Australian Finance Podcast
The Australian Finance Podcast provides practical financial advice and strategies to help listeners save money, invest wisely, and live life on their terms. Hosted by Owen Rask, Chief Investment Officer, and Gemma Mitchell, Senior Financial Adviser, the show covers a range of topics from beginner basics to advanced investing. New listeners are directed to the Starter Pack series from early 2024, while more experienced audiences may enjoy the companion show, The Australian Investors Podcast. The content is general financial information and does not constitute personalized advice.
Episodes
How to raise rich kids without raising entitled kids
What does it really mean to raise “rich” kids — and how can parents teach healthy money habits without passing on fear, shame or entitlement?
In this Australian Finance Podcast episode, Gemma Mitchell sits down with finance journalist and author Sarah Megginson to unpack the ideas behind How to Raise Rich Kids. Sarah reframes wealth as choice, freedom and opportunity, then explains how parents’ o
What happens to Super when you retire?
What actually happens to your super when you retire?
Try our free wealth checker tool
Get financial advice
It sounds like there should be a giant red button that says “retirement mode” — but, as usual with super, it’s a little more paperwork-y than that.
In this episode of The Australian Finance Podcast, also shared on The Australian Retirement Podcast, Owen is joined by Tahli Cavagnino, S
How AI agents are changing business - Ep 2: The Business Stack of the Future
This episode was originally featured on the Australian Investors Podcast.
In this episode of the Australian Finance Podcast, Owen Rask speaks with Jon Stahl from Salesforce about how AI agents are moving beyond answering questions and starting to complete real work inside businesses.
Jon explains the difference between a chatbot and an agent, including how agents can reason through multistep t
Why the best companies are scaling faster than ever - Ep 1: The Business Stack of the Future
In this Australian Finance Podcast episode, Owen Rask explores why the business stack of the future may be changing investing faster than most markets really appreciate today.
Starting with Stripe’s 2025 annual letter, Owen breaks down four business clocks now speeding up at once: how fast companies can build, distribute, monetise and scale. He explains why APIs, cloud software, AI tools and glob
AI bubble or real boom? What investors should watch
Is AI in a bubble, or are today’s soaring share prices backed by real business growth?
In this episode of the Australian Finance Podcast, Owen Rask and Gemma Mitchell unpack what an investment bubble actually is and why price, profit and valuation are different things. Using examples from tulip mania, Beanie Babies, NFTs, pandemic-era puppy prices and Pokémon cards, they explain how scarcity, hyp
Sounds like good money advice... But is it?
Are you a wage slave?
Do you WORK for money? (yawn)
Do you also think Crypto is an investment?
Is your investment strategy "buy low, sell high"?
In this live weekly Q&A episode of The Australian Finance Podcast, Owen Rask and Gemma Mitchell break down your questions and pull apart 9 money and investing myths people tell you all the time.
From "buy low, sell high" and "cash is king" to "rent
Is stock picking dead? Scott Phillips on ETFs, AI and the investing edge
In this episode of Australian Finance Podcast, Owen Rask sits down with Scott Phillips to unpack one of the biggest investing questions of the moment: is stock picking dead?
Scott explains why investing is cumulative, how experience builds pattern recognition over time, and why AI may shrink some information gaps without eliminating the need for judgment. Together, Owen and Scott explore where va
How to boost your super by $100,000
In this special Pearler x Rask live episode of The Australian Finance Podcast, Owen Rask and Gemma Mitchell break down the practical strategies that could help you grow your super by an extra $100,000 over your working life.
Join Pearler using the code "RASKSWITCH" and get $32 of Pearler Credit
Owen & Gemma look at the three big levers: adding more, earning more and losing less, and how the righ
Factor investing explained: quality, value and growth ETFs with VanEck’s Cameron McCormack
In this Australian Finance Podcast episode, Owen Rask sits down with Cameron McCormack, Senior Portfolio Manager at VanEck, to unpack factor investing in a way that actually makes sense for everyday ETF investors.
The conversation starts with the basics: what factor investing is, how it differs from broad market-cap investing, and why terms like smart beta, rules-based investing and factor invest
How to invest $500 in Australia (step-by-step)
If you had $500 to invest in Australia every month, where would you actually put it?
