This week's podcast focuses on traditional metrics for understanding whether you're wealthy, and whether there are better ways to assess your progress towards wealth creation in your End of Financial Year review. We run through the ratios you can use during your portfolio review to conduct a holistic assessment. Mark's Unconventional Wisdom column takes a deep look at the state of housing in Australia. He explores whether housing is the anchor weighing Australia down? Mark explains why he thinks...
Jun 28, 2025•22 min•Season 6Ep. 26
In this episode, we dive into private assets. What they are, their history, the risks and benefits and whether they suit investors. In this week's Unconventional Wisdom column, Mark runs through the reason why private credit is a hard no for him . As investors rush into the attractive yield offered by private credit providers, he urges caution and why all that glitters is not always gold. Shani's Future Focus looks at three ways to maximise your returns . Her column looks past how to find the be...
Jun 21, 2025•17 min•Season 6Ep. 25
In this listener requested episode, we look at the difference between Dividend Reinvestment Plans (DRPs) and Dividend Substitution Share Plans (DSSPs). There are some very important benefits to each plan that may mean one plan will suit investors better than the other. You're able to find the full article here. To submit any questions or feedback, please email mark.lamonica1@morningstar.com or leave us a voicemail to feature on the podcast here. Additional resources from our episodes are availab...
Jun 14, 2025•14 min•Season 6Ep. 24
This episode goes through the steps to successfully monitor your portfolio. For successful investors, your job doesn’t end when you hit ‘buy’. You're able to find the full article here. To submit any questions or feedback, please email mark.lamonica1@morningstar.com or leave us a voicemail to feature on the podcast here. Additional resources from our episodes are available via our website. Audio Producer and mixer: William Ton. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....
Jun 07, 2025•15 min•Season 6Ep. 23
In this episode, we look at the top shares of Australia’s best performing super funds, and our equity analysts’ outlook for the stocks. You're able to view the article here. To submit any questions or feedback, please email mark.lamonica1@morningstar.com or leave us a voicemail to feature on the podcast here. Additional resources from our episodes are available via our website. Audio Producer and mixer: William Ton. This week for Mark's Unconventional Wisdom column , he grades the superannuation...
May 31, 2025•20 min•Season 6Ep. 22
Buffett has invested for over 7 decades, where his investing style and approach has evolved. There are many lessons, quotes and soundbites that investors take from him. This episode looks at the lessons that we should ignore from Buffett. You can find the full article here. To submit any questions or feedback, please email mark.lamonica1@morningstar.com or leave us a voicemail to feature on the podcast here. Additional resources from our episodes are available via our website. Audio Producer and...
May 24, 2025•20 min•Season 6Ep. 21
This episode runs through what the new Division 296 tax is, who it impacts, what investors should do to prepare for it. To submit any questions or feedback, please email mark.lamonica1@morningstar.com or leave us a voicemail to feature on the podcast here. Additional resources from our episodes are available via our website. Audio Producer and mixer: William Ton. Shani's Future Focus column takes a deep dive into the controversial Division 296 tax - also known as the unrealised capital gains tax...
May 17, 2025•24 min•Season 6Ep. 20
In this listener requested episode, we take a look at how taxes impact you as an investor. Understanding the maths behind all of the variables for your total return means you're able to make better decisions. Tax is a big one. In this week's Unconventional wisdom column , Mark explores whether investor complacency is out of touch with reality. He looks at game theory and a prisoner's dilemma, and the lessons that investors can take from it, especially when it comes to the current market volatili...
May 10, 2025•13 min•Season 6Ep. 19
We run through some of the main choices that investors face when going through the ETF selection. We toss up the options with international ETF choices, and point to a few factors that investors should look for when choosing between similar ETFs. You can find the full article here. Mark has written through the full process, including an ETF pick for income here. To submit any questions or feedback, please email mark.lamonica1@morningstar.com or leave us a voicemail to feature on the podcast here...
May 03, 2025•23 min•Season 6Ep. 18
We strongly believe that investors should know what they're investing in. Vanguard's 2 new ETFs, Vanguard Diversified All Growth Index ETF VDAL and Vanguard Diversified Income ETF VDIF are bound to interest investors as they are income and growth plays. We take a deep dive into both, and multi-asset offerings in general. You can read the full article here. To submit any questions or feedback, please email mark.lamonica1@morningstar.com or leave us a voicemail to feature on the podcast here. Addi...
