2024: Last-minute wobbles in a very good year
19 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Never count your chickens...until the last day of the year: A sober call from US Federal Reserve cha...
What top stock CEOs are expecting in 2025
17 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Call it key person risk - or perhaps ' key person opportunity': Either way, the personality of the C...
Too late to join Wall Street’s bull run?
12 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Can the US possibly repeat its bumper returns again in 2025? Well, the pundits tell us that US ...
Your property questions answered
10 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The inbox at [email protected] is not going to get cleared by Xmas if we don't do ...
How to find a financial advisor
05 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
There were 30,000 advisers in Australia and there are 15,000 today. Worse still, there are only a te...
Distressed property sales rising - but are they bargains?
03 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
It does not take long for distressed sales to appear in a soft property market: In Sydney and Melbou...
Relax... the new super tax looks dead in the water
28 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Call it a surprise if you like: But the unexpected, highly irregular, badly drafted new super tax is...
My super, my property - What's possible?
26 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
You can already use funds from an SMSF to buy an investment property. But what if you could use mon...
Special edition: 2024 Top Advisers list
21 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Need some advice about advice? At The Australian, we have expanded our annual roll call of the best ...
Big super cock-ups - Should you switch?
19 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The Big Super funds are having a woeful run of high-profile cock-ups where customers have been let d...
Investing in Trump time
14 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Australian investors have flocked to Wall Street in recent times favouring the 'Magnificent Seven' b...
Unlocking the professional formula for investment property success
12 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Many property investors never know if they will win or lose on a property until the day they finally...
HECs - what just happened to your bill?
07 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The average HECs bill is now $27,000 and many listeners will have bills that are higher than that: T...
Is Sophisticated Investor status worth the effort?
05 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
There are two classes of private investor in Australia: Everyday retail investors and legally certif...
Are wayward CEOs costing you money?
31 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
CEO scandals are flooding the share market: Qantas, Wisetech, MinRes...the list keeps growing. The t...
Biggest mistakes property buyers make at auction
29 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Buying at auction might seem straightforward, but unfortunately you are likely to become a bunny in...
Could you handle a share market crash?
24 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
This week - in 1987 - the ASX fell 25 per cent IN A DAY. Just now the local share market is going g...
Should we follow the PM to the beach?
22 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Every spring property investors are tempted again by the lure of the beach house: This year the Prim...
Disappearing dividends - The hidden problem in our hot share market
17 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The chances are that your share portfolio is going gangbusters. But a paradox of our bull market on ...
Yes, I'd use my super to buy a home - here's why
15 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
There are now several efforts afoot to use super for home buying: Liberal party politicians are push...
We have to talk about the inheritance tax on super (with Noel Whittaker)
10 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Australia has no inheritance tax, or so they say: In reality, many people will have most of their li...
Keep that investment property out of super - here's why
08 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Property tax concessions are highly popular - and widely debated - because they work so well. So wh...
What can a 24 year-old tell you about investing? (you will be surprised)
03 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Today's guest runs a social enterprise, owns several investment properties and got out of school as ...
March of the millennials:The biggest trend in property
01 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
For property investors looking long term, the future shape of Australia will dictate the future s...
Things you've always wanted to ask a lawyer
26 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
It's usually too late to act when you realise you need a lawyer. And when it comes to money and fina...
Key indicators for long-term property success – what to focus on
24 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Warren Buffett once remarked that “forecasters will fill your ears but never your wallet.” With ...
Let's face it - no one likes tax, but how do we pay less of it?
19 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Like the old saying goes there are only a few things certain in life - death and taxes. In this epis...
Investment Lending Hits All-Time High: What’s Driving the Surge?
17 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Lending to property investors has surged by 47% over the past 5 months, despite high interest rates,...
Private equity playbook - tips from an insider
12 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Ever thought about investing in private equity but not sure where to start, what sort of returns are...
Spring Property Market Outlook: What to Expect
10 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Spring's peak property market begins in September, making it the ideal time to for us explore what t...
Do You Need a Financial Adviser? The Truth About Picking and Being Chosen
05 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
How to pick a financial adviser? It's one of the most common questions for investors...but a more ...
Sunny outlook for Queensland property
03 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The Australian property market has always been a collection of regional sectors: But one regional pr...
ETFs: Just when you thought you understood them, they've changed
29 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
It's taken about two decades for the wider investment public to understand ETFs: The index funds tha...
