December 08, 2025

Luke on 2CC – Can I gift money and assets to my children?

16 minutes

Financial Planner Luke Smith joined 2CC Talking Canberra in Money Matters, which aired live on Friday 5 December 2025. The topic for this week is one that will affect many parents. Can I gift assets to my children? Increasingly Australian parents if they can afford to are gifting money and assets to their adult children to help them start out in life, perhaps to help them buy their first home or help with the deposit. The short answer is yes you can, but there might be consequences.

Thank you for joining us live on 2CC, YouTube, Spotify or your favourite podcast streaming service for ‘The Strategy Stacker – Luke Talks Money’.

Key topics covered include:

Yes you can gift anything to anybody you want

Is gifting a tax event? Is there a gift tax in Australia?

If you sell an asset to gift you might be liable for capital gains tax.

Should you give a financial gift or should loan it to them instead with a proper agreement?

What are the implications of gifting from a Centrelink perspective?

What are the Centrelink gifting rules?

You might be assessed as owning the asset, even though have gifted it, in the eyes of Centrelink.

Even though Centrelink will want to know about loans you make, having formal paperwork offers you protection should a breakup occur for example between your child and their partner if you were to lend them money to buy a home.

Does moving money between spouses trigger gifting rules? The answer is no!

Why might you gift between spouses?

If you’re not retired, be mindful of what impacts gifting to children will have in the future on your Centrelink entitlements.

Remember there’s also benefits to a part-pension even if you’re not entitled to the full aged pension.

Remember gifting has a wide definition in the Centrelink rules.

Luke shares his tips to help you navigate gifting to your spouse and your children.

https://www.envisionfinancial.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/The-Strategy-Stacker-Luke-Talks-Money-05122025.mp3

Our podcast is also available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube – ‘The Strategy Stacker – Luke Talks Money’

Do you need help assessing if gifting is the right financial decision or how you might do it?

Are you thinking about gifting to adult children? It might pay you to seek advice before you do, so you understand the consequences of making such a gift. Make an appointment to meet with Luke and seek personal financial advice for your individual situation.

Luke as a Financial Planner can help you set up a financial planning strategy to help you achieve your personal financial goals, including investment, super and retirement (including transition to retirement). Simply make an appointment to confidentially discuss your goals. Call Envision Financial Services on 6260 4749. You can use the contact us form to make an appointment, for a confidential discussion about your own goals and situation.

Luke will return to 2CC to talk about other ‘Money Matters’ next week, we hope you can join us. You can also catch up with ‘The Strategy Stacker – Luke Talks Money’ podcast at a time that suits you.

We look forward to your company again. Luke’s book Smart Money Strategy is out now.

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