Join Rask's new platform
In this live weekly Q&A episode of The Australian Finance Podcast, Owen Rask and Gemma Mitchell break down their top strategies for investing $500/month in Australia today.
Whether you're starting from scratch or looking to automate your wealth-building habit, we share practical
10 ways to access your super
In this episode of Australian Finance Podcast, Owen Rask and Gemma Mitchell unpack 10 legitimate ways Australians can access their super and why the rules matter more than most people realise.
From the two most common pathways, retiring after preservation age and turning 65, through to transition-to-retirement strategies, incapacity rules, terminal illness provisions, the First Home Super Saver S
Rewind: should you boost super, pay off debt or save for a home?
This is a special rewind episode of the Australian Finance Podcast, bringing back one of our favourite Q&A conversations because the questions are still incredibly relevant today.
In this episode, Owen Rask and Gemma Mitchell work through practical money decisions that many Australians wrestle with: whether extra cash should go into super or against the mortgage, what to do when you’ve saved a fi
How to build money goals that actually stick, with Hayden Smith
In this Australian Finance Podcast episode, Owen Rask sits down with Hayden Smith from Pearler to unpack why so many money goals fall over before they ever become real habits.
Rather than setting huge targets that feel inspiring for a day and overwhelming for the next six months, Hayden explains why shorter timeframes, smaller milestones and cleaner systems give people a far better chance of foll
How to buy your first property in Australia, with Glen James
In this Australian Finance Podcast episode, Owen Rask sits down with Glen James to talk about buying your first property in Australia when the market feels tougher than ever. Glen explains why so many buyers feel stuck, why the old 20% deposit playbook no longer fits reality for many people, and what first home buyers can do instead of giving up.
The conversation centres on Glen’s new book, The Q
VanEck’s GOAT ETF: how AI is changing ETF investing, with James Gil
In this Australian Finance Podcast episode, Owen Rask sits down with James Gil, Head of Product at VanEck, to unpack the relaunch of GOAT and why it matters for ETF investors. Rather than simply buying “AI stocks”, GOAT uses AI inside the portfolio construction process to rank global companies, score signals and build a 150-stock portfolio designed to adapt as markets change.
James explains why V
ASIC’s offset account warning: what borrowers should check, with Sarah Court
In this Australian Finance Podcast episode, Owen Rask speaks with Sarah Court, Chair of ASIC, about what the regulator is seeing across the financial system and why everyday Australians need to pay closer attention to how their money is being handled. Sarah explains ASIC’s role in licensing firms, holding financial institutions to account and stepping in when consumers or investors are at risk.
T
Six things we've learnt about money with Pearler's Hayden Smith
In this episode of Australian Finance Podcast, Owen Rask sits down with Hayden Smith from Pearler to compare the money lessons they wish they had understood much earlier. What starts as a conversation about investing quickly turns into a practical discussion about the decisions that shape wealth in Australia: where you live, how you save, what tax does to returns and why good habits matter more th
Div 293, first-home rules and the SMSF property crackdown
In this episode of Australian Finance Podcast, Owen Rask and Gemma Mitchell unpack a grab bag of money questions that hit a lot of Australians at exactly the wrong time: when tax, super and property rules all seem to be changing at once.
They break down Div 293 tax, catch-up concessional contributions and whether high-income earners should still tip more into super when the tax savings are not as
Brandon van der Kolk on building New Money and Buffett-style investing
In this episode of Australian Finance Podcast, Owen Rask sits down with Brandon van der Kolk, the creator behind New Money and author of New Money Strategy, to unpack how a former physio built one of Australia’s biggest investing channels and what he has learned from nearly a decade of teaching people about money online.
Brandon explains why he rebranded from Aussie Wealth Creation to New Money,
Should you DIY your super? Hayden Smith answers the big questions
Australian Finance Podcast host Owen Rask sits down with Hayden Smith from Pearler to answer one of the biggest questions investors ask once they get serious about money: should you take more control of your super, or leave it alone?
Using listener questions as the backbone, they unpack the practical differences between large super funds, direct investment options and self-managed super funds,
An AI masterclass with Hayden Smith from Pearler
In this Australian Investors Podcast episode, Owen Rask sits down with Hayden Smith, CTO at Pearler, for a practical masterclass on what AI actually is, why it matters for investors, and where the real money may be made across the supply chain.
