The Money Puzzle

The inbox at themoneypuzzle@theaustralian.com.au has been bursting at the seams - it's time to give listener questions the attention they deserve.  In this show we cover:  Is a stock split something to worry about? Help! I should have put this investment inside super Retirement calculators forget to tell you one thing Dividend Reinvestment programs - how they work  Financial adviser James Gerrard joins Wealth Editor James Kirby in this episode See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Using super for any reason other than retirement savings used to be taboo: Not anymore, and not when the tax system is totally loaded in favour of the homeowner. The Coalition proposal to allow super for first home buyers is gaining attention, it's an idea that will be hard to resist. James Gerrard of The Financial Adviser joins Wealth Editor James Kirby in this episode. In this episode we cover: Changing role of super in home buying  Big risks with NDIS property schemes  Why are some property owners quitting? Value in the regions - Investors are going further from the cities  Submit your questions on all things property, business and finance: themoneypuzzle@theaustralian.com.au Read more from James Kirby on The AustralianSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Are SMSFs worth the trouble? How much should you have in funds to get started?  There are now more than 600,000 SMSFs in the local market: If you don't have a fund, it's time to think about it (and if you do have a fund: It might also be time to consider whether it is still the best tax structure for your situation). In today's show we cover:  Are Self Managed Super Funds worth the trouble? What is the ideal age to begin a new fund? The latest patterns in SMSF activity from the ATO Dealing with the new super tax  Julie Dolan, head of SMSF and estate planning at KPMG joins Wealth Editor James Kirby in this episode See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The argument against apartment investment has always been the same: 'They can just keep adding new developments'...well, not anymore. The market is changing and the statistics are there to prove it. In today's show we cover: * Why the rebound in apartment investment returns will continue* Using super for buying a home - should you? * WA wins as the best state for property  investors *  Is Lenders Mortgage insurance a con?  Terry Ryder of the Hotspotting group joins wealth editor James Kirby in this episode See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The 2024 budget was a deft piece of work: Politically astute, and supportive of low-income Australians but also a very mixed bag for investors. In today's show we cover: The budget measures that matter to investors Things the government did not do (which will make a big difference) The share market sector awash with government largesse HECs - did they really do that much?   Will Hamilton of Hamilton Wealth Management joins wealth editor James Kirby in this episode See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

You might think you know the Australian property market but the goalposts are moving: Hobart had slid down the ladder, Canberra is second only to Sydney while Brisbane and Perth are charging ahead. It's time to reassess. In today's show we cover: The changing profile of big city property markets Why units are set to do better than houses (per square metre) In support of the First Home Super Saver scheme  Will Perth now pass out Melbourne average home values too? Tim Lawless, head of research at CoreLogic, joins wealth editor James Kirby in this episode See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Is there anything behind this piece of share market folk wisdom? We find out.Also, our biggest super funds are set to expand their offerings in financial advice: What can we expect from this development - and what does it mean for independent advice?  In today's show we cover : Pros and Cons of super funds offering advice The reality of 'sophisticated investor' rules Why are we selling key assets to overseas pension funds? Myth busting --Sell in May and go away  Hugh Robertson of Centaur Financial Services joins wealth editor James Kirby in this episode See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The banks are starting to carve up the lending market by postcode. If you are inside one of the 145 (out of 3300) postcodes ANZ Bank has cherry picked you can get a special deal on larger loans. What does this mean for the market? What does it mean for you? In todays show we cover : Getting to know postcode-driven lending deals What will the Federal Budget offer for property ? The reality of falling prices on a residential market  Pete Wargent of AllenWargent Property Buyers joins wealth editor James Kirby in this episode See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The plain vanilla Exchange Traded Fund (ETF) turned the Australian funds management sector on its head. Now, the whole scene is changing again with everything from Bitcoin funds to leveraged products.  In today's show we cover: Everything you need to know about traditional ETFs The pros and cons of index-based funds Why ETFs don't work every time Dividends and CGT - how it works for ETF investors  ETF expert Kanish Chugh joins wealth editor James Kirby in this episode  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For the first time in the history of The Money Puzzle, James Kirby is off sick. James will be back on Thursday with a new episode, but for now we hope you enjoy his chat from last December with Damon Kitney about the families behind Australia’s biggest companies.  Who are they, and what can we learn from the way they invest?  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.