June 30 this year is a unique tax opportunity for the simple reason your tax bill in FY 2024 is very likely to be higher than FY 2025: That means the deductions are better if you get them sorted in the next two months. In today's show we cover: The outstanding ways to save tax this year Making the most of the looming tax cuts Handbags and guard dogs - some unlikely deduction opportunities Choosing a trading platform Dr Adrian Raftery aka Mr Taxman joins wealth editor James Kirby in this episode ...
Apr 18, 2024•40 min
What does the property market look like to Gen Z? The generation born after 1997 that takes a one percent vacancy rate as 'normal'; The people who get 100 applicants for a spare bedroom in a shared house. They have a different story but it is a story we all need to know. In today's show we cover: The realities of property investment for Gen Z Exploring the opportunities of being a 'rentvestor'* Using super for buy a home Is the office sector rout over? Sarah Petty real estate reporter for the Ne...
Apr 16, 2024•31 min
The average HECs student debt is now $26,500 and rising rapidly. Once upon an inflation-free time HECs hardly mattered, now it matters a lot. Worse still, the way HECs is managed by the government is antiquated and unfair to former students. Meanwhile, banks use the debt to reduce your borrowing capacity. No wonder there is a push to change the process. In today's show we cover: Why more than 200,000 people are pushing for change in student debt How to manage your HECs situation Expanding an SMS...
Apr 11, 2024•37 min
As the economists continue to push their rate cut forecasts further out, it is now distinctly possible we will not see interest rate cuts this calendar year. What does it mean for the property market and your borrowing plans? In today's show we cover: The reality of higher-for-longer interest rates Will commercial property problems spill over into the residential sector Searching for multi-asset funds outside of super Getting to know the 'six year' CGT primary residence exemption rule. Dr Doug T...
Apr 09, 2024•33 min
It might be hard to believe but the key numbers for both personal tax and super contributions are going to change again on July 1 2024 - Now is the time to make your plans. In today’s show, we cover: How to position for lower personal tax rates Catching up with planned super contribution changes Investing based on demographics Do share market index funds offer diversification any longer? Financial adviser James Gerrard joins wealth editor James Kirby in this episode See omnystudio.com/listener f...
Apr 03, 2024•32 min
It's the biggest financial challenge for the new generation - how to get a toehold in the property market. In today's episode we cover The first steps towards buying a property Considering the 'rentvest' strategy Should super be available to home buyers Getting to know the '6-year rule' for your home and CGT John Pidgeon of Solvere Wealth and the This is Money podcast joins Wealth Editor James Kirby in this episode See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information....
Apr 01, 2024•26 min
The ASX just hit a new record and the markets are on a roll: So what should investors be looking for? AI-themed technology stocks and - believe it or not - consumer discretionary companies, says fund manager Roger Montgomery. In today's episode, we cover: Why is the share market on a bull run? AI hopefuls - Macquarie Technology and Megaport Consumer favourites - Lovisa Jewellery and ARB Does Bunnings have too much power? Fund manager Roger Montgomery of Montgomery Investment Management joins wea...
Mar 28, 2024•36 min
The promise of the investment property that 'pays for itself' is all too common in the property market and all too difficult to locate in practice. Is positive gearing feasible with high rates and low rental yields? In today's show we cover: Positive gearing - The fading prospect Bad behaviour among buyers advocates Using Federal and State home buyer grants in tandem When advice lets you down Real estate advisor Cate Bakos joins wealth editor James Kirby in this episode. See omnystudio.com/liste...
Mar 26, 2024•29 min
In June 2023 we did our first special edition on AI when we introduced the issue and we talked about Nvidia - the AI chipmaker which is up 200 per cent since that time. Today we catch up on AI in mid-2024 with Matt Barrie, the founder and CEO of Freelancer: an executive at the frontline of AI changes. In this episode we cover: Why are investment markets so excited over AI?* Threats and opportunities of the new technology Why Google and Netflix should be very worried The stocks ready to surf the ...
Mar 21, 2024•44 min
For a long time it was a golden rule among financial advisers to pay down your mortgage before any other investment consideration. Well, not any longer…for some investors putting money into super should come first. In today’s show we cover… Mortgage payments versus super contributions Selling a property without using a real estate agent Should you self insure ? Playing house with CGT exemptions and negative gearing Financial adviser Bruce Brammall joins wealth editor James Kirby in this episode ...
