In this episode of the Friends With Money podcast, Money's Michelle Baltazar speaks with Alex Homer, chief customer and brand officer at insurance group TAL, about navigating life and living insurance.

They discuss the importance of insurance for younger people, different types of living insurance, and how superannuation funds can help.

Alex also shares practical tips for young workers and the self-employed on obtaining and managing insurance.

01:19 Defining life and living insurance

01:54 Understanding living insurance types

05:23 Insurance in superannuation funds

11:02 Practical tips for young workers

14:24 Bonus Round: Superannuation payments for gig workers

15:57 Conclusion and final thoughts

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A new wave of superannuation changes is on the horizon, so what could they mean for your retirement?

This week on the Friends With Money podcast, Money's Tom Watson is joined by Shane Hancock, general manager of retirement at AustralianSuper, to unpack proposed changes to higher super balances and the low income super tax offset (LISTO) and provide an update on payday super.

00:00 Introduction

01:28 Tax changes on higher super balances

05:31 Low Income Superannuation Tax Offset (LISTO) explained

10:44 Payday super update

13:40 The importance of staying informed about super

16:40 Conclusion

#friendswithmoney #tomwatson #shanehancock #superannuation

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In this episode of the Friends With Money podcast, Vanessa Walker, managing editor of Money Magazine, delves into the topic of franking credits with Matthew Gibbs, the author of 'Frankly Speaking' in Money Magazine's October issue.

Matthew explains the concept of franking credits, how they work, and their implications for shareholders in Australia. He discusses the benefits and potential downsides, highlighting the impact of corporate tax rates and providing examples to illustrate these points.

#friendswithmoney #vanessawalker #matthewgibbs #frankingcredits

00:20 Understanding Franking Credits

00:54 Detailed Explanation of Franking Credits

03:56 Tax Implications for Shareholders

07:37 Examples and Calculations

11:52 Potential Changes in Corporate Tax Rates

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One of the great uncertainties in retirement is how long your savings will need to last. So, could annuities provide an answer? 

On this episode of the Friends With Money podcast, Money’s Tom Watson is joined by Aaron Minney, head of retirement income research at Challenger, to unpack everything annuities.

00:00 Introduction

00:50 What are annuities?

01:33 Understanding how annuities work

04:40 Annuities vs account-based pensions

06:32 Pros and cons of annuities

09:02 Which retirees could annuities suit?

13:23 Sequencing risk and annuities

16:42 Perceptions and awareness

20:20 Conclusion

#friendswithmoney #tomwatson #aaronminney #annuities

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From superannuation to digital assets, there’s much more to think about with estate planning than just creating a will.

On this episode of the Friends With Money podcast, Money’s Tom Watson is joined by William Moore, partner and head of private client advisory at Hall & Wilcox, to run through some of the essential components of estate planning.

00:00 Introduction

01:45 Why you need a will and when to update it

04:51 Power of attorney

08:05 Superannuation and naming beneficiaries

12:17 Digital assets in estate planning

15:04 Tax implications for beneficiaries

18:43 Final Thoughts and Advice

20:28 Conclusion

#friendswithmoney #tomwatson #williammoore #estateplanning

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Procrastination is a bad habit at the best of times, but when it comes to our finances, failing to act can have serious consequences.

On this episode of the Friends With Money podcast, Money’s Tom Watson is joined by Shayne Sommer, a private wealth adviser at Shadforth Financial Group, to discuss the topic of financial procrastination and the ways in which it can be tackled.

00:00 Introduction

01:37 Common examples of financial procrastination

04:03 Psychological factors behind it

06:10 The consequences of financial procrastination

09:50 Strategies to combat procrastination

11:51 Imbedding good habits

12:45 Conclusion

#friendswithmoney #tomwatson #shaynesommer #financialprocrastination

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Emerging markets have had a strong showing so far in 2025. But is the allure of growth and diversification worth the risk?

On this episode of the Friends With Money podcast, Money’s Tom Watson is joined by Hugh Lam, investment strategist at Betashares, to take a deep dive into the world of emerging markets.

01:24 Defining emerging markets

04:48 Opportunities in emerging markets

07:12 Risks in emerging markets

08:34 The place of emerging markets in a portfolio

12:50 Recent performance of emerging markets

15:30 China and India: Key markets

19:00 Investment options

friendswithmoney #tomwatson #hughlam #investing #emergingmarkets

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Whatever the asset, investors dream of spotting opportunities before everyone else – and property’s no different. So how can buyers identify hotspots early?

On this episode of the Friends With Money podcast, Money’s Tom Watson is joined by Abdullah Nouh, founder of Melbourne buyers’ agency Mecca Property Group, to discuss the features that investors may want to look for in a location and individual property.  

00:00 Introduction

01:33 Key indicators of growth suburbs

04:24 Spotlight on Melbourne, Perth and Darwin

08:14 Traits of a good investment property

11:38 Additional tips for property investors

14:25 Conclusion

#friendswithmoney #tomwatson # abdullahnouh #property #propertyinvesting

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In this episode of the Friends With Money podcast, Vanessa Walker hosts an in-depth discussion with journalist Ryan Johnson about the financial aspects of solar energy in Australia.

Starting with the government's 2020 renewable energy target, the conversation covers the evolution and uptake of solar panels, the introduction of solar batteries, and the new incentives available.

They also delve into innovative energy solutions like virtual energy networks, vehicle-to-grid (V2G) technology, and the impact of electric vehicles on home energy storage.

00:39 The history and impact of solar energy in Australia

03:24 The rise of solar batteries

06:42 Innovative energy solutions and subsidies

10:03 Electric vehicles and energy integration

#friendswithmoney #vanessawalker #ryanjohnson #renewables #solar

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Investors often agonise between choosing stocks that can deliver dividends or growth. But is it possible to get the best of both worlds?

On this episode of the Friends With Money podcast, Money’s Tom Watson is joined by Jonathan Nurick, founder and co-chief investment officer at investment fund DivGro, to discuss all things dividends.

00:00 Introduction

01:26 Understanding dividend and growth stocks

02:36 The advantages of dividend stocks

03:15 The emotional journey of investing

04:52 The Gordon growth model explained

07:00 Identifying good dividend stocks

09:08 Examples of dividend stocks

11:52 Generating income from dividends

14:24 Balancing your investment portfolio

16:28 Final thoughts and tips

18:52: Conclusion

#friendswithmoney #tomwatson # jonathannurick #investing #dividends

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