Welcome back to another episode of the 360 Money Matters Podcast!

In this episode, Billy and Andrew tackle the decade that most Australians sleepwalk through and can never get back.

Your 40s are when income is climbing, debt is at its peak, and compound interest still has time to do its heavy lifting. Get it right and you build serious wealth. Take your foot off the accelerator — even just for a few years — and you arrive at 50 wondering where the decade went.

Billy and Andrew break down the financial checklist every 40-something should be running through right now, from attacking non-deductible debt and using super as a tax weapon, to building a clear investment strategy and protecting everything you've worked for.

If you're in your 40s, approaching them, or advising someone who is, this is the episode to listen to.

-

This podcast contains information that is general in nature. It does not take into account the objectives, financial situation, or needs of any particular person. You need to consider your financial situation and needs before making any decisions based on this information. This information is provided by Billy Amiridis & Andrew Nicolaou of 360 Financial Strategists Pty Ltd, authorized representatives and credit representatives of Akumin Financial Planning – AFSL 232706

Episode Highlights

• Why your 40s are the make-or-break decade for long-term financial security

• The debt strategy: aggressively clearing non-deductible debt while keeping good debt working for you

• Debt recycling — how to pay down debt and invest at the same time

• Super isn't optional anymore — it's your most powerful tax structure

• Concessional contributions, spouse splitting, and how to use super to pay 15% tax instead of your marginal rate

• Why a piecemeal investment approach quietly destroys your wealth

• Protecting your plan — why income protection and insurance matter more than ever in this decade

• Cash flow creep: how rising expenses quietly erase the benefit of a higher income

• Why a coordinated plan beats isolated decisions every time

Connect with Billy and Andrew!

360 Financial Strategists

Check out our latest episode here:

Apple Podcast

Spotify

Welcome back to another episode of the 360 Money Matters Podcast!

In this episode, Billy and Andrew demystify one of the most talked-about — and most misunderstood — tax strategies in the business owner playbook: the bucket company.

Billy and Andrew cut through the jargon and explain exactly how a bucket company fits into a discretionary trust structure, why it's a tax-deferral strategy (not a tax-avoidance one), and the specific circumstances where it can be genuinely powerful — including when you retire, when your spouse steps back from work, or when your adult children enter the picture.

If you're a business owner, self-employed, or running a family trust at high income levels, this episode could reshape how you think about structuring your tax.

-

This podcast contains information that is general in nature. It does not take into account the objectives, financial situation, or needs of any particular person. You need to consider your financial situation and needs before making any decisions based on this information. This information is provided by Billy Amiridis & Andrew Nicolaou of 360 Financial Strategists Pty Ltd, authorized representatives and credit representatives of Akumin Financial Planning – AFSL 232706

Episode Highlights:

• What a discretionary trust is and why it's the foundation of the strategy

• How a bucket company becomes a third beneficiary and why that matters

• Paying 25% company tax today vs. 47% personal tax — the numbers explained

• Why this is a deferral strategy, not a dodge and when the "top-up tax" kicks in

• The retirement play: drawing down at 0% tax with franking credit refunds

• The compounding advantage of investing 75 cents in the dollar instead of 53

• Division 7A — the compliance trap that catches people out

• Who this strategy is actually suited for and who it isn't

Connect with Billy and Andrew!

360 Financial Strategists

Check out our latest episode here:

Apple Podcast

Spotify

Welcome back to another episode of the 360 Money Matters Podcast!

In this episode, Billy and Andrew tackle one of the most overlooked risks in retirement planning and it's not about how much you save.

You can do everything right. Save diligently, live within your means, build a solid nest egg. And still run out of money sooner than expected simply because of when markets fall.

They break down why the first few years of drawing down your super are the most financially vulnerable of your retirement and what you can actually do about it.

If you're within 5 years of retiring, already retired, or helping someone who is, this episode could be the most important one you listen to this year.

-

This podcast contains information that is general in nature. It does not take into account the objectives, financial situation, or needs of any particular person. You need to consider your financial situation and needs before making any decisions based on this information. This information is provided by Billy Amiridis & Andrew Nicolaou of 360 Financial Strategists Pty Ltd, authorized representatives and credit representatives of Akumin Financial Planning – AFSL 232706

Episode Highlights

• Why sequencing risk can wreck your retirement even with a great average return

• How drawing down in a falling market locks in losses you may never recover

• The cash buffer strategy and why almost every retiree should have one

• The three-bucket approach: short, medium, and long term income planning

• The 4% rule and when it's okay to break it

• Why retirement is still a long-term investment, even when you're spending down

Connect with Billy and Andrew!