Rather than stopping at ChatGPT headlines, Owen and Hayden break the theme into layers: transformers, data centres, GPUs, memory, networking, cooling, ele
Tax myths busted: What you can really claim with the ATO
In this Australian Finance Podcast episode, your host Gemma Mitchell is joined by Anita Challen, Assistant Commissioner at the Australian Taxation Office (ATO), to bust some of the biggest tax myths Australians still believe.
They cover:
– What makes an expense genuinely tax deductible
– Common mistakes people make with work-related claims
– Car expenses and the records you need to keep
– Whe
Insurance Q&A: exclusions, loadings, claims & the $1.4 million dispute
In this Australian Finance Podcast episode, your host Gemma Mitchell is joined by Phil Thompson from Skye Wealth to answer your biggest insurance questions.
They cover:
– How insurance claims actually work from start to finish
– The difference between Any Occupation and Own Occupation cover
– Whether you can claim Income Protection and Trauma Insurance at the same time
– What exclusions, lo
Payday Super started 1 July 2026: what employers & employees need to know
In this Australian Finance Podcast episode, host Gemma Mitchell is joined by Emma Rosenzweig, Deputy Commissioner of the Payday Super Program at the Australian Taxation Office, to unpack the Payday Super changes. They cover:
– What Payday Super is and why it’s changing
– What employers and employees should be doing
– How super guarantee payments will need to be timed
– What qualifying earning
Christian Hull on property, calm cash flow and the end of hot money chaos
In this episode of the Australian Finance Podcast, Gemma Mitchell sits down with Christian Hull for the final instalment of the Hot Money Mess series and a candid look at what has actually changed after months of money coaching, better systems and a few big life decisions.
Christian began this series describing himself as chaotic with money. He returns sounding calmer, clearer and much more inten
Bad financial advice, offset vs redraw & buying your first home
In this episode of the Australian Finance Podcast, Gemma Mitchell is joined by Milli Russell for a practical Q&A covering some of the money questions that can feel small in the moment but have a huge impact over time.
They unpack what a 21-year-old should focus on if buying a first home is only 12 months away, including why speaking to a mortgage broker early matters, what lenders may look for, a
The real cost of childcare, school choices and family planning
In this episode of Australian Finance Podcast, Gemma Mitchell sits down with Jason Leong from PocketSmith to unpack one of the biggest pressure points for modern households: childcare and education costs.
Using PocketSmith's Global Spending Map, they compare what families are spending across Australia, New Zealand and the US and explain why childcare can feel like a second mortgage. They unpack h
Rewind: Investment hacks & financial hot takes
This Rask Rewind episode is pulled from the Australian Finance Podcast archives, with plenty of timeless money lessons worth revisiting.
Investment hacks, AI fears, Debt recycling, family trusts & whether you really need VAS – there is a lot packed into this one! In this episode of the Australian Finance Podcast, Owen and Gemma are back for your weekly Q&A and answering your questions on:
-
How do I fix my finances? 5 simple steps to take control
In this Australian Finance Podcast episode, your hosts Owen Rask and Gemma Mitchell dive into money coaching, financial advice, and the simple 5-step framework anyone can use to take control of their finances. They cover:
- The difference between education, coaching, and financial advice
- Why most people aren’t as “bad with money” as they think
- Real-life insights from working with Christian
Budget fear, super moves and inheritance: your money questions answered
In this Australian Finance Podcast episode, Owen Rask and Gemma Mitchell tackle the questions Australians are asking right now as post-Budget uncertainty ripples through property, super and long-term wealth plans. From negative gearing and borrowing power to super contributions, calculators and inheritance, this is a practical Q&A for people who want clearer next steps.
Owen and Gemma explain why
3 ETFs for your whole portfolio? Cameron’s picks for your 30s and 50s
In this episode of the Australian Finance Podcast, Owen Rask is joined by Cameron Gleeson from Betashares for a practical challenge: if you could only use three ETFs for your whole portfolio, which ones would you choose — and why?
