A huge welcome back to the Financial Autonomy podcast, our first episode in about 5 months. The briefest glance at the market section in the GainingChoice e-mail will make it clear that investing in U.S. stocks has been by far the best strategy of the past several years. The five and 10 year average returns on Australian shares, inclusive of dividends, has been about 8%. In comparison The US S&P 500 index has delivered a 10 year average return of about 13% including dividends. The return is ...
Jul 17, 2024•13 min
Welcome to the What's Possible podcast our dive into the people who inspire us, how they achieved what they did, and what lessons we can all draw so that we can live the most interesting and full lives possible. Let us know what you think by hitting "reply" to a GainingCHOICE email. Not receiving GainingCHOICE? Fix that here .
Jul 10, 2024•43 min
I started this podcast in 2017 with the desire to put myself out there on what I felt was important in money management and wealth creation, gaining choice. My hope was that in putting that message out into the world, in time I'd attract people to our Financial Planning practice who shared this worldview. It took a while but I'm very pleased that this did indeed work. Why am I taking a break now? There's a few factors. [Website] [Disclaimer]...
Feb 28, 2024•8 min
It's not uncommon I find, for people to arrive at the desire to achieve Financial Autonomy in their 40s or 50s. Particularly for those with kids, until this point in life it's largely just been survival mode. Money in equals money out. First it's saving a deposit for a home, then it's getting the mortgage under control. Usually either the first home isn't the forever home, or else renovations and improvements are required. Then you've got the costs of raising children. Layer on top this is the p...
Feb 21, 2024•8 min
In this episode, we talk with David Tuckwell of Global X about a few interesting potential satellite ETFs. [Website] [Disclaimer]
Feb 14, 2024•42 min
I received a question recently for my Ask an Expert column where the reader was comparing the annual income they received from their investment property, against the growth in the value of this superannuation fund. Their conclusion, looking at the numbers, was that they should sell the investment property and shift all the money to super. But their comparison was flawed on multiple levels. So in this week's podcast I thought I'd talk you through the differences across the main investment options...
Feb 07, 2024•11 min
Investing is all about risk and reward. In endeavoring to build our wealth and gain choice in life, we take on risk with the expectation that we will be rewarded for taking on that degree of uncertainty. The Oxford Dictionary defines risk as the “possibility of something bad happening at some time in the future”. As investors that typically means a loss of our capital, either partially or in full. We think a lot about the potential rewards and the long-term outcomes that derive from the gains ma...
Jan 31, 2024•13 min
The starting point is to consider why you might choose to be a business owner. Certainly it's not the right option for a lot of people. There's risk, extra stress, and a requirement for a broad skill set. A great analogy I think is comparing a decathlete at the Olympics to an athlete in a single pursuit. A decathlete isn't good enough to be a gold medalist in any one single event. But they are better than average across a whole variety of events such that when they combine their results they pro...
Jan 24, 2024•9 min
Most of us, when we start investing, will buy Australian shares. We typically gravitate towards businesses that we recognize, perhaps one of the miners, a bank, or a retailer that we walk past at the local shopping centre. Before long we stumble across exchange traded funds, and most people tend to gradually invest more and more in these vehicles over time due to the lower level of mental energy required in making the investments, and their significantly lower level of volatility. Having a home ...
Jan 17, 2024•11 min
Tax cuts are coming for anyone earning over $45,000 a year. For those earning between $120,000 and $200,000, the changes are particularly meaningful. This week I wanted to explore some strategy considerations you might wish to think about in the lead up to these very significant changes. [Website] [Disclaimer]
Jan 10, 2024•9 min
Given this week's episode is our first for the new year, I thought I'd take a look at the typical areas to focus on with reference to your stage of life. Now of course there's a wide range of normal, so feel free to adapt these thoughts to your own situation. Hopefully, they can help to give you some direction as you make your plans for an amazing 2024. [Website] [Disclaimer]...
Jan 03, 2024•6 min
Recently I've had several planning discussions that centered around inheritances. Despite this common core, each discussion was very different. So in this week’s podcast I thought I'd share with you some of the things I'm seeing, and the discussions I'm having with clients. Perhaps they might help you in navigating this area, which can be challenging, with the emotional elements that are often a feature. [Website] [Disclaimer]...
Dec 27, 2023•8 min
It's summer and hopefully you're kicking back somewhere, recharging the batteries with plenty of blue sky and sunshine. It's at times like these, perhaps strolling along the beach with our partner, nothing urgent to be done and plenty of time to think, that the thought might pop into our head “wouldn't it be great to spend more time here. I wonder what it costs to buy a holiday house?” Conveniently, real estate agents will have their windows brightly broadcasting all the various potentials to sa...
Dec 20, 2023•9 min
Today’s post is prompted by two separate discussions I had with new clients this week. In one case, there was a recent inheritance, in the other, the couple had recently paid off their mortgage. In both instances, multiple options existed. I heard about things like home renovations, private school for the kids, cutting back to four days a week, early retirement, buying an investment property, paying off an investment property, going on a big family holiday, topping up super. And on it went. The ...
