Australian Finance Podcast

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 progress versus super contributions.

Owen and Gemma cover:

• Whether it’s reasonable to feel uneasy about private school fees given they can’t be trialled, refunded, or easily reversed, and how to think about the financial and emotional trade-offs

• Who to speak to when planning a large renovation, what role mortgage brokers, lenders, accountants and financial advisers each play, and how renovation lending actually works in practice

• Whether lenders need building plans before approving finance for a renovation and how reno funding differs from buying or building a new home

• How kids Shareies accounts are taxed if they’re not held in a trust, what changes once a child turns 18, and who is responsible for tax along the way

• Whether it makes sense to redirect extra mortgage repayments into after-tax super contributions and then use the tax refund to top the mortgage back up, including the pros, cons and cash flow considerations

If you enjoyed this episode of The Australian Finance Podcast, make sure you hit follow on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you listen.And if you’ve got a question you’d like us to unpack in a future Q&A, send it through using the link in the show notes.

Resources for this episode

Podcast- Move or Do a Reno

Podcast- How to Plan a Reno

Invest for kids

Sign up for the newsletter

Sign up for Rask Core

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: https://bit.ly/Pearler

Get 50% off your first two months using PocketSmith: https://bit.ly/R-PocketSmith

View Betashares range of funds:  https://bit.ly/beta-25

~~ Rask resources ~~

All services: https://bit.ly/R-services

Financial Planning: https://bit.ly/R-plan 

Invest with us: https://bit.ly/R-invest 

Access Show Notes: https://bit.ly/R-notes 

Ask a question: https://bit.ly/R-quest 

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 episode of The Australian Finance Podcast, Owen Rask sits down with Hayden Smith, Co-Founder and CTO of Pearler, to explore how Australians really invest — and where investing, technology and advice are heading next.

From ETFs and core-satellite portfolios to AI, robo-advice and the slow shift away from property-first thinking, this conversation goes deep on what’s working, what’s overrated, and what the “average successful investor” of the future might actually look like.

🧠 What you’ll learn in this episode

🇦🇺 Australia vs 🇺🇸 the US: how investors really differ

- How Australian investor preferences compare with the US

- Why ETFs dominate locally — and whether that’s normal or surprising

- Cultural, behavioural and structural differences between markets

👩‍💼👨‍💼 Investing behaviours: men, women & long-term outcomes

- Are there meaningful differences between how men and women invest?

- What the data says versus common stereotypes

- Why behaviour matters more than product choice

🧩 Core & Satellite investing — what it actually looks like

- ETFs vs shares: how real portfolios shake out in practice

- Why “core & satellite” is often misunderstood

- When simplicity beats sophistication

🏠 Is property-first thinking fading in Australia?

- Are Australians really moving away from property as the default wealth strategy?

- What’s changing — and what isn’t

- How housing affordability, flexibility and investing access shape behaviour

📊 What worked that wasn’t obvious

- The things Pearler expected to work — and didn’t

- The unexpected features or behaviours that delivered real results

- Lessons learned from building investing tools at scale

🔮 The successful Australian investor of 2030

- What does an “average but successful” 35-year-old investor look like?

- Habits, mindset and structure — not hype or shortcuts

- Why consistency still wins

🧠 Goals, calculators & investor tension

- Why goals are harder than people think

- The tension between optimisation and behaviour

- Are calculators still useful — or mostly ignored?

🤖 Digital advice, robo-advice & regulation

- How Hayden describes the current crop of “robo-advice”

- What digital advice gets right — and where it falls short

- Whether meaningful progress depends on government and regulatory change

🧠 AI, advice & trust

- Why you can’t (yet) just use ChatGPT or similar tools for investing advice

- Whether people will actually trust AI with financial decisions

- Is AI bigger than the internet — or just the next layer on top?

- Will non-technical users still be amazed by AI in 10 years, like YouTube today?

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

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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Welcome to The Australian Finance Podcast Summer Series — your ultimate kick-start to the new year!

Across 10 bite-sized episodes, hosts Owen Rask and Gemma Mitchell help you reset your money mindset, build solid financial foundations, and make 2026 your best money year yet.

Plus — they’re putting their own tips to the test with the “Finders Keepers Challenge”, tracking how they each plan to find, save, or earn $10,000 by the end of 2026. Who will come out on top? Follow along and join the challenge yourself.

In this episode, we cover:


What insurance is, why it matters, and who needs it


The main types of insurance in Australia, including health and personal insurance


How private health insurance works and common mistakes to avoid


Wills and estate planning basics every adult should understand


How insurance and estate planning work together to protect your family and assets


Common gaps people miss and how to think about cover and documents at different life stages

If you want to build confidence with your money, simplify your finances, and get ahead before 2026, this series is for you.

