Talk Investing Podcast

Billions of dollars in Australian superannuation is sitting in accounts people have forgotten, and some of it might belong to you. We walk through the real-world difference between lost super in a fund and unclaimed super transferred to the ATO, why the ATO option can reduce fees but also limit returns to CPI, and how to actually track your money down using MyGov, old employers, default super funds, and the personal details that data matching relies on.

From there we get into the nitty-gritty questions listeners keep sending us. We unpack the confusing legacy talk of pre and post 1983 contributions and translate it into the two components that matter today: tax-free and taxable. We also explain defined benefit pensions, including why “taxed source” versus “untaxed source” can change the tax you pay on an income stream, and what to ask your fund so you’re not guessing.

The calls keep coming: capital gains tax when selling property or shares inside super in pension phase, what happens to a reversionary pension if both spouses die at the same time, whether you can contribute after 75, and what to consider when investing outside super. We also cover overseas angles like bringing UK retirement savings to Australia and the reality of departing Australia super payments with hefty tax. If you want clear super advice in plain English, hit play, share this with someone who avoids their super statements, and subscribe, rate, and review so more Australians can find it.

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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Renewable energy shares have had a rough run, and if you’ve ever looked at an ethical ETF or an ESG option in superannuation and thought, “Is this real, or is it just marketing?”, you’re not alone. We dig into what ESG investing actually means (environmental, social and governance), why it became so popular so quickly, and why the shine has come off parts of the clean energy trade.

We talk through what a benchmark like the global clean energy index is designed to do, and why a sharp fall can happen even when the long-term transition to renewables still looks inevitable. We also unpack the uncomfortable bit: greenwashing. When big investors say they’re hesitant to add more money because they don’t trust the claims, that’s a signal for all of us to ask better questions about what’s inside the “bucket”, how companies measure progress, and whether a fund truly matches our values.

Then we shift to the real-life decisions listeners are facing right now: what to do first when an inheritance arrives and Centrelink rules might change, how gifting to children can affect the pension, and how to set up a family loan for a home deposit. We also cover cash versus equities inside super, the inflation trap, property versus ETFs, scam calls, disappearing bank branches, and what the phase-out of cheques means for Australians who don’t bank online.

If you get something useful from the chat, subscribe, share it with a mate, and leave us a review. What’s one money move you’re reconsidering after listening?

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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Your will might be crystal clear, but your superannuation can still go somewhere you didn’t expect. We dig into the detail Australians regularly miss: super usually doesn’t form part of your estate, so trying to “leave it in your will” can fail unless you’ve set the right nomination and structure with your fund.

We talk through binding death benefit nominations, who counts as an eligible beneficiary, and what happens if you nominate nobody and the trustee has to decide. Along the way we unpack superannuation death benefit tax for adult children, why the taxable component matters, and the small Medicare levy difference that can appear when payments go via the estate, balanced against the very real risk of a will challenge.

Listener questions take us into practical retirement planning Australia topics: what changes when employer contributions stop, how account-based pensions work, whether fees actually increase, and when it can be smarter to keep money invested inside super versus moving it to cash. We also cover Age Pension assets test basics, what “self-funded retiree” really means, and why cards like the Commonwealth Seniors Health Care Card can still be worth chasing for PBS savings. We finish with a reality check on SMSFs, property in super, and why diversification and legislative risk should be part of your plan.

If this helped, subscribe for more straight-talk superannuation and retirement guidance, share the episode with someone planning their will, and leave a review so more Australians can find it.

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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Ever had that nagging thought: “My super should be growing… but am I actually getting everything I’m owed?” We dig into the most practical, high-impact ways to top up your superannuation and protect your retirement savings, starting with the one lever almost every employee has: the Superannuation Guarantee. We talk through what it means, why it’s based on your gross salary, and the uncomfortable truth that a line on your payslip doesn’t prove the money has hit your super fund.

From there, we move to the strategy that can quietly make a big difference over time: salary sacrifice. We explain how redirecting part of your pay into concessional super contributions can reduce tax and increase the amount that stays invested, using an easy dollar example to show why the maths matters. We also keep it real about the downside: money in super is preserved, so you need to be sure you can handle the lower take-home pay.