Apr 26, 2025•19 min•Season 6Ep. 17
In a listener-requested episode, we look at the pros and cons of the US and Australian retirement systems. To submit any questions or feedback, please email mark.lamonica1@morningstar.com or leave us a voicemail to feature on the podcast here. Additional resources from our episodes are available via our website. Audio Producer and mixer: William Ton. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....
Apr 19, 2025•24 min•Season 6Ep. 16
In a listener requested episode, we explore the trade offs that parents are making with private school. We look at the costs of Government, Catholic and Independent schools, and the impact that these costs can have on your financial outcomes. Although schooling is a personal preference and not a purely financial one, it is always important to understand the opportunity cost. You are able to find the full article here. You can find the travel fund episode here. To submit any questions or feedback...
Apr 12, 2025•32 min•Season 6Ep. 15
We run through the Monte Carlo simulation and how you can use it to understand how asset allocation and other variables in your portfolio will determine the longevity of your retirement portfolio. You can use these outcomes to improve your retirement outcomes. You can find the Monte Carlo simulator here. You can read Mark's full article here. To submit any questions or feedback, please email mark.lamonica1@morningstar.com or leave us a voicemail to feature on the podcast here. Additional resourc...
Apr 05, 2025•19 min•Season 6Ep. 14
Some investors don't think that they have any goals to work towards, so they are unable to add proper structures and frameworks to their investment portfolios. This episode goes through a framework to dig deeper for your financial goals by exploring what you want from life, and therefore your finances. You are able to find the full article here. As cost of living increases and careers become more demanding, many younger people are also turning to income investing to derive a passive income. As m...
Mar 29, 2025•24 min•Season 6Ep. 13
We look at the ETFs that would go into a 3 ETF portfolio, using Morningstar's Manager Research Medalist ratings. In this week's Unconventional Wisdom column , Mark runs through what he should do about a position in his portfolio that has grown too large. He is reluctant to sell shares, especially due to the tax consequences, but it also aware of the dangers of having a large concentration in one share that violates his investment policy statement. Shani recently wrote an article on why she inclu...
Mar 22, 2025•24 min•Season 6Ep. 12
This episode focuses on tarriffs - how investors should think about them, how they should position their portfolios, and the types of companies that will continue to prosper. Industry super funds have turned to private assets to invest the retirement savings of millions of Australians. In this week's Unconventional Wisdom column, Mark explores whether they live up to the hype. The proposed $3 million super cap was originally seen as a tax for the wealthy. With no adjustment for inflation, with t...
Mar 15, 2025•20 min•Season 6Ep. 11
Mark goes through why the conventional wisdom is to reinvest dividends, but despite this, why he has stopped. This week, Mark’s Unconventional Wisdom column takes a deep dive into the Yale model. He looks at whether Industry superfunds are following the wrong investment strategy, as there are signs that it may not work as well in the future as it has in the past. For International Women's Day, Shani's Future Focus column looks at how women have been able to find financial security regardless of ...
Mar 08, 2025•24 min•Season 6Ep. 10
In a listener requested episode, Shani goes through why she uses managed funds and how she chose to use the investment product for the problems that it solves for her. Mark's Unconventional Wisdom column takes readers on a trip to Monte Carlo this week. He looks at the levers that investors can pull to have a more secure retirement, reducing uncertainty for investors. Shani's Future Focus column explores the trade offs that parents are making with private school. In an Investing Compass listener...
Mar 01, 2025•22 min•Season 6Ep. 9
This episode explores what to do when you receive an inheritance, and the options that you have when you invest. We consider paying off a mortgage and investing in and out of superannuation. Other episodes where we speak about inheritances include: Your options when you inherit a house How to incorporate an expected inheritance into a financial plan The documents you need to protect your assets Mark's Unconventional Wisdom column looks at a study showing investors that own passive products get l...
Feb 22, 2025•26 min•Season 6Ep. 8
We speak about the positives and perils of diversification in your portfolio, and how to find a balance. This week in Mark's Unconventional Wisdom column he challenges the traditional classifications of income and growth stocks. He runs through his focus on dividend growth, rather than just focusing solely on yield. Mark runs through a controversial income pick that he believes offers significant potential for future dividend growth. Core/Satellite is an investment strategy that many financial a...