If you don't buy, you rent until you die ... discuss
27 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
We hear it more and more: 'Property is so dear, it's impossible...so we are just going to give up no...
He manages $120 billion, what keeps him awake?
22 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Anyone with an investment portfolio has experienced stress: But what if you had nearly two million p...
If banks are cutting deposit rates, will lending rates follow?
20 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The big banks have jumped the gun, putting through hefty cuts on deposit rates before the RBA has ev...
Why the rich are comfortable with investments they can't cash out fast
20 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Our guest today has been rated as one of the top advisers in the market for many years. He makes the...
FIRE (Financial Independence, Retire Early) - Does it work?
13 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
One of the biggest ‘movements’ in finance is the FIRE concept. You work hard, you save even hard...
If the market has recovered, shouldn't you be bargain hunting?
08 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
As today's guest points out, we are looking at a 'most distrusted share market rally' where investor...
What the share market pullback tells every investor
06 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The worst share market drop on the ASX for four years will have ripple effects for investors in ever...
The AI Share Market Backlash
01 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
It had to happen: The excitement around Artificial Intelligence ran hot on the share market and now ...
The state with an oversupply of property
30 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
New data this week reveals the key to a slump in Victoria: Believe it or not there has been too much...
Setting up for the new financial year
25 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
So, you probably did very well in the year to June as an active investor: But what are your plans fo...
Can’t pay that mortgage? Three ways to fix it
23 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Whether you are an investor or an owner-occupier, the interest rate rises of recent years can be a s...
Red-hot sharemarket - your next moves
18 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The ASX is up 12 per cent in a year, the US S&P is up 24 per cent and now 'pro-market' Republica...
Would we be better off with less landlords?
16 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Investors with multiple properties often get a hard time: Anissa Cavallo owns 15 investment properti...
If Trump wins...what would it mean for sharemarkets?
11 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The sharemarkets are firing - the US market is on an absolute tear...and now we have the prospect ...
Villa Units: What's not to like for the smart investor?
09 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Property investors and home buyers take a second look! Villa units - the humble single storey dwelli...
How much should you have in super…seriously!
04 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
It’s the single most common question among Australian investors and the answer is different for ev...
The four magic words for a better mortgage deal
02 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
How much is property costing you? Home loan borrowers are extending their mortgages to keep costs do...
Big Shorts: CBA, Guzman Y Gomex...what's up?
27 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The share market is heading for another strong year, but the short sellers are working hard to pull ...
Secrets of buying your first home
25 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
You may think you are ready to join the property market but do you have your squad of professionals ...
The stocks the billionaires are buying
20 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Tycoons win and lose on the sharemarket just like the rest of us: This week Peter Cooper had a win w...
Land tax: Time to shop around?
18 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
As NSW follows Victoria with fresh moves to raise more money from Land Tax: Investors need to rev...
Money Shock - Dealing with a financial emergency
14 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Most of us invest to make money for better times. But what about needing money for when things go ve...
Melbourne property: Bargain basement or 'Loserville'?
11 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The soon-to-be-biggest city in Australia is among the cheapest! It is also the weakest in terms of p...
What your accountant never told you
06 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Ever been to a BBQ where someone told you about a unique tax strategy and you're left wondering why ...
Property development playbook - tips from an insider
04 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
High risk, high return is the perception when it comes to property development. So, no wonder that o...
Special edition: Listener questions answered
30 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The inbox at [email protected] has been bursting at the seams - it's time to give...
Would you tap your super to buy a first home?
28 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Using super for any reason other than retirement savings used to be taboo: Not anymore, and not when...
Should you have a Self Managed Super Fund?
23 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Are SMSFs worth the trouble? How much should you have in funds to get started? There are now more ...
A golden age for the apartment investor?
21 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The argument against apartment investment has always been the same: 'They can just keep adding new ...
The Budget Special Edition
16 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The 2024 budget was a deft piece of work: Politically astute, and supportive of low-income Australia...
New order: How Canberra and Brisbane now outpace Melbourne
14 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
You might think you know the Australian property market but the goalposts are moving: Hobart had sli...
'Sell in May and go away' - fact or fiction?
09 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Is there anything behind this piece of share market folk wisdom? We find out.Also, our biggest super...
Postcode discrimination - positive or negative ?
07 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The banks are starting to carve up the lending market by postcode. If you are inside one of the 145 ...
So you thought you knew ETFs...
02 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The plain vanilla Exchange Traded Fund (ETF) turned the Australian funds management sector on its he...