Rather than keeping it theoretical, they build two example portfolios from the ground up. The first is for a 34-year-old couple with young kids, a $50,000 portfolio and
Matt Raad on buying websites and online businesses to build wealth
In this episode of the Australian Finance Podcast, Gemma Mitchell sits down with website investor and digital business educator Matt Raad to explore a different way Australians can think about building wealth. Instead of focusing only on shares, property or super, Matt explains why websites and online businesses can behave like investable assets when they are bought carefully and run well.
They u
Friday Q&A: Blended family finances, weekly mortgage payments & super myths
In this Australian Finance Podcast episode, your hosts Owen Rask and Gemma Mitchell answer listener questions and give an update on the Finders Keepers $10,000 Challenge.
They cover:
– Managing money fairly in blended families
– Whether weekly mortgage repayments actually save interest
– How offset accounts change the equation
– When it makes sense to consolidate super funds
– The differen
ETF tax traps, CGT and cost base adjustments with Navarre Trousselot
In this Australian Finance Podcast episode, Owen Rask is joined by Navarre Trousselot, founder of Navexa, to unpack why the proposed 2026 Federal Budget tax changes could make ETF record-keeping and capital gains reporting much messier for everyday investors. Instead of glossing over the hard bits, they walk through how capital gains tax works in Australia, why parcel selection matters, and why AT
How to stop being a hot money mess: Using data to fix your finances
In this episode of The Australian Finance Podcast, your hosts Owen Rask and Gemma Mitchell are joined by money systems expert Andrew Fisher for Episode 3 of the Christian Hull Hot Money Mess series.
After unpacking Christian’s money story and coaching framework, this episode dives into the power of data and why understanding your numbers can completely change how you feel about money.
Because wh
EOFY Tax Q&A: deductions, offsets & how to avoid huge tax bills
In this Australian Finance Podcast episode, your hosts Owen Rask and Gemma Mitchell answer your end-of-financial-year tax questions and put Owen to the test with an ETF pop quiz challenge.
They cover:
– How tax works when you’re self-employed
– When and how much tax sole traders need to pay
– The difference between tax deductions and tax offsets
– How spouse super contributions can reduce y
Is AI in a bubble? Cameron Gleeson on the barbell strategy for AI investing.
AI is one of the biggest investing themes in markets right now, but the smarter question is not just whether OpenAI, Anthropic or Nvidia win. It is who else makes money when AI demand explodes.
In this Australian Finance Podcast episode, Owen Rask is joined by Cameron Gleeson from Betashares to unpack the AI supply chain from hyperscalers, semiconductors and cloud infrastructure through to copper
6 ETFs for passive income with Hugh Lam from Betashares
In this Australian Finance Podcast episode, Owen Rask is joined by Hugh Lam from Betashares to build a six-ETF watchlist for investors chasing passive income without sleepwalking into yield traps. Rather than treating income as a race to the highest percentage, they step through where ETF income actually comes from, why total return still matters, and how to think about blending shares, bonds, cre
Senator Andrew Bragg on housing, tax and Australia’s productivity problem
This episode was originally featured on The Australian Investors Podcast.
In this episode, Owen Rask sits down with Senator Andrew Bragg for a wide-ranging conversation about the Federal Budget, housing supply, tax, productivity and why so many Australians feel the country has become harder to get ahead in. Rather than getting stuck in party talking points, they focus on the practical questions
How rich are you? What 3,000 Aussies told us about wealth
How rich are you really, and how do you stack up against other Australians? In this episode of The Australian Finance Podcast, Owen Rask and Gemma Mitchell unpack early results from Rask’s free Wealth Checker after around 3,000 community members benchmarked their finances.
Together, they explore what the data says about net worth, debt, super, property, shares and crypto, and why context matters
Money coaching vs financial advice: The 5-step framework to fix your finances
In this Australian Finance Podcast episode, your hosts Owen Rask and Gemma Mitchell dive into money coaching, financial advice, and the simple 5-step framework anyone can use to take control of their finances. They cover:
– The difference between education, coaching, and financial advice
– Why most people aren’t as “bad with money” as they think
– Real-life insights from working with Christian
ETF tax traps, kids investing, retirement timing & super: Special Q&A
ETF tax, kids’ investing, retirement timing and super all in one Q&A? That is what Owen Rask and Tahli Cavagnino tackle in this practical Australian Finance Podcast episode.