360 Financial Strategists

Check out our latest episode here:

Apple Podcast

Spotify

War in the Middle East. Oil past $100 a barrel. Markets swinging on a tweet. Your petrol bill climbing. What does any of this actually mean for your super, your investments, and your financial plan?

Billy and Andrew have been fielding this question from clients all week and in this episode, they give you the honest, no-politics breakdown of what's happening, why it matters to everyday Australians, and what to do (and not do) with your money right now.

Because in moments like this, the biggest risk to your wealth isn't the conflict. It's your reaction to it.

-

This podcast contains information that is general in nature. It does not take into account the objectives, financial situation, or needs of any particular person. You need to consider your financial situation and needs before making any decisions based on this information. This information is provided by Billy Amiridis & Andrew Nicolaou of 360 Financial Strategists Pty Ltd, authorized representatives and credit representatives of Akumin Financial Planning – AFSL 232706

Episode Highlights

• Why the Strait of Hormuz hits your grocery bill, not just the petrol pump

• Inflation vs. recession — which risk is bigger right now?

• What stress in the bond market is quietly telling us

• Duration, not the event — why how long this lasts matters most

• The practical steps to protect your position and stay invested with confidence

Connect with Billy and Andrew!

360 Financial Strategists

Check out our latest episode here:

Apple Podcast

Spotify

Welcome back to another episode of the 360 Money Matters Podcast!

In this episode, Billy and Andrew break down one of the most common questions they get from first home buyers:

Should you put your money into property… or into ETFs?

With years of experience advising real clients, they go beyond social media opinions and look at the numbers, the risks, and the real-world behavior that actually shapes outcomes.

If you're trying to decide where your first serious investment should go, this episode will help you think clearly, avoid common traps, and choose a strategy you can stick with long term.

-

This podcast contains information that is general in nature. It does not take into account the objectives, financial situation, or needs of any particular person. You need to consider your financial situation and needs before making any decisions based on this information. This information is provided by Billy Amiridis & Andrew Nicolaou of 360 Financial Strategists Pty Ltd, authorized representatives and credit representatives of Akumin Financial Planning – AFSL 232706

Episode Highlights

• The true costs of buying property vs investing in ETFs

• How historical returns compare over 30 years

• Why leverage makes property powerful, but also more risky

• The impact of liquidity and diversification

• The often ignored behavioral factor that changes everything

Connect with Billy and Andrew!

360 Financial Strategists

Check out our latest episode here:

Apple Podcast

Spotify

Welcome back to another episode of the 360 Money Matters Podcast!

In this episode, Billy and Andrew break down every method of paying yourself as a business owner, when each one makes sense, and how to structure your income to legally reduce tax, protect your wealth, and actually see how your business is performing. They also make the case for why superannuation remains the most overlooked wealth-building tool for the self-employed, and why ignoring it could cost you more than you think.

Discover why how you pay yourself could be the difference between building wealth and just staying busy.

-

This podcast contains information that is general in nature. It does not take into account the objectives, financial situation, or needs of any particular person. You need to consider your financial situation and needs before making any decisions based on this information. This information is provided by Billy Amiridis & Andrew Nicolaou of 360 Financial Strategists Pty Ltd, authorized representatives and credit representatives of Akumin Financial Planning – AFSL 232706

Episode Highlights

• Salary vs dividends vs trust distributions, and when to use each

• How franking credits work and why they always bring you back to your marginal rate

• The "lifestyle salary rule", why paying yourself the right base changes everything

• Why mixing personal and business finances destroys your ability to read business health

• Distributing trust income to adult children

• Superannuation as a tax reduction tool and a creditor-proof safety net

• The bucket company strategy — how to delay tax obligations and invest at a lower rate

Connect with Billy and Andrew!

360 Financial Strategists

Check out our latest episode here:

Apple Podcast

Spotify

Welcome back to another episode of the 360 Money Matters Podcast!

Most investors stall after their second property, not because they lose interest, but because they run out of borrowing capacity.

In this episode, Billy and Andrew break down exactly why scaling a property portfolio beyond two gets hard fast, and more importantly, how to build a strategy that doesn't fall apart when interest rates move or the bank says no.

Tune in to discover what separates investors who scale successfully from those who get stuck — or worse, are forced to sell.

