Financial Autonomy

Guidance Financial Services: Investing & Retirement Planning Experts
  • 4.7 (3)
  • Investing
  • Updated Weekly

Plenty of podcasts focus on building wealth – and that's great, as far as it goes. But focusing just on wealth misses the point. I believe what most of us actually want is to have choice. Choice in how much time we give to income-producing activities. Choice about what those income-producing activities are. Choice about where we live. Choice about when we retire. Choice about the ways we use our money to produce happiness. In the Financial Autonomy podcast, I explore the different ways you can gain choice - from investing in stocks to becoming self-employed, starting a side hustle, or buying an investment property. I share learnings I've gained working with clients for over 20 years as a Certified Financial Planner, and interview others with interesting insights or experiences in gaining choice in life.

  1. 11h ago

    The Simple Investment Strategy That Beats 89% of Active Funds

    Active fund managers have teams of analysts researching companies, watching markets and deciding exactly what their funds should buy and sell.  If anyone should be able to beat the market, surely it is them.  Yet over 15 years, 89% of active Australian share funds failed to do it.  It is a result that challenges one of the most tempting ideas in investing: that more research, more activity and more expert decision-making should produce better returns.  So why does a far simpler investment strategy keep coming out ahead? And what could that mean for the way you are building wealth?  In this episode, Nick and Paul unpack why trying to beat the market can leave investors further behind, and why the latest results strengthen the case for the index-at-the-core approach we favour at Guidance Financial.  They also look at another risk many investors miss. You could own hundreds of companies and still have far more of your wealth riding on the same industries than you realise.  Inside this episode:  Why so many professional fund managers struggle to beat the market  The small group of shares that can have an outsized effect on returns  What investors risk missing when they try to choose the winners themselves  Why a portfolio can look diversified without being properly diversified  What Australian investors may be missing by staying close to home  Why international investing involves more than spreading money between countries  Whether a simpler investment approach could give you a better chance of reaching your goals  At Guidance, we use an index at the core approach. We help clients decide how their investments should be structured, where they should be held and how they fit with their income, super, debt, tax position and long-term goals. You can learn more about how we manage your money here.    Are You in Your 30s or 40s and Ready to Make More of Your Money?  If you're earning well but unsure whether you're investing enough, using super wisely or making the right moves, Wealth Builder can give you a clear plan for turning today's income into long-term wealth. Learn more here.    Visit our website here: https://www.guidancefs.com.au/ and you can also find all our links here.  General advice disclaimer

  2. 2d ago

    50% Return Once, or 8% Per Year for 10 Years - Which Would You Take?

    Would you recognise the better investment if it were right in front of you? Imagine you have $100,000 to invest for ten years. You're offered two hypothetical outcomes: a 50% return upfront, with no growth after that, or 8% a year for the full ten years. Which would you choose? And how much money could your choice leave on the table? You want your investments to give you more freedom and security. But when you're deciding how to get there, the numbers that grab your attention can make the choice harder than it looks. In this Financial Autonomy Essentials episode, Paul puts those two options to the test and explores what the result means for the way you invest. If you've been wondering whether to stick with your approach or chase something more ambitious, this comparison gives you a reason to pause. Inside this episode: How your first instinct stacks up against the numbers What you could be overlooking when comparing investment returns Why the temptation to get ahead faster deserves a closer look Choose your answer, then press play. The difference could be bigger than you think. Want personalised investment advice?: Book your appointment here. In your 30s or 40s and wondering whether to invest, pay down your mortgage or boost your super? Wealth Builder helps you work out what to prioritise and gives you a financial plan. Learn more here.  You can also find all our links here.  General advice disclaimer

    50% Return Once, or 8% Per Year for 10 Years - Which Would You Take?

  3. Sep 23

    Are Rising Bond Yields and Higher Interest Rates Changing Where You Should Invest?

    If you have been waiting for mortgage rates to fall, wondering whether property prices can keep climbing or questioning whether shares still offer enough reward for the risk, there is one market worth watching.  And it is probably not the one you think.  While most investors are focused on the sharemarket, sharp moves in the bond market are changing the price of money around the world. What happens next could flow through to your mortgage, your super, your investments and even what governments can afford to spend.  For years, ultra-low interest rates made the investment choice feel relatively simple. If you wanted a decent return, you had to accept more risk. Now that assumption is being tested, and the investments that made sense when money was cheap may need to work much harder to earn their place.  In this episode, Paul looks beyond the headlines to unpack the signal coming from the bond market and why it matters to anyone building or protecting wealth.  Are today's higher rates a temporary interruption, or are we entering a very different investment era? And if the rules of the game are changing, what should investors be paying attention to now?  Inside this episode:  The overlooked market movement that could affect how far mortgage rates fall  Why shares and property may now have a much higher bar to clear  The global squeeze that could keep the cost of money elevated  Why a painful market sell-off may also be creating new possibilities  The question that could change how you think about risk, return and where your money belongs    FOR PERSONALISED INVESTMENT ADVICE: Book an initial meeting with Guidance Financial Services.    You can also find all our links here.  General advice disclaimer

  4. Sep 20

    Early Inheritances: Should You Give Your