Dec 13, 2023•5 min
This week we’re lucky enough to have Ana Kresina , co-hosts of the Get Rich Slow Club podcast. Ana is also the Head of Content and Community at investment app Pearler, and a parent of two small children. Today we are talking financial planning for parents and I’ve asked Ana to join me because she is the author of a book called Kids Ain’t Cheap: How to plan financially for parenthood and your family's future so she’s clearly well and truely across this topic. [Disclaimer] [Website]...
Dec 06, 2023•36 min
This week’s podcast is inspired by a question I got for my Ask an Expert column in the Fairfax press. A reader asked whether it was worth adding extra money to super given the balance goes up and down. She can put $5000 in one day, only to see the balance drop by that amount the next, causing her to feel like those savings just got flushed down the toilet. There are several different elements that are important to get your head around in thinking about this question, and the word count limit in ...
Nov 29, 2023•7 min
You've almost certainly heard of index investing, also sometimes called passive investing. Here investment portfolios are constructed to replicate I given a market. The weighting given to each individual stock is determined by the size of each company, its market capitalisation. So for instance in the Australian market, the largest allocation would be to BHP, then Commonwealth Bank, CSL, etc. The main alternative to index or passive investment is active investment. Here fund managers deploy vari...
Nov 22, 2023•9 min
A cancer diagnosis (in the midst of COVID), a career change, and starting a new business. This week I speak with Suzanne Alexander from Mindful Finances about how she helps her clients and the challenging journey she’s been on to accumulate the wisdom she’s now able to impart. [Website] [Disclaimer]
Nov 15, 2023•28 min
Owning your own home is the goal for most of us. The security that comes with owning the roof over your head is a massive stress relief. It’s also almost certainly a good financial move in the long run, as you accumulate wealth through the combination of capital appreciation in the value of your home, and progressively paying down the debt. The challenge typically though, is getting on that first rung of the ladder. Often there isn’t a huge difference between mortgage repayments and rental payme...
Nov 08, 2023•9 min
This week on the podcast I’m joined by Kate Toon, entrepreneur and digital marketing guru. Regular listeners will know that there are 3 pathways to achieving Financial Autonomy - investing in shares, investing in property, and running a business. This week's episode clearly fits into the running a business stream. Financial Autonomy is about having choices in life, and being your own boss can certainly enable that. But running a business is far from simple, which is why I’m very excited to chat ...
Nov 01, 2023•48 min
When does it make sense to move your superannuation savings into a Self Managed Super Fund? Is not shifting to an SMSF a wasted opportunity? Who should have a self-managed fund? This week we're going to get you answers to all these questions. So if you've ever wondered whether a Self Managed Super Fund is right for you, hopefully this week's episode we'll set you straight. [Website] [Disclaimer]...
Oct 25, 2023•11 min
This week I’m excited to have Serina Bird join me on the podcast. You may have come across her podcast, The Joyful Frugalista. Serina is here to talk about her new book - How to Pay off your mortgage in 10 years. So if paying off your mortgage is on your to-do list, listen up for some great tips and insights. [Website] [Disclaimer]
Oct 18, 2023•31 min
Annuities are a product most people have heard of but don't know exactly what they are or when to use them. With interest rates returning to more normal levels, annuities are coming out of the deep freeze. So this week I thought I’d take you through the basics of annuities so you have an appreciation for where they might have a use in your financial plan. [Website] [Disclaimer]...
Oct 11, 2023•8 min
This week we're talking with Bryan Mitchell on all things intergenerational wealth transfer, and looking particularly at the question of whether a gift or a loan is the best way to pass wealth on to the next generation whilst you are still alive. Structuring the transfer of wealth as a loan might provide some level of asset protection in the event of a future divorce, but Bryan explains what is needed for such an arrangement to stand up in court. [Website] [Disclaimer]...
Oct 04, 2023•39 min
All of us will retire at some point, but with the pressures of mortgage repayments, school fees, and just living, it's common for people to give little thought to retirement planning until well into their 50s. So this week I thought I'd take the opportunity to cover off on a few key fundamentals that we regularly discuss with clients. Hopefully several of these you can tick off as done, but perhaps there are a few you hadn't considered that you might be able to nudge up your to-do list. [Website...
Sep 27, 2023•10 min
Jarrod McCabe is a director at Wakelin Property Advisory. Jarrod was on the podcast a couple of years back sharing his expertise. I’ve invited him back to get a read on the current property market. With interest rates looking like they may have peaked, it’s certainly an interesting time. https://wakelin.com.au/about-us/ [Website] [Disclaimer]...
Sep 20, 2023•28 min
In this episode, we will provide practical advice and techniques for professionals looking to tackle debt effectively, including debt consolidation, budgeting strategies, and tips for accelerating loan repayment. [Disclaimer] [Website]
Sep 13, 2023•11 min
This week, we provide a step-by-step guide on how professionals can lay a strong foundation for building wealth, including budgeting, saving, investing, and planning for retirement. [Disclaimer] [Website]
Sep 06, 2023•10 min
This week I chat with Katerina Peiros, estate planning lawyer from Hartwell Legal, about an interesting case that went through the courts recently. We’ll also have a broader discussion around what you need to be thinking about when making your estate planning arrangements. [Disclaimer] [Website]
Aug 30, 2023•36 min
Which is better? A 50% return once, or an 8% return each year for 10 years? In this episode, we will go over this and the power of compounding. [Disclaimer] [Website]
Aug 23, 2023•5 min