We also tackle a listener-style scenario that trips people up: what if your “extra super” is being taken after tax? We outline what to check on your payslip, when it might signal a setup problem, and how contribution caps can change the outcome. If you care about super balance growth, salary sacrifice, and retirement planning in Australia, this is a tight, actionable listen.

Subscribe for more straight-talk money advice, share this with a mate who never checks their super, and leave a review to help others find the show. What’s one super task you’ll do this week: log in and check, or review your salary sacrifice?

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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BHP has been a quiet retirement hero for many Australians, not because mining is “safe”, but because the cash has been flowing to shareholders. That can change quickly. We break down the three numbers we keep coming back to when we judge a company’s health and your likely return: CapEx, cash flow, and what management chooses to do with the surplus. Using BHP as the real-world example, we explain why pulling back CapEx helped dividends surge and debt fall, and why a new spending cycle could mean a very different income outcome for investors.

From there, we get practical with listener questions that hit where investing meets real life. What can you do when you’re unhappy with your financial adviser but want to stay with the same firm? What fees and admin traps should you check before you move platforms? And when you’re weighing up super options, we talk about the trade-off between lower fees and the flexibility, pension features, and investment choice that some platforms offer. We also touch on a common trap: changing super funds and accidentally losing valuable insurance cover.

We finish with more big retirement decisions: accessing super for a retirement village, handling international pension income like a US 401(k), and why bonds and fixed income ETFs are worth revisiting when you’re in pension phase and want steadier income. If this helped you think differently about dividends, superannuation, and retirement investing, subscribe, share it with a mate, and leave a review so more Australians can find the show.

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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Accessing superannuation sounds simple until you hit the fine print: preservation age, retirement definitions, tax components, and paperwork that can trip you up at the worst time. We sit down with our super specialist to map the real rules Australians need to know when they’re asking, “Can I get to my super yet?” and what happens if a fund says no.

We unpack the core conditions of release, including the difference between reaching preservation age and genuinely retiring, plus the 10-hours-per-week “gainful employment” line that catches many people out. Then we move into the big unlocks that listeners rarely hear explained clearly: turning 65 (access can open even if you keep working), and the post-60 scenario where ceasing an employment arrangement may allow access, provided you sign the correct declaration with your super fund.

Listener questions take us into the practical edges of retirement planning: what to do if your wealth is outside super in farmland or investment properties, whether moving assets into super is worth the capital gains tax, and why property can be hard to live off when you need flexible income. We also cover super death benefits tax for adult children, what changes (and what doesn’t) if benefits flow through your estate, plus a departing Australia case where tax can be steep. We finish with the hot debate on raiding super for a home deposit and the long tail risk of sacrificing your retirement nest egg.

Subscribe, share this with someone planning their retirement, and leave us a review with the super question you want answered next.

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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A quiet rule change can reshape your whole retirement: the moment your superannuation stops being a savings engine and starts paying for your life. We dig into that shift from accumulation phase to a retirement pension, why it’s such a big deal, and how the government’s minimum pension payment rules are designed to steadily increase your drawdown as you age. If you’ve ever wondered why retirees can feel pressure to spend faster later on, or why people still die with large balances, this conversation makes the incentives plain.

We also talk through a headline making proposal: automatically converting super to a retirement pension at 67 unless you opt out. On paper it promises simplicity, less paperwork, and potentially better tax outcomes through tax free earnings in retirement phase. But we unpack the catch: starting a pension is a strategic decision that can affect your investment mix, your sustainable retirement income, inflation protection, what happens when you need a lump sum, and how your other assets fit into the plan. Convenience is helpful, but it can’t replace personal advice when the consequences are long term.

Listener questions take us into the details Australians actually face: recontribution strategies and the “death benefits tax” adult children may pay, defined benefit pensions with their own rules, using super for a retirement village purchase, paying yourself super as a contractor while carrying a mortgage, and using concessional contributions to reduce taxable income after selling a property. If you’re nearing retirement or helping parents navigate it, you’ll leave with clearer language, better questions to ask, and practical next steps. Subscribe, share this with someone who’s planning retirement, and leave a review. What’s the one super rule you wish was easier to understand?