Resources for this episode


Follow Owen and Gemma’s progress- Finders Keepers Page https://www.raskmedia.com.au/finders/


Review your Insurance with Skye Wealth https://www.raskmedia.com.au/services/life-insurance/


Buy Gemma’s book “The Money Reset”- https://amzn.to/42Uz0aK


Ask a question (select the Finance podcast): https://bit.ly/R-quest 

~~ Show partner resources ~~

Join Pearler using code “RASK” for $15 of Pearler Credit: https://bit.ly/Pearler

Get 50% off your first two months using PocketSmith: https://bit.ly/R-PocketSmith

View Betashares range of funds:  https://bit.ly/beta-25

~~ Rask resources ~~

All services: https://bit.ly/R-services

Financial Planning: https://bit.ly/R-plan 

Invest with us: https://bit.ly/R-invest 

Access Show Notes: https://bit.ly/R-notes 

Ask a question or give us feedback: https://bit.ly/R-quest 

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
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome to The Australian Finance Podcast Summer Series — your ultimate kick-start to the new year!

Across 10 bite-sized episodes, hosts Owen Rask and Gemma Mitchell help you reset your money mindset, build solid financial foundations, and make 2026 your best money year yet.

Plus — they’re putting their own tips to the test with the “Finders Keepers Challenge”, tracking how they each plan to find, save, or earn $10,000 by the end of 2026. Who will come out on top? Follow along and join the challenge yourself.

In this episode, we cover:


What tax is in Australia and who pays it


Why tax isn’t a bad thing and how it funds essential services


Gross vs net income explained simply


Capital gains tax vs income tax and how each works


How private health insurance works in Australia


Common tax deductions and what you may be able to claim

If you want to build confidence with your money, simplify your finances, and get ahead before 2026, this series is for you.

Resources for this episode


Follow Owen and Gemma’s progress- Finders Keepers Page https://www.raskmedia.com.au/finders/


Rask Tax Course- https://education.rask.com.au/courses/tax-course/


Buy Gemma’s book “The Money Reset”- https://amzn.to/42Uz0aK


Ask a question (select the Finance podcast): https://bit.ly/R-quest 

~~ Show partner resources ~~

Join Pearler using code “RASK” for $15 of Pearler Credit: https://bit.ly/Pearler

Get 50% off your first two months using PocketSmith: https://bit.ly/R-PocketSmith

View Betashares range of funds:  https://bit.ly/beta-25

~~ Rask resources ~~

All services: https://bit.ly/R-services

Financial Planning: https://bit.ly/R-plan 

Invest with us: https://bit.ly/R-invest 

Access Show Notes: https://bit.ly/R-notes 

Ask a question or give us feedback: https://bit.ly/R-quest 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
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Rask 2026 stock market game is live - it's called Stock Genius. Available at stockgenius.com.au, in collaboration with Navexa, the Rask Stock Market is open for you to compete and enjoy with over 1,000 fellow investors.

In this episode, we cover:

- Is AI killing app investing in 2026?

- Are you a stock market genius? Play our game to find out

- How the game works

- Smart tracking for portfolios

- Owen and Navarre’s top picks

Resources for this episode
Join the game: https://www.stockgenius.com.au/
Buy Gemma’s book “The Money Reset”- https://amzn.to/42Uz0aK
Ask a question (select the Finance podcast): https://bit.ly/R-quest

Show partner resources
Join Pearler using code “RASK” for $15 of Pearler Credit: https://bit.ly/Pearler
Get 50% off your first two months using PocketSmith: https://bit.ly/R-PocketSmith
View Betashares range of funds:  https://bit.ly/beta-25

Rask resources
All services: https://bit.ly/R-services
Financial Planning: https://bit.ly/R-plan
Invest with us: https://bit.ly/R-invest
Access Show Notes: https://bit.ly/R-notes
Ask a question: https://bit.ly/R-quest
We love feedback! https://raskau.typeform.com/to/ZbfHy6IP

Follow us on social media:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rask.invest
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@rask.invest
Disclaimer: The information contained in this podcast episode is strictly general in nature. It does not take into account your needs, goals or objectives. So do not act on the information until you have spoken to your financial adviser.

The Rask Group Pty Ltd is a corporate authorised representative (No. 1313447) of Rask Licensing Pty Ltd (AFSL: 563 907). The information in our shows is general financial advice only. That means, the advice does not take into account your objectives, financial situation or needs. Because of that, you should consider if the advice is appropriate to you and your needs, before acting on the information. In addition, you should obtain and read the product disclosure statement (PDS) and Target Market Determination (TMD) before making a decision to acquire any financial product. If you don’t know what your needs are, you should consult a trusted and licensed financial adviser who can provide you with personal financial product advice. Please read our Terms & Conditions and Financial Services Guide on rask.com.au/legal.

The Stock Genius website is built and maintained by Navexa. It does not provide financial, legal or tax advice of any kind. The Rask Stock Market Game has been created purely for educational and entertainment purposes. It is not real money and should never be considered as a recommendation, "stock picking", or investment service. The purpose of the game is community, not recommendations for, or against, investments. Investing is risky and can result in permanent capital loss. The Rask Group Pty Ltd and Navexa do not endorse or recommend investments as part of the Stock Genius website, and make no warranty for the performance of portfolios.
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