The episode opens with the tax questions investors often avoid: capital gains, franking credits, ETF cost-base adjustments and US income. Navarre from Navexa joins to explain why record-keeping becomes harder the longer you h
How to invest in your 30s - ETF starter portfolio
Your 30s can be one of the most important decades for building wealth, but they can also be one of the messiest. A mortgage, family plans, career pressure and day-to-day cash flow can make investing feel a lot more complicated than it did in your 20s.
In this Australian Finance Podcast episode, Owen Rask is joined by Hugh Lam from Betashares to break down how ETF investors can think about their 3
![How to start investing in ETFs: Step-by-step beginner guide [5/5]](https://megaphone.imgix.net/podcasts/850cfb12-4d07-11f1-8fc3-bb780024acc0/image/c332bd0a4fff430355748ab69c03dfc4.png?ixlib=rails-4.3.1&max-w=3000&max-h=3000&fit=crop&auto=format,compress)
How to start investing in ETFs: Step-by-step beginner guide [5/5]
In this Australian Finance Podcast episode, your hosts Owen Rask and Gemma Mitchell wrap up the ETF mini-series by showing you exactly how to get started.
After learning what ETFs are, how they work, how to research them, and how to build a portfolio, this episode turns knowledge into action with a simple step-by-step guide.
They cover:
- What you need to start investing in ETFs
- How to place
![How to build your ETF portfolio: Simple strategies that work [4/5]](https://megaphone.imgix.net/podcasts/547c0e3a-4d01-11f1-9c72-9310f0d84e4e/image/1817594ae5aaf1e2fbb885cb0770310c.png?ixlib=rails-4.3.1&max-w=3000&max-h=3000&fit=crop&auto=format,compress)
How to build your ETF portfolio: Simple strategies that work [4/5]
In this Australian Finance Podcast episode, your hosts Owen Rask and Gemma Mitchell continue the ETF mini-series by helping you actually build your ETF portfolio.
After learning what ETFs are, how they work, and how to research them, this episode focuses on decision-making—how to choose ETFs, structure your portfolio, and grow with confidence over time.
They cover:
- How to build a simple ETF p
![How to research ETFs: The ultimate beginner checklist [3/5]](https://megaphone.imgix.net/podcasts/62069698-483c-11f1-9a75-57d599d673ac/image/1d7cf9c90b8314c81d1fa2fd41d96f5d.png?ixlib=rails-4.3.1&max-w=3000&max-h=3000&fit=crop&auto=format,compress)
How to research ETFs: The ultimate beginner checklist [3/5]
In this Australian Finance Podcast episode, your hosts Owen Rask and Gemma Mitchell continue the ETF mini-series by showing you how to research and compare ETFs like a pro.
After learning what ETFs are and how they work in episodes one and two, this episode focuses on building trust and confidence when choosing between similar ETFs.
They cover:
– How to research ETFs using a simple checklist
– T
What does the federal budget mean for your money, property & super?
What does the 2026 Federal Budget actually mean for your money once you cut through the noise? In this Australian Finance Podcast Q&A, Owen Rask and Gemma Mitchell unpack the biggest proposed changes and explain what they could mean for everyday Australians, investors and retirees.
The episode walks through the headline issues people are asking about right now: proposed changes to the capital g
![How ETFs actually work: Capital growth, dividends & risk explained [2/5]](https://megaphone.imgix.net/podcasts/d4a0014c-4221-11f1-b01e-fbb01e5f53e8/image/bc5a4c00232b01149e98493d8c009f95.png?ixlib=rails-4.3.1&max-w=3000&max-h=3000&fit=crop&auto=format,compress)
How ETFs actually work: Capital growth, dividends & risk explained [2/5]
In this Australian Finance Podcast episode, your hosts Owen Rask and Gemma Mitchell continue the ETF mini-series with a deeper dive into how ETFs actually work.
After covering the basics in episode one, this episode focuses on building your confidence by explaining how you make money from ETFs, what’s happening behind the scenes, and how to think about risk.
They cover:
- How ETFs generate retu
![What is an ETF? Beginner guide to investing in ETFs [1/5]](https://megaphone.imgix.net/podcasts/d1740438-3eba-11f1-9a69-df58eef903c9/image/8635fe8d01d9eff8e5371d53aa187e94.png?ixlib=rails-4.3.1&max-w=3000&max-h=3000&fit=crop&auto=format,compress)
What is an ETF? Beginner guide to investing in ETFs [1/5]
In this Australian Finance Podcast episode, your hosts Owen Rask and Gemma Mitchell kick off a 5-part ETF investing mini-series by breaking down what ETFs actually are and why they’ve become so popular.