-

This podcast contains information that is general in nature. It does not take into account the objectives, financial situation, or needs of any particular person. You need to consider your financial situation and needs before making any decisions based on this information. This information is provided by Billy Amiridis & Andrew Nicolaou of 360 Financial Strategists Pty Ltd, authorized representatives and credit representatives of Akumin Financial Planning – AFSL 232706

Episode Highlights

• Why most investors run out of borrowing capacity before they run out of ambition

• Starting with the end in mind, why your exit strategy shapes every decision

• Ownership structures: personal, trust, or company — and what the banks are doing now

• Cash flow as oxygen: why negatively geared portfolios compound risk at scale

• Balancing yield vs. growth properties to keep your borrowing capacity alive

• Debt structuring, cross-collateralisation, and offset optimisation

• How to stage a sell-down and avoid a single massive CGT event at retirement

Connect with Billy and Andrew!

360 Financial Strategists

Check out our latest episode here:

Apple Podcast

Spotify

Welcome back to another episode of the 360 Money Matters Podcast!

In this episode, Billy and Andrew tackle the questions they hear most during market volatility—and explain why the biggest value a financial advisor provides isn't the perfect plan, but stopping you from making the one decision that could derail everything.

Discover why market timing rarely works, how zooming out changes perspective, and why your portfolio behaves the way it does when news turns negative. If you've ever felt the urge to uproot your financial "tree" during a storm, this episode will help you stay the course.

Tune in to learn how to navigate market declines without sabotaging your long-term goals.

-

This podcast contains information that is general in nature. It does not take into account the objectives, financial situation, or needs of any particular person. You need to consider your financial situation and needs before making any decisions based on this information. This information is provided by Billy Amiridis & Andrew Nicolaou of 360 Financial Strategists Pty Ltd, authorized representatives and credit representatives of Akumin Financial Planning – AFSL 232706

Episode Highlights

• Why getting out during volatility locks in losses

• The top 10 recovery days you can't afford to miss

• Is this time different?

• Why your portfolio drops when news sounds bad

• Did we invest in the wrong things?

• Why volatility is unpredictable by nature

• The tree analogy: nurturing vs. uprooting your investments

Connect with Billy and Andrew!

360 Financial Strategists

Check out our latest episode here:

Apple Podcast

Spotify

Welcome back to another episode of the 360 Money Matters Podcast!

In this episode, Billy and Andrew break down the shocking data you need to know: Australia's unexpected rate rise while the world cuts rates, the US earnings season that beat expectations by 85-90%, and why the Aussie dollar hitting 70 cents against the USD matters for your portfolio.

Discover why China's 5% GDP growth is considered a slowdown, what Kevin Walsh's Fed appointment really means for your investments, and the simple truth about interest rates hurting only one-third of Australians while helping another third.

-

This podcast contains information that is general in nature. It does not take into account the objectives, financial situation, or needs of any particular person. You need to consider your financial situation and needs before making any decisions based on this information. This information is provided by Billy Amiridis & Andrew Nicolaou of 360 Financial Strategists Pty Ltd, authorized representatives and credit representatives of Akumin Financial Planning – AFSL 232706

Episode Highlights

• Trump's Fed Chair pick Kevin Walsh and the market volatility it triggered

• 85-90% of US companies beat earnings expectations—one of the strongest seasons in years

• Australia's rate rise while global economies cut rates (and why the market pricing in another by November)

• China's house prices down despite 5% GDP growth—the wealth effect in reverse

• ASX 200 up 1.84% in January despite headwinds

• Aussie dollar at 70 cents—what it means for travelers and exporters

• Why interest rate policy only directly impacts one-third of mortgage holders

Connect with Billy and Andrew!

360 Financial Strategists

Check out our latest episode here:

Apple Podcast

Spotify

Welcome back to another episode of the 360 Money Matters Podcast!

In this episode, Billy and Andrew tackle the paradox plaguing middle-class households: wages are up, but financial stress is higher than ever. We explore the hidden forces draining your wallet—from subscription creep and lifestyle inflation to housing costs and Australia's tax burden—and why it's exponentially harder to manage money today than even a decade ago.

This episode unpacks why middle-class Australians are experiencing the squeeze despite rising incomes—and what you can do about it.

-

This podcast contains information that is general in nature. It does not take into account the objectives, financial situation, or needs of any particular person. You need to consider your financial situation and needs before making any decisions based on this information. This information is provided by Billy Amiridis & Andrew Nicolaou of 360 Financial Strategists Pty Ltd, authorized representatives and credit representatives of Akumin Financial Planning – AFSL 232706

Episode Highlights

• Why the "middle-class squeeze" hits hardest between upper and lower income brackets

• How businesses have become smarter at getting you to spend without noticing

• The real cost of social media comparison and lifestyle creep

• Why housing and taxation are compounding the problem

• Practical strategies to prioritize financial flexibility over lifestyle optimization

Connect with Billy and Andrew!

360 Financial Strategists

Check out our latest episode here:

Apple Podcast

Spotify