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

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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US long-term interest rates are climbing to the highest levels since 2006, and the noise about a looming crash can be hard to ignore. We unpack what’s really moving 10-year bond yields, why the jump is unusual, and how it flows through to everyday Australians via mortgages, car loans, credit cards and business borrowing. We also talk about the weird split between gloomy consumer confidence and people still spending, and what “higher for longer” could mean for budgets and portfolios.

For retirees and savers, the reset is real: term deposits and quality fixed interest finally offer returns that can compete with dividend shares. That raises a sharper question about the equity risk premium and whether you should be taking sharemarket risk when you can get a solid return with lower volatility. We walk through the trade-offs, including why shares can still matter for long-term capital growth, and why investing decisions are often about comparing “this or that” rather than chasing a perfect answer.

Then the conversation takes a big turn into markets reacting to GLP-1 weight loss drugs and what they might change across the economy. We look at why CSL and ResMed have been caught up in the story, and why the bigger investing angle is second-order effects: reduced appetite can hit supermarket baskets, soft drink sales, alcohol consumption and even industries that rely on a small cohort of heavy users. We also touch on uranium’s resurgence, a simple roadmap for someone starting with $1,000, and the pressure cooker of buying a home in Australia without destroying your quality of life.

If this helped you think more clearly about your money, follow the podcast, share it with a mate, and leave a review. What topic should we tackle next?

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 Australian share market just copped its roughest week in a year, but the real story isn’t a scary headline, it’s what’s happening underneath. We zoom out to explain why winter can bring the “summer doldrums” in global markets, how a mid-cycle slowdown can look worse after a strong run, and why Australia is more exposed than the US when the mood turns. When the Australian dollar drops quickly and iron ore slides, it’s often the market’s shorthand for one big question: how solid is China’s recovery, and what does that mean for Australia?

From there, we get practical about the Reserve Bank of Australia and inflation. We talk through Philip Lowe’s “calibration phase” and why interest rate rises hit the economy with a lag. We also unpack why services inflation can stay sticky, why the RBA’s toolkit is basically one lever, and how a weaker Aussie dollar can add to inflation through higher import costs, even while exporters and farmers can benefit. It’s a messy push-pull, and it matters whether you’re a borrower, a saver, or someone trying to invest calmly through volatility.

We finish with real-world listener questions on superannuation, retirement planning and portfolio decisions: catching up on super after time out of the workforce, what to consider with taxable components later in life, whether to prioritise offsets or ETFs, how to deal with broker fees, and what to do when a volatile tech stock balloons to half your portfolio. We also dig into commercial property and unlisted property trusts, including liquidity risks and why “gating” can become a nasty surprise when people want their money back.

If you found this useful, subscribe, share it with a mate, and leave a review so more Australians can find the show. What topic do you want us to tackle next?

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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A sudden $20,000, $200,000, or $2 million windfall can feel like freedom, until you realise one choice can lock it away for decades or hand a big slice to the tax office. We sit down with Marco Millardo to map the real decision tree Australians face when money lands in their lap: do you hold it personally, put it into a trust or company, or use superannuation for its powerful tax settings? We talk through why super can look like a “tax haven” in retirement phase, and why that benefit only works if you can live with the access rules. 

From there we get practical. We cover why paying off debt often comes before investing, how conditions of release work around your 60s and at 65, and what “transition to retirement” can and cannot do if you are still working. We also answer property-focused questions Australians constantly ask, including capital gains tax on an investment property sale, the main residence angle, and how the downsizer contribution can let you move a large amount into super under specific rules. 

Then we head into the tricky estate planning zone: what happens when adult children inherit super, why the taxable component matters, and how strategies like recontribution can potentially reduce future tax, plus the Medicare levy wrinkle that catches people out. If you are building retirement savings, planning a property sale, or thinking about what your super means for your family, this is a tight, useful listen. Subscribe, share it with someone juggling these choices, and leave us a review with the one super question you want answered next.

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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