Financial Autonomy

The retirement mistakes that cost people most are often made before they leave work, when there is still time to fix them, and have real consequences if they don't. 

Because this is not just about whether you can afford to retire. It is about whether you can afford the retirement you have been picturing; the travel, the flexibility, the choice to help your kids, stay in your home, or stop worrying every time markets fall. 

In this episode, Paul breaks down the five things to get clear on before you retire, so you can spot the gaps while there is still time to act, make the decisions that could strengthen your position, and avoid walking into retirement only to realise the plan was shakier than you thought 

In this episode: 

How to know whether your retirement plan actually stacks up, before it's too late  


The financial shock that can hit harder close to retirement 


Why the last few working years could be some of the most valuable of your life  


The super opportunity you might not want to waste 


How your home could shape your retirement income, whether you stay or downsize 


The big question to get clear on before you retire 


 

FOR PERSONALISED RETIREMENT PLANNING ADVICE: Book an appointment with Paul here.  WANT TO STAY ACROSS WHAT'S MOVING THE MARKETS?: Subscribe to GainingCHOICE, our weekly email unpacking the key headlines and what to pay attention to. 

GOT A FINANCE QUESTION FOR PAUL?: Send it to [email protected], and it could be featured in his Ask an Expert column each Sunday in The Age and Sydney Morning Herald. 

General advice disclaimer

The 2026 Federal Budget could change the way many Australians invest, buy property and reduce tax. 

The big headline isn't the $250 tax offset. It's the proposed reforms to capital gains tax, negative gearing and family trusts. If they become law, they could mean a higher tax bill when you sell an investment, fewer tax benefits for future property investors, and a major shake up for people using trusts to manage family wealth. 

In this episode, Nick breaks down the biggest tax changes announced in the Budget, explains who they could affect, and walks through the details that matter before the commentary and political noise take over. 

Inside this episode: 

The tax break for workers, and when you'd actually see it  


The proposed capital gains tax change that could affect property, shares and ETFs  


Why selling an investment in a low income year may no longer work the same way  


What the Budget could mean for negative gearing and future property purchases  


The family trust change that some households and business owners need to pay attention to  


The key dates, grey areas and unanswered questions still hanging over these proposals  


If you invest, own property, use a trust, or are planning your next money move, you need to listen to this episode.   WANT ADVICE ON HOW THIS WILL AFFECT YOUR FINANCES? Book an appointment here.  WANT TO STAY ACROSS WHAT'S MOVING THE MARKETS?: Subscribe to GainingCHOICE, our weekly email unpacking the key headlines and what to pay attention to. 

GOT A FINANCE QUESTION FOR PAUL?: Send it to [email protected], and it could be featured in his Ask an Expert column each Sunday in The Age and Sydney Morning Herald. 

General advice disclaimer

The most expensive retirement mistakes often happen 10 years before you actually retire. You still have time to make meaningful changes, but every choice starts to carry more weight. 

So, where should you put your money to put yourself in the best position for retirement? Into your mortgage, so you can retire debt free? Into super, so you can take advantage of the tax benefits? Into investments outside super, so you still have flexibility if work ends earlier than planned? 

In the first episode of this three-part retirement planning series, Paul breaks down what to focus on when retirement is around a decade away. He covers the decisions that can have the biggest impact on your final position, including how much you want to spend, whether your home still makes sense, why getting too conservative too early can be expensive, and how to review insurance before it quietly eats into your retirement savings. 

Inside this episode: 

• The mortgage versus super decision, and why the answer is rarely one size fits all • Why getting too conservative too early could cost you hundreds of thousands • How to work out what kind of retirement you are actually trying to fund • Why being debt free before retirement is usually the goal • How to balance super's tax benefits with access and flexibility • The insurance costs that may be quietly dragging on your super • What to focus on now so you are not scrambling later 

WANT TO KNOW IF YOU'RE RETIREMENT READY?| Book an appointment with Paul here.  WANT TO STAY ACROSS WHAT'S MOVING THE MARKETS?: Subscribe to GainingCHOICE, our weekly email unpacking the key headlines and what to pay attention to. 

GOT A FINANCE QUESTION FOR PAUL?: Send it to [email protected], and it could be featured in his Ask an Expert column each Sunday in The Age and Sydney Morning Herald. 

General advice disclaimer

Buying a property is one of the biggest financial decisions you'll ever make… and most people don't realise they've made a bad one until after they've signed the contract. 

They've done their research, they've checked the suburb, spoken to a broker, maybe even run the numbers. But the things that actually cost people are the things they never knew to think about. Like the structure they didn't think through, the conditions they didn't question, and the small details that turn into expensive problems later.  In this episode, Nick is joined by buyer's agent Mel Dennis to break down the full property buying checklist, that helps you spot issues before you commit, understand what you're really buying, and avoid getting caught out after the fact. 

You'll walk away knowing what to check at each stage of the process, what most buyers miss, and how to approach your next purchase with a lot more clarity and a lot less guesswork.  

Inside this episode: 

Why most property mistakes happen before you even start looking  


The financial and structural decisions that shape everything that follows  


What people forget to factor in beyond the purchase price  


The non negotiables you need to define before inspecting properties  


How to assess a property properly beyond first impressions  


The due diligence checks that can save you from expensive surprises  


What to look for in contracts, conditions, and key dates  


How negotiation is about more than just price  


What you need to know before bidding at auction  


Why your pre settlement inspection is more important than you think 


DOWNLOAD THE CHECKLIST: Click here to get the checklist 

READY TO SORT YOUR FINANCES?:   Book an appointment here.  WANT TO STAY ACROSS WHAT'S MOVING THE MARKETS?: Subscribe to GainingCHOICE, our weekly email unpacking the key headlines and what to pay attention to. 

GOT A FINANCE QUESTION FOR PAUL?: Send it to [email protected], and it could be featured in his Ask an Expert column each Sunday in The Age and Sydney Morning Herald. 

General advice disclaimer

You hear inflation talked about like it's the villain of the economy all the time.... but what is inflation actually doing to your own money?  Well, it's reducing what your savings can buy. It's eating into your investment returns. And it can leave you years behind where you thought you'd be, without you realising it's happening.  

So, in this episode, Paul breaks down exactly how inflation impacts your wealth, where it shows up in your financial life, and how to tell if your current strategy is keeping pace or falling short.  Because if your money isn't growing faster than inflation, you're actually going backwards. 

In this episode: 

• Why your money can be growing and you're still falling behind • The reason your returns don't feel like they're getting you ahead • What inflation is quietly taking from your savings every year • How "playing it safe" could be costing you more than you realise • Why your retirement number might be wrong (and what's throwing it off) • What inflation is really doing to interest rates, markets, and your plan • The quick check to see if your current strategy is actually working 

  WANT TO STAY ACROSS WHAT'S MOVING THE MARKETS?: Subscribe to GainingCHOICE, our weekly email unpacking the key headlines and what to pay attention to. 

GOT A FINANCE QUESTION FOR PAUL?: Send it to [email protected], and it could be featured in his Ask an Expert column each Sunday in The Age and Sydney Morning Herald. 

General advice disclaimer