In this Friday Q&A episode of The Australian Finance Podcast, Gemma Mitchell is joined by James Phelan, Senior Adviser at Rask Advice, to answer the big money questions that tend to come up when a baby is on the way.

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In this episode of The Australian Finance Podcast, Gemma Mitchell is joined by long-time friend of the show, Mel Browne – a multi-time founder, author, and ex-financial adviser with a fresh take on what it really means to be wealthy.

With her new book Dare to Be Wealthy hitting shelves, Mel and Gemma dive into some of the biggest mindset blocks, money myths and systemic challenges holding people back – especially women – from feeling in control of their financial lives.

From redefining wealth, to unpacking the hidden costs of traditional success, to rethinking how we talk about investing, debt and progress – this is a conversation packed with big questions and honest answers.

Topics Covered

– What inspired Mel’s new book Dare to Be Wealthy and how it differs from her earlier work

– Why “wealth” is such a loaded word and how language around money shapes our beliefs

– The difference between being “rich” and being “wealthy”

– Why terms like “aggressive” in investing can be unhelpful or misunderstood

– A new framework for thinking about debt

– beyond “good” vs “bad”

– How systems around us (like tax, housing, and gendered expectations) work against financial progress

– What individuals can actually do to counter those systems and make change

– The emotional side of money: what happens when you tick the “invisible checklist” and still feel stuck

– Mel’s three types of success

– and why recognising them can change everything

– Advice for anyone feeling behind, stuck, or disconnected from their financial future

Resources for this episode

📄 Explore more:

– Buy Dare to Be Wealthy by Mel Browne

– Booktopia or Amazon

– Mel Browne’s website: https://www.melbrowne.com.au

– Previous episodes with Mel: Search "Mel Browne" in The Australian Finance Podcast archives

– Ask a question for the podcast: https://bit.ly/R-quest

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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In this Friday Q&A episode of The Australian Finance Podcast, Owen Rask and Gemma Mitchell tackle some of the bigger, more complex money questions that tend to show up in mid-life and major transitions.

We cover what it really means to be an executor of an estate, how to think through first home and property decisions as a couple, and how investors at different stages can make more confident choices without feeling out of their depth.

Owen and Gemma cover:

- Where to start when you’re named executor of an estate, what your responsibilities actually are, whether there’s a government checklist, and when to involve lawyers and other professionals

- The pros and cons of keeping an existing apartment as an investment versus selling it to reduce debt on a new home, including tax considerations over the next few years

- Where to seek personal advice on property, tax and structuring decisions when things move beyond general education

- How to make a meaningful financial contribution in a relationship where one partner has significantly more investing experience, and how confidence, behaviour and consistency often matter more than technical knowledge

- ETF investing considerations for someone mortgage-free in their mid-50s with a 10–20 year time horizon, medium-high risk tolerance, and high marginal tax on cash savings

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 money 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

- 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

- 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

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

#finance #asx

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In this Australian Finance Podcast episode, Owen Rask is joined by Dave Gow from Strong Money Australia for a deep, honest conversation about the future of FIRE — and whether financial independence is still achievable in 2026.

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 full range of funds – https://bit.ly/beta-25Rask resources

Explore all Rask services – https://bit.ly/R-services

Learn about Rask Financial Planning – https://bit.ly/R-plan

Start investing with Rask – https://bit.ly/R-invest

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

Ask a question – just select the Finance Podcast – 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 unsure, 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 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

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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 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

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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

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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 are shares and ETFs, and how do they work?

- Why do people invest in them?

- What’s the difference between individual shares and ETFs?

- How to choose an ETF or share that suits your goals- and what platform to use?

Plus Gemma and Owen’s Finders Keepers $10k challenge update 

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

ETF course free by Rask https://education.rask.com.au/courses/etf-course/

Debt course- FREE rask course :https://education.rask.com.au/courses/debt-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

Rask summer series

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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