Feb 15, 2025•23 min•Season 6Ep. 7
Insurance is a necessary evil of a holistic financial plan. Some investors avoid enroling or reviewing their insurances.as it's a tedious task that provides no immediate benefit. It however, provides peace of mind and protection at some of the most vulnerable times of your life. It's important to optimise your insurance to make sure you are adequately covered, but also that you are minimising the costs. We go through the best ways to protect yourself. You can view the full article here. Mark's U...
Feb 08, 2025•19 min•Season 6Ep. 6
In this episode, we look at the places where our system is failing some Aussies as it relates to super tax policy. We offer some guidance about what they can do until the system catches up. Shani's article on this topic can be found here. You can also find the HECS/HELP article mentioned during the podcast here. Find our weekly wrap below: Resilience can’t compete with the popular portrayal of successful investors who stare down risk and are rewarded with mountains of cash. What is lost in this ...
Feb 01, 2025•25 min•Season 6Ep. 5
We go through a list of the assets that Mark doesn't hold. We get asked constantly about what's in our portfolio, but sometimes we find it even more insightful to explore what is deliberately excluded. You're able to find the full version of Mark's article here. How a huge ASX winner upset the odds : Many of the stock market's biggest winners come from companies that manage to dominate an important emerging industry. Australia's Car Group is one such company, yet its ascent was anything but like...
Jan 25, 2025•23 min•Season 6Ep. 4
This episode is based on an email that we received from a listener who has a specific allocation in their portfolio to taking speculative bets. The rationale was that it helped control their behaviour by allowing them a designated allocation, while the rest of the portfolio remained untouched. We explore whether a strategy like this, called 'Mad Money', can work for investors. Interested in our investing course? Find it here. To submit any questions or feedback, please email mark.lamonica1@morni...
Jan 18, 2025•19 min•Season 6Ep. 3
We go through the characteristics of what a perfect ETF would look like. Interested in our investing course? Find it here. To submit any questions or feedback, please email mark.lamonica1@morningstar.com or leave us a voicemail to feature on the podcast here. Additional resources from our episodes are available via our website. Audio Producer and mixer: William Ton. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....
Jan 11, 2025•14 min•Season 6Ep. 2
We take a deep dive into dividend ETFs and how investors can pick one that suits them by running through 4 dividend ETF examples. Interested in our investing course? Find it here. To submit any questions or feedback, please email mark.lamonica1@morningstar.com or leave us a voicemail to feature on the podcast here. Additional resources from our episodes are available via our website. Audio Producer and mixer: William Ton. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....
Jan 04, 2025•18 min•Season 6Ep. 1
This episode was one of our most popular of 2024. We go through what's needed to get to $100k in passive income. Interested in our investing course? Find it here. To submit any questions or feedback, please email mark.lamonica1@morningstar.com or leave us a voicemail to feature on the podcast here. Additional resources from our episodes are available via our website. Audio Producer and mixer: William Ton. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....
Dec 28, 2024•15 min•Season 5Ep. 51
This episode was one of our most popular of 2024. Our guest James Gruber discusses how to build a lazy portfolio with 3 ETFs, and the issues that you come across when you do this. James Gruber is the Assistant Editor of Firstlinks. Prior to that, he covered Asia as a leading fund manager, stockbroking analyst and journalist. More recently, he was a portfolio manager for Asian equities at AMP Capital, managing Asia and China. During his time there, the China fund was ranked number one globally ov...
Dec 21, 2024•27 min•Season 5Ep. 50
Mark and Shani exchange Christmas gifts, and discuss a stock pick and a few book recommendations from Mark. If you'd like to get Mark and Shani a Christmas gift, a podcast review on your podcast app would be the best gift you can give. Thank you for your support in 2024 and we hope you have a safe and happy holiday period. You're able to find the video here or on Morningstar Australia's YouTube channel. Interested in our investing course? Find it here. To submit any questions or feedback, please...
Dec 14, 2024•21 min•Season 5Ep. 49
We explore yield at cost - a metric that can improve your results as an income investor. You can find the full article here. Interested in our investing course? Find it here. To submit any questions or feedback, please email mark.lamonica1@morningstar.com or leave us a voicemail to feature on the podcast here. Additional resources from our episodes are available via our website. Audio Producer and mixer: William Ton. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....
Dec 07, 2024•18 min•Season 5Ep. 48
