ensuring the cross section of social and community needs are also addressed.

The Retirement Confidence Hub – Mission Statement: Harness AMP’s expertise to bridge insight with practical industry applications, raise awareness of key social issues and opportunities, and inform policy reform, to help more Australians be financially confident about their retirement.

Chair of The Retirement Confidence Hub, Ben Hillier, said: “The Pulse is our scoreboard; the Retirement Confidence Hub is our game plan – a standing effort to turn evidence into action so more Australians can feel confident about their retirement, and unlock a better quality of life.
“This requires a system that is easier to understand, improved financial literacy, easier access to guidance and advice at critical life moments, and more solutions that provide lifetime income and which unlock the considerable wealth tied up in property.”

About the AMP Retirement Confidence Pulse

The Pulse is based on AMP commissioned research of 2,000 Australians by independent research company, Dynata in July 2025.

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Notes:
[1] Annual cost is $75,319 per year for a couple and $53,289 for singles, according to the latest ASFA Retirement Standard. Compared to $61,909 and $43,687 respectively for the June quarter of 2020. (Source: ASFA, 2025)

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Alexis George

The AMP Foundation is delighted to announce that Alexis George, AMP’s Chief Executive Officer, has accepted the invitation to take on the role of Chair of the AMP Foundation.

Ms George has been a Director of the AMP Foundation since March 2022. She succeeds Professor Peter Shergold AC, who has been the Chair of the AMP Foundation since 2018.

The AMP Foundation is one of Australia’s oldest and largest corporate foundations helping individuals and social enterprises create positive impact.

For more than 30 years, the AMP Foundation has financially supported a wide diversity of community-based organisations that help those in need – providing over $111 million in grants since 1992.

The last 12 months saw more than $4 million granted by the AMP Foundation with almost 1000 people positively impacted, including the two 30^th anniversary grants of $1 million to Global Sisters and First Australians Capital – underlining the collective impact the AMP Foundation is making together with communities across Australia.

At the same time, it has encouraged many of those who work at AMP to donate their skills, time and money to help charities and social enterprises support disadvantaged members of the community.

AMP Foundation Chief Executive Officer Nicola Stokes welcomed Ms George’s appointment and thanked Professor Shergold for his outstanding contribution to the Foundation and the not-for-profit sector in Australia.

Nicola Stokes, AMP Foundation Chief Executive Officer said: “The AMP Foundation and AMP recognise our shared responsibility of creating sustainable social impact, with the aim of helping everyone in our community to thrive.

“We are extremely grateful to Professor Shergold for his dedication and service to the AMP Foundation as Chair over the past six years. He has been instrumental in shaping the strategic direction and impact of the Foundation, as well as championing a culture of giving and volunteering across AMP.

“His leadership saw AMP Foundation invest in Australia’s first social impact bond and help fund the establishment of Social Ventures Australia (SVA) and Centre for Social Impact (CSI), who in turn have charted a path for a strong and sustainable sector.

“I am delighted that Alexis has accepted the invitation to become the Chair of the AMP Foundation. Over the past two and a half years on the AMP Foundation Board, Alexis has proven to be a passionate and visionary leader who shares our belief in the power of philanthropy to create positive change.

“Alexis’ focus will be on the individual, the community and lifelong giving which she demonstrates in her own life by being a Lifeline counsellor for over nine years as well as her unwavering commitment to giving her time, energy and money to several important charities in the community, who are meaningful to her and her family.”

Alexis George, AMP Chief Executive Officer said: “I am honoured to accept the role of Chair of AMP Foundation, which has a proud legacy of supporting the Australian community and making a positive and meaningful difference to the lives of many Australians.

“I look forward to working with Nicola and the board to further extend and deepen the impact of the AMP Foundation and I’m excited by what more we can achieve in the years to come.”

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