Over this series, you’ll learn how to research, compare and build your own ETF portfolio with confidence. In this first episode, we focus on the foundations and remove the intimidation around gett
Christian Hull’s Hot-Mess Money Makeover: Where to Start
In this Australian Finance Podcast episode, your host Gemma Mitchell kicks off Episode 1 of the Christian Hull ‘Hot-Mess Money Makeover’ coaching series. With over six million followers, Christian Hull is no stranger to attention—but managing money behind the scenes is a different story.
In this episode, they cover:
- Christian’s current financial confidence and stress levels
- How Christian’
Super vs property vs ETFs: What should you focus on?
In this Australian Finance Podcast episode, your hosts Owen Rask and Gemma Mitchell unpack more listener questions around investing strategy, superannuation, and navigating today’s economic environment. They cover:
– How to split investments inside vs outside super
– Whether you’re still eligible for first home buyer grants
– How to think about investing during global uncertainty
– Super vs E
Like design? Listen to this: Why AI makes human judgment more valuable, ft. Andrew Hogan
AI can now generate prototypes, content and product ideas at speed — but Figma’s Andrew Hogan says the real edge is still human judgment.
In this episode, Owen Rask chats with Andrew about what AI is changing inside teams, why design is becoming more valuable, and how leaders are using better tools to communicate ideas with more clarity. They explore why senior designers may be worth more than ev
Got $1 million overnight? What to do next
In this Australian Finance Podcast episode, your hosts Owen Rask and Gemma Mitchell tackle real listener questions on navigating big financial decisions.
They cover:
- What to do when you receive a $1m inheritance
- How to think about rising insurance premiums in super
- The reality of buying a home as a single person today
- The key wealth trends shaping Australian households
If you li
Why buying your first home feels impossible (and what to do instead) with Lucinda Hartley
Discover why the traditional path to buying your first home no longer works, the trade-offs modern buyers must make, and how to rethink home ownership in today’s market.
In this Australian Finance Podcast episode, your host Gemma Mitchell is joined by Lucinda Hartley, author of Finding Home, to unpack what’s really changed when it comes to buying your first home. They cover:
– Why the traditio
Money in your 20s: investing, super and your first home
In this episode of the Australian Finance Podcast, Owen is joined by Emily from the Rask design team for a practical conversation about money in your 20s.
Together they unpack the real questions younger Australians face when life is moving quickly and the pressure to “figure it out” feels intense. Emily shares what changed after moving from New Zealand to Melbourne, learning how Australia’s super
Sudden wealth explained: inheritance, pressure, risk & what to do next
In this Australian Finance Podcast episode, your hosts Owen Rask and Gemma Mitchell break down sudden wealth events, and what happens when life goes from “normal” to financially complex overnight. They cover:
– What counts as a sudden wealth event
– Why more money does not always mean less stress
– The emotional side of inheritance, guilt, pressure, and decision fatigue
– What changes whe
Inside a $350bn super fund: How your money is really invested
In this Australian Finance Podcast episode, your host Owen Rask is joined by Brian Parker, Chief Economist of Australian Retirement Trust (ART), to discuss how ART thinks about runway, portfolio construction, private markets and when volatility becomes opportunity.
They cover:
- What a chief economist actually does and how ART turns research into portfolio action.
- How “super money” is diff
Interest rates are rising… here’s how to actually benefit
In this Australian Finance Podcast episode, your hosts Owen Rask and Gemma Mitchell break down what rising interest rates actually mean for your money — and how you can benefit if you’ve got cash sitting in the bank. They cover:
– Why rate hikes aren’t all bad news
– Who wins and loses when interest rates rise
– How savings accounts really work (and where banks get you)
– Why chasing the highe
Fuel relief is coming, credit card surcharges are going plus, starting with $2k & retirement planning
In this Australian Finance Podcast episode, your hosts Owen Rask and Gemma Mitchell dive into a listener Q&A covering real-life money challenges and wins. They cover:
– Celebrating a listener hitting $5k in savings early in the year
– Whether to focus on mortgage repayments or start investing
– How to begin investing with just $2–5k
– Financial Infidelity and coming back from gambling debt
Financial independence is still achievable but most people are focusing on the wrong lever
Mitchel Sneddon sits down with Hayden Smith, co-founder of Pearler, to unpack whether FIRE is still achievable and what actually drives financial independence today. The conversation moves beyond theory into the real levers — spending, income, behaviour and simple ETF investing — and reframes investing as a tool, not the solution.
Together they discuss:
– FIRE remains achievable, but outcomes
Estate planning, super & SMSFs: What happens to your money?
In this Australian Finance Podcast episode, your host Owen Rask is joined by Senior financial adviser at Rask Advice, Chamil Peiris to answer listener questions on estate planning, superannuation and SMSFs.
They cover:
– What to do with leftover funeral insurance money
– Whether you need a will in your 20s
– How super beneficiaries actually work
– The difference between SMSFs and industry
Becoming a financial planner, SpaceX IPO & your questions answered
In this Australian Finance Podcast episode, your host Owen Rask is joined by Rask Advice Associate Milli Russell to unpack Milli’s journey into financial advice, alongside answering your biggest money questions. They cover:
– Milli’s pathway from school to financial planning
– What it actually takes to become a financial adviser
– How the industry is changing post-Royal Commission
– Real-world an
Low deposit, high stakes: Inside Australia's 5% revolution
In this Australian Finance Podcast episode, your hosts Pete Wargent of Allen Wargent Property Buyers and Gemma Mitchell from Rask discuss whether first homebuyers should use the 5% deposit scheme.
Here’s what they cover:
-Criteria for qualifying for the new scheme
-The new property price caps
-Getting the right loan
-Managing cashflows
-Retaining a buffer
-The benefits of using the 5% de
Are Australians really doing it tougher? Real spending data from AU, US & NZ
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Topics Covered
– What is PocketSmith and how does it track spending data?
– Understanding the Global Spending Map
– Mortgage
Is super a gamble? Super Payday, fixed rates, interest-only loans & knowing when you have ‘enough’ – Q&A
In this Australian Finance Podcast episode, your hosts Gemma Mitchell and Leigh Gant answer your weekly money and life questions. They cover:
– Whether superannuation is really a “gamble” and what happened during past crashes
– What the new Super Payday rules mean for when your employer pays your super
– What to consider when your fixed home loan rate rolls off
– Whether interest-only loans ar
3 big retirement changes you need to know (plus your 5-step retirement plan)
We are only a couple of months into 2026 and we’ve already seen significant retirement changes announced. These updates could directly impact your super, Age Pension eligibility and contribution strategy.
-In this Australian Finance Podcast episode, your host Gemma Mitchell is joined by James O’Reilly- co host on the Australian Retirement Podcast and financial adviser at Northeast Financial Wealt
Hedged vs unhedged ETFs, ETF size, super duplication & kids investing: Weekly Q&A
In this Australian Finance Podcast episode, Owen is away so your host Gemma Mitchell is joined by Mitchell Sneddon (one of our hosts of the Australian Investor Podcast) to answer your weekly investing questions on ETFs and portfolio construction. They cover:
– Hedged vs unhedged international ETFs (and when it matters)
– Whether ETF fund size and liquidity should influence your choice
– How to
Financially preparing for kids: cash flow, leave, childcare and insurance explained
In this Australian Finance Podcast episode, Owen Rask is joined by Alex Luck, financial adviser and co-founder of Everest Wealth Group, for a deep dive into financially preparing for kids.
Alex works with many Australians in their 20s to 40s navigating career progression, property decisions and starting families. As a father of two himself, he shares both professional and personal insights into wh
Super at retirement, pension timing and health costs – Q&A
In this Friday Q&A episode of The Australian Finance Podcast, Gemma Mitchell is joined by Tahli Cavagnino, Senior Adviser at Rask Advice, to answer some of the most common and nuanced questions people face as they approach retirement.
This episode focuses on the decisions that sit right at the transition point, when work is winding down, structures start to matter more, and the tax and timing t
Tom's $100,000 ETF portfolio (with a twist)
Owen Rask and Betashares’ Tom Wickenden construct two themed $100,000 ETF portfolios — one focused on the rise of China and Asia, the other built as an “existential” hedge against US dominance and structural risks.