Mar 19, 2024•37 min
The annual Rich 250 has just been released with a whole new crew of debutants pushing the incumbents of previous generations to one side. In this episode, we cover: The new network of tycoons emerging across Australia The crypto king building the most expensive house...ever...in Australia Two sisters who saved Blundstone boots and made a fortune The Australian with a $2 billion empire in Estonia John Stensholt editor of The List - Australia’s Richest 250 joins Wealth Editor James Kirby in this e...
Mar 14, 2024•37 min
The Victorian capital is the weakest of the major cities and its apartment market has been a loser for more than a decade. But the soft patch can't last forever: The investment fundamentals for the city are strong and long-term investors could do very well looking a little more closely at the Melbourne market. In today's show, we cover: Melbourne apartments - 'Be greedy when others are fearful' How your HECs bill blocks your borrowing capacity Is over-capitalization over-rated? The two regional ...
Mar 12, 2024•36 min
The Future Fund's consistently strong returns and its big exposure to so-called 'unlisted assets' have captured the interest of many investors. But, until very recently, most investors could not get access to unlisted assets and were restricted to listed securities such as shares and managed funds. Usefully, things are changing - today we take a serious look at unlisted assets. In this episode we cover Introducing the risk spectrum of unlisted assets Accepting a 5-7 year wait for unlisted return...
Mar 07, 2024•36 min
This was not supposed to happen: The regions were meant to return to their secondary position in the residential investment market after COVID-19. Instead, over the last three months, prices rose faster than in the cities and the rental vacancy rates remained tight as hell... what gives? In today's show, we cover: The curious case of the regional property bounceback How the national market is already looking better than last year's forecasts Are investors in one-bedroom units facing a disadvanta...
Mar 05, 2024•33 min
Not for the first time a single stock has become the proxy for a red-hot theme: AI and Nvidia are now interchangeable - and the specialist chipmaker has become the world’s top stock. Today we look at the AI boom and the first steps every Australian investor should be taking. In today’s show, we cover: The Australian stakeholders inside Nvidia Playing the AI boom on the ASX Exploring solar power and EVs* Selling shares without paying tax Financial advisor James Gerrard joins Wealth Editor James K...
Feb 29, 2024•38 min
The consensus view is that interest rates have peaked in this cycle. Banks are already snipping their fixed rate mortgage rates (which is good) while also reducing the rate they pay on cash deposits (which is not so good). It's time to find out what's going on in the finance market. In today's show, we cover: The beginning of lower fixed-rate mortgages Beyond the big four - where to hunt for cash rates Why the First Home Super Saver scheme is too much trouble The trouble with SMSF loans Sally Ti...
Feb 27, 2024•36 min
Family offices are very much the fashion among the nation’s ultra-wealthy: What are they exactly and what might we learn from how they operate? In today’s show, we cover The booming business of the family office Safety in numbers - how the system works How much do you need to start a family trust? Fund manager performance fees - an explanation Jacqui Clarke, author and family office adviser joins Wealth Editor James Kirby in this episode See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information....
Feb 22, 2024•35 min
Sydney prices have been soft in early 2024: It's not quite a 'buyer's market' but it is as good a time to find value as we have seen in years. Where are the opportunities in the city and which neighbourhoods should we watch? In today's show we cover: Taking advantage of a rare lull in the nation's top property market Excitement builds around Sydney's new airport zone Why one-bedroomed apartments have limited appeal What is going on around the future of negative gearing? Judy Schmidt of Advocate ...
Feb 20, 2024•27 min
In redrawing the plan for personal tax cuts while introducing a tax on unrealised gains in super the government has unleashed a whirlwind of speculation: All tax shelters from negative gearing to CGT discounts are now fair game. What to do? In today’s show, we cover The political brawl on tax and how it affects you Exploring investment bonds and family trusts The looming importance of unrealised gains Struggling with poor service at Big Super Liam Shorte of Sonas Wealth joins wealth editor James...
Feb 15, 2024•39 min
Most property investors will aspire to have more than one property: Many in the market suggest strategies that allow an investor to accumulate a 'passive income portfolio' over time. But how do you approach this? What are the risks of running multiple properties? And would future tax changes make a difference? In today's show, we cover : Behind the promise of passive property investment * Do you need a buyer's advocate? Switching a mortgage from the home to an investment The future of negative g...