What we can learn from the way Australia's billionaire families invest
30 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
For the first time in the history of The Money Puzzle, James Kirby is off sick. James will be back o...
The case for raising rates now
24 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
It might seem like only yesterday that rates were supposed to be coming down but the news changes fa...
Why rental growth is going to weaken
23 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
For renters it’s been tough, for property owners it’s been plain sailing as rents grew in double...
Secrets of a successful tax return this year
18 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
June 30 this year is a unique tax opportunity for the simple reason your tax bill in FY 2024 is very...
The Generation Z perspective
16 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
What does the property market look like to Gen Z? The generation born after 1997 that takes a one pe...
HECs... something's gotta give
11 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The average HECs student debt is now $26,500 and rising rapidly. Once upon an inflation-free time HE...
Will the rate cut delay stall the property market?
09 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
As the economists continue to push their rate cut forecasts further out, it is now distinctly possib...
July 1 tax and super changes - what you need to do
03 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
It might be hard to believe but the key numbers for both personal tax and super contributions are go...
How Under 35s Can Crack the First Home Market
01 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
It's the biggest financial challenge for the new generation - how to get a toehold in the property m...
Roger Montgomery's Four Stock Picks
28 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The ASX just hit a new record and the markets are on a roll: So what should investors be looking for...
Mythbusting The Promise of Positive Gearing
26 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The promise of the investment property that 'pays for itself' is all too common in the property mark...
Special Edition: Artificial Intelligence 2024... What's Next For Investors?
21 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In June 2023 we did our first special edition on AI when we introduced the issue and we talked about...
Should you always pay down the mortgage first?
19 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
For a long time it was a golden rule among financial advisers to pay down your mortgage before any o...
Who's Who On The New Rich List?
14 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The annual Rich 250 has just been released with a whole new crew of debutants pushing the incumbent...
Is Melbourne The Most Undervalued City In Australia?
12 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The Victorian capital is the weakest of the major cities and its apartment market has been a loser f...
How To Invest Like The Future Fund
07 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The Future Fund's consistently strong returns and its big exposure to so-called 'unlisted assets' ha...
Why Are Regional Property Markets Rebounding?
05 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
This was not supposed to happen: The regions were meant to return to their secondary position in the...
Nvidia : The World’s Hottest Stock and Your Portfolio
29 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Not for the first time a single stock has become the proxy for a red-hot theme: AI and Nvidia are no...
Cash Crunch: Grabbing The Last Of The 5 Percent Deposit Rates
27 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The consensus view is that interest rates have peaked in this cycle. Banks are already snipping thei...
Secrets Of The Rich And Not-So-Famous (Family Office Special)
22 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Family offices are very much the fashion among the nation’s ultra-wealthy: What are they exactly a...
A Rare Opportunity for Buyers in Sydney
20 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Sydney prices have been soft in early 2024: It's not quite a 'buyer's market' but it is as good a ti...
Tackling Tax Threats (Real and Imagined)
15 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In redrawing the plan for personal tax cuts while introducing a tax on unrealised gains in super the...
The Promise of Passive Property Income
13 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Most property investors will aspire to have more than one property: Many in the market suggest strat...
Is Taylor Swift A Financial Role Model?
08 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The financial success of singer Taylor Swift is unprecedented: Show business will never be the same ...
Is Property Set to Drop? The Bear Case
06 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
It's time to listen to the other side: Some economists believe house prices are heading south in 202...
After The Tax Backflip - What To Do Now?
01 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The surprise changes to the planned tax cuts by the Albanese government will fuel political debate f...
Negative gearing - The comeback
30 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The conditions have been building for a rebound in negative gearing with climbing interest rates a...
Should You Borrow To Invest?
25 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Australians will borrow to the gills to buy the family home. They will also take big loans to enter ...
Stress Testing Property Forecasts
23 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The big banks offered a consensus estimate that capital city house prices would rise by 5.7 percent ...
Your Shares in 2024
18 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The share market beat all expectations in 2023 and what's stopping a repeat performance in 2024? Lot...
Sorting out your property plans for 2024
16 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In our first property episode of the year, we look at the very promising outlook for apartments, the...
Fun Money 4: Creating an art collection
10 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
How might you start collecting art? "If you enjoy it hanging on your wall, then that should be enoug...
Fun Money 3: How to become a car collector
04 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Driving a classic car that looks wonderful - and might just make you a small fortune - is something...