In this Australian Finance Podcast episode, Owen Rask is joined by Tom Wickenden from Betashares to construct two high-conviction $100,000 ETF portfolios — each with a clear macro them
The four stages of wealth: What to focus on at each stage
In this Australian Finance Podcast episode, Gemma Mitchell sits down with financial adviser, author and host of the Financially Fierce Podcast, Jess Brady. Jess is the author of Get Growing and founder of The Greenhouse education program.
Together, they unpack Jess’s powerful framework: the four stages of wealth — and what you should actually focus on at each stage.
They cover:
– Why money feel
Rewarding yourself, ETF losses and walking away from golden handcuffs – Q&A
In this Friday Q&A episode of The Australian Finance Podcast, Owen Rask and Gemma Mitchell tackle the emotional side of money decisions, from learning how to actually enjoy financial progress, to handling early investing nerves, career burnout and retirement timing.
This episode is less about spreadsheets and more about behaviour, mindset and realistic trade-offs, especially for people who are
Unclaimed money: Are you leaving free money on the table?
In this episode of The Australian Finance Podcast, your hosts Owen Rask and Gemma Mitchell dive into one of the easiest money wins of the year: finding unclaimed money. T
hey uncover:
– Why billions of dollars are sitting unclaimed in Australia
– How to check if any of it is yours (in 10 minutes or less)
– The three places to search: ATO, ASIC, and your state government
– Why this should be p
AI & your money, super strategies and SMSF ETF risks – Q&A
Explore how AI tools like ChatGPT can support (and mislead) your financial planning, understand key differences between pre- and post-tax super contributions, and unpack SMSF concerns around ETF custodial ownership.
In this Friday Q&A episode of The Australian Finance Podcast, Owen Rask and Gemma Mitchell unpack some of the most common and timely questions we’re seeing right now around AI, supera
Super stats: How does your superannuation compare?
How does your super really stack up? Average vs top 10% super balances explained.
In this episode of The Australian Finance Podcast, Gemma Mitchell and Owen Rask break down the latest Australian superannuation statistics and answer the question so many people quietly worry about: Am I behind on super?
This episode cuts through the averages, explains what the numbers actually mean, and gives
Baby on the way? Money tips, leave & childcare costs
In this Friday Q&A episode of The Australian Finance Podcast, Gemma Mitchell is joined by James Phelan, Senior Adviser at Rask Advice, to answer the big money questions that tend to come up when a baby is on the way.
From planning for income changes to understanding parental leave, childcare costs and shared money dynamics, this episode focuses on practical, real-world decisions new and growing f
Dare to be wealthy – with Mel Browne
In this episode of The Australian Finance Podcast, Gemma Mitchell is joined by long-time friend of the show, Mel Browne – a multi-time founder, author, and ex-financial adviser with a fresh take on what it really means to be wealthy.
With her new book Dare to Be Wealthy hitting shelves, Mel and Gemma dive into some of the biggest mindset blocks, money myths and systemic challenges holding people
Executor of an estate and first home buyer trade-offs – Q&A
In this Friday Q&A episode of The Australian Finance Podcast, Owen Rask and Gemma Mitchell tackle some of the bigger, more complex money questions that tend to show up in mid-life and major transitions.
We cover what it really means to be an executor of an estate, how to think through first home and property decisions as a couple, and how investors at different stages can make more confident choi
Is FIRE still possible in 2026? Ft. Dave Gow
In this Australian Finance Podcast episode, Owen Rask is joined by Dave Gow from Strong Money Australia for a deep, honest conversation about the future of FIRE — and whether financial independence is still achievable in 2026.
Is FIRE still achievable in Australia in 2026?
Why FIRE feels harder now — and why it’s not impossible
How Dave would rebuild financial independence from $0 today
The King's private school, renovation loans and mortgage vs super – Q&A
In this Friday Q&A episode of The Australian Finance Podcast, Owen Rask and Gemma Mitchell work through some of the big, messy money decisions many families face but rarely get clear answers on.
This week we unpack how to think about private school costs, who to speak to when planning a major renovation, what happens with kids’ investing accounts as they grow up, and how to weigh up mortgage prog