Feb 13, 2024•31 min
The financial success of singer Taylor Swift is unprecedented: Show business will never be the same again. For millions, she is a champion who outsmarts the music industry at every turn. So is she a role model for younger investors? In today's show we cover... The devilishly clever business brain behind the music How Taylor Swift invests The role of her dad who is a financial advisor ‘Swiftonomics’ - how it really works Sociologist Dr Rachel Carroll joins wealth editor James Kirby in this episod...
Feb 08, 2024•31 min
It's time to listen to the other side: Some economists believe house prices are heading south in 2024 as interest rate hikes finally hit home and unemployment rises at the same time. In this show we cover: What's behind a forecast drop of 5 per cent in the market? The tremors signaled by new statistics on 'distressed sales' * Is the tradie shortage still a thing? Why your house is taking longer to build Economist Stephen Koukoulas of Market Economics joins Wealth Editor James Kirby in this episo...
Feb 06, 2024•37 min
The surprise changes to the planned tax cuts by the Albanese government will fuel political debate for months: But for the pragmatic investor it's a question of how to respond effectively. In today's show, we cover: Revisiting tax personal tax strategies If annuities are so good, why are they not popular? Optimising tax with a non-working partner Is your home part of your investment portfolio? Will Hamilton of Hamilton Wealth Management joins wealth editor James Kirby in this episode See omnystu...
Feb 01, 2024•39 min
The conditions have been building for a rebound in negative gearing with climbing interest rates and rising rental yields. Now a surprise reversal in tax relief for upper-income earners means the search for tax deductions is about to begin again. In today's show, we cover; the startling figures on mortgage stress, how negative gearing just gets better, the Canberra rent freeze and why the split between homeowner and investor lending rates? Cameron Kusher, research director at REA (a subsidiary o...
Jan 30, 2024•26 min
Australians will borrow to the gills to buy the family home. They will also take big loans to enter the property market, but when it comes to the share market they hold back. Today we look a serious look at ‘leverage’. In this episode, we cover: What you need to know about borrowing for investment If annuities are so sensible why are they not more popular? How franking credits work* The case for a $2m minimum in self-managed super funds Dr Sam Wylie of Windlestone Education and Melbourne Busines...
Jan 25, 2024•46 min
The big banks offered a consensus estimate that capital city house prices would rise by 5.7 percent in 2024. With a rush of negative data since the year began, this week we interrogate those bullish forecasts and see if they can be taken seriously. In today's show, we cover: Will gloomy consumers drag property prices lower? NSW leads the investor rebound Why one in three immigrants head to Melbourne The outlook for rental yields Eliza Owen of the CoreLogic research group joins Wealth Editor Jame...
Jan 23, 2024•30 min
The share market beat all expectations in 2023 and what's stopping a repeat performance in 2024? Lots of things actually but then again volatility is the name of the game when your money is at risk on listed markets. Here at the Money Puzzle we just assume a real return of around 9 percent each year and then it's a question of the stock choices you make. In today's episode, we cover: The outlook for shares in the next 12 months Banks and miners - who will make the money? Healthcare and REITs - t...
Jan 18, 2024•57 min
In our first property episode of the year, we look at the very promising outlook for apartments, the improving inflation picture, and the chance that rates might drop. We also take note of the potential headwinds in the next 12 months - especially the sharp decline in ‘buyer intention’ which has just been reported by Commonwealth Bank.In today’s episode, we cover: The property fundamentals of 2024 Why Perth could shine and Melbourne may underperform The reality of current rate settings Buying a ...
Jan 16, 2024•31 min
How might you start collecting art? "If you enjoy it hanging on your wall, then that should be enough," says one of our best-known contemporary art collectors, former China ambassador Geoff Raby. And he should know, he built an art collection worth more than $3 million before donating it to La Trobe University. In today's episode we cover; finding your own path in the art market, negotiating with art dealers and auction houses, the price you pay to complete a collection and how to store your art...
Jan 10, 2024•27 min
Driving a classic car that looks wonderful - and might just make you a small fortune - is something most investors have probably considered at some stage. Today we talk to one of the country's foremost car collectors who operates in the global market and has been in the game since he was a teenager. In this episode we cover: How to start collecting cars Where the bargains are this year The key factors in selecting a car How to collect without losing money Paul Huggins, a director of the Hamilton...
Jan 04, 2024•42 min
