Australian Retirement Podcast

Industry super funds have been hit by hacking attempts and outages. Should you be worried? Drew Meredith and James O’Reilly break down what’s happening — plus answer your top retirement questions on super access, non-concessional contributions, downsizer rules, and early retirement strategies.

If you enjoyed this Australian Retirement Podcast episode on protecting your super and retirement planning, subscribe for weekly episodes on Apple, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Topics covered today:

- Industry super fund hacks and downtime — why it’s worrying

- Can you re-contribute super after drawing a pension?

- Preservation rules for superannuation: 60, 65, and retirement triggers

- How to add a spouse to a property title affordably

- Superannuation strategies for couples with large age gaps

Resources for this episode

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DISCLAIMER: This podcast contains general financial information only. That means the information does not take into account your objectives, financial situation, or needs. Because of that, you should consider if the information is appropriate to you and your needs, before acting on it. If you’re confused about what that means or what your needs are, you should always consult a licensed and trusted financial planner. Unfortunately, we cannot guarantee the accuracy of the information in this podcast, including any financial, taxation, and/or legal information. Remember, past performance is not a reliable indicator of future performance. The Rask Group is NOT a qualified tax accountant, financial (tax) adviser, or financial adviser. Access The Rask Group's Financial Services Guide (FSG): https://www.rask.com.au/fsg
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In this Australian Retirement Podcast episode, your hosts Drew Meredith from Wattle Partners and James O'Reilly from Northeast Wealth open with school holiday money-saving tips, then dive into the private credit boom sweeping retirement portfolios.

Not all private credit funds are equal. Drew and James break down what retirees need to know: illiquidity premiums, fund manager transparency, borrower quality, concentration risk, and whether evergreen funds are worth the hype. What should you actually look for before jumping into private credit?

Then the big question from "Panicking Parents": "My parents have $1M combined super and plan to withdraw ALL of it to move to an individual financial adviser, just like their friends did. What research should we do? How do I convince them to leave it in super?"

Drew and James expose the massive red flags, tax implications, and conflicts of interest that families need to understand before making this move.

If you like this Australian Retirement Podcast episode, don't forget to subscribe for weekly shows on Apple, Spotify, YouTube or wherever you get your podcasts.

Topics covered today:

1. Private credit risks - illiquidity premium, fund manager evaluation, borrower quality

2. Evergreen funds - benefits and costs reviewed

3. Concentration risk - how many underlying loans in your fund?

4. $1M super withdrawal red flags - tax implications and conflicts of interest

5. One piece of retirement advice - Drew and James' best wisdom

Resources for this episode

Buy Gemma’s book “The Money Reset”

Speak with the Rask Advice team

Ask a question (select the Finance podcast)

Show partner resources

Visit TermPlus to learn more

Rask Resources

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Financial Planning

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Access Show Notes

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Instagram: @rask.invest

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DISCLAIMER: This podcast contains general financial information only. That means the information does not take into account your objectives, financial situation, or needs. Because of that, you should consider if the information is appropriate to you and your needs, before acting on it. If you’re confused about what that means or what your needs are, you should always consult a licensed and trusted financial planner. Unfortunately, we cannot guarantee the accuracy of the information in this podcast, including any financial, taxation, and/or legal information. Remember, past performance is not a reliable indicator of future performance. The Rask Group is NOT a qualified tax accountant, financial (tax) adviser, or financial adviser. Access The Rask Group's Financial Services Guide (FSG): https://www.rask.com.au/fsg
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In this Australian Retirement Podcast episode, we take a close look at the US-Iran war volatility: Should you sell or hold? Did you know, missing the 10 best market days cuts returns in HALF. Plus your week-by-week GFC crash playbook for year 1 retirees.

In this Australian Retirement Podcast episode, your hosts Drew Meredith from Wattle Partners and James O'Reilly from Northeast Wealth tackle the question terrifying every retiree: with markets down 10%, Iran war escalating, and oil prices spiking - should you SELL or HOLD?

The data is brutal. Research shows missing just the 10 best market days over 30 years cuts your returns in HALF. Miss 30 days? Returns drop 84%. The kicker: 76% of the best days happen during bear markets or in the first two months of a bull market. JP Morgan found that seven of the 10 highest-returning days happened within two weeks of the market's largest declines.

Drew and James debate both sides - the case for staying invested versus the "this time is different" argument - then answer a listener's question: "How safe is my super during global conflicts? Can I park it somewhere safer?"

Finally, the big one: if you got a GFC-style crash in year one of retirement, what does the playbook actually look like week by week?

If you like this Australian Retirement Podcast episode, don't forget to subscribe for weekly shows on Apple, Spotify, YouTube or wherever you get your podcasts.

Topics covered today:

- Trump war geopolitics - sell or hold your portfolio?

- Missing 10 best days = 50% returns loss (Hartford Funds 30-year study)

- Why 76% of best days happen in bear markets

- Can you park super somewhere safer during volatility?

- GFC crash in year 1 retirement - your week-by-week playbook

Resources for this episode

Buy Gemma’s book “The Money Reset”

Ask a question (select the Finance podcast)

Show partner resources

Join Pearler using code “RASK” for $15 of Pearler Credit

Get 50% off your first two months using PocketSmith

View Betashares range of funds

Rask resources

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Financial Planning

Invest with us

Access Show Notes

Ask a question

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Follow us on social media:

Instagram: @rask.invest

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DISCLAIMER: This podcast contains general financial information only. That means the information does not take into account your objectives, financial situation, or needs. Because of that, you should consider if the information is appropriate to you and your needs, before acting on it. If you’re confused about what that means or what your needs are, you should always consult a licensed and trusted financial planner. Unfortunately, we cannot guarantee the accuracy of the information in this podcast, including any financial, taxation, and/or legal information. Remember, past performance is not a reliable indicator of future performance. The Rask Group is NOT a qualified tax accountant, financial (tax) adviser, or financial adviser. Access The Rask Group's Financial Services Guide (FSG): https://www.rask.com.au/fsg
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In this Australian Retirement Podcast episode, your hosts Drew Meredith from Wattle Partners and James O'Reilly from Northeast Wealth expose the "balanced" fund myth. Remember "Compare the Pair"? Two funds both labeled "balanced" can hold 40% vs 80% growth assets. Despite influencing millions of retirement outcomes, "balanced" has NO legal, regulatory, or industry-standard definition. It's marketing, not investment strategy.

James delivers shocking health news: Add 9 years to your life with just 7-8 hours sleep, 40 minutes moderate exercise daily, and a healthy diet. Even baby steps work - UK study of 59,078 participants found adding just 5 minutes sleep, 2 minutes exercise, and half a vegetable serving per day adds ONE EXTRA YEAR of life expectancy.

The Boomer Briefing tackles three critical questions:

"Where There's a Will, Is There a Way?" - With life expectancies increasing, when does it make sense to skip your retiree children and leave inheritances directly to adult grandchildren? Can you reassign your share of your parents' estate to your kids? Legal and tax implications explained, plus testamentary trust strategies.

"Wood Miner" asks: How do I protect my investments from litigation and being sued? Is super in accumulation phase better protected than pension phase?

Today's big question: "If aged care costs doubled in the next decade - which they might - should retirees be earmarking super specifically for that, or is that just planning for fear?"

Topics covered today:

- "Balanced" fund myth exposed - No legal definition, 40% vs 80% growth assets both called "balanced"

- Live 9 years longer - 7-8 hours sleep, 40 min exercise, healthy diet

- Baby steps add 1 year - Just 5 min more sleep + 2 min exercise + half serving vegetables

- Skip generations in wills - Leaving inheritance to grandchildren instead of retiree children

- Reassigning estate shares - Can you redirect your parents' inheritance to your kids? Tax implications

Resources for this episode

Five minutes exercise life span study

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Visit TermPlus to learn more

Rask Resources

All services

Financial Planning

Invest with us

Access Show Notes

Ask a question

We love feedback!

Follow us on social media:

Instagram: @rask.invest

TikTok: @rask.invest

DISCLAIMER: This podcast contains general financial information only. That means the information does not take into account your objectives, financial situation, or needs. Because of that, you should consider if the information is appropriate to you and your needs, before acting on it. If you’re confused about what that means or what your needs are, you should always consult a licensed and trusted financial planner. Unfortunately, we cannot guarantee the accuracy of the information in this podcast, including any financial, taxation, and/or legal information. Remember, past performance is not a reliable indicator of future performance. The Rask Group is NOT a qualified tax accountant, financial (tax) adviser, or financial adviser. Access The Rask Group's Financial Services Guide (FSG): https://www.rask.com.au/fsg
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In this Australian Retirement Podcast episode, your hosts Drew Meredith from Wattle Partners and James O'Reilly from Northeast Wealth open with breaking news: The Greens have rubber-stamped Div 296 - and they're demanding MORE tax reform. James breaks down what just passed, while Drew exposes the terrifying CGT and trust changes on the horizon.

Major tax changes being floated:

- New $135K income threshold with stacking provisions

- Cap gains tax capped at 30% maximum

- CGT discount slashed from 50% to 33%

The Boomer Briefing tackles why Australia's pension system ranking has fallen again in the global Mercer CFA Index. We're still top 10, but Netherlands, Denmark, and Iceland are crushing us. Why?

The Mercer Index scores three dimensions: Adequacy (benefits/replacement rates), Sustainability (long-term funding), and Integrity (governance/regulation). Australia excels at capital accumulation with our $3.5 trillion super pool and APRA/ASIC regulation - but we're getting destroyed on retirement income design.

The brutal truth: Australia built a world-class savings system. Northern Europe built world-class retirement income systems. The Mercer Index rewards the latter.

Plus, we say goodbye to Monique Pizzica, producer of The Australian Retirement Podcast.

Topics covered today:

- Greens rubber-stamp Div 296 - It's official, plus they want MORE tax reform

- CGT discount slashed to 33% - Down from 50%, massive tax impact

- New $135K income threshold - Stacking provisions and 30% cap gains cap

- Trust changes coming - What Drew's worried about

- Australia's pension ranking falls - Why Netherlands, Denmark, Iceland beat us

Resources for this episode

Mercer CFA Institute Global Pension Index 2025

Australia slips in global pension ranking

Ask a question (select the Retirement podcast)

Visit TermPlus to learn more

Rask Resources

All services

Financial Planning

Invest with us

Access Show Notes

Ask a question

We love feedback!

Follow us on social media:

Instagram: @rask.invest

TikTok: @rask.invest

DISCLAIMER: This podcast contains general financial information only. That means the information does not take into account your objectives, financial situation, or needs. Because of that, you should consider if the information is appropriate to you and your needs, before acting on it. If you’re confused about what that means or what your needs are, you should always consult a licensed and trusted financial planner. Unfortunately, we cannot guarantee the accuracy of the information in this podcast, including any financial, taxation, and/or legal information. Remember, past performance is not a reliable indicator of future performance. The Rask Group is NOT a qualified tax accountant, financial (tax) adviser, or financial adviser. Access The Rask Group's Financial Services Guide (FSG): https://www.rask.com.au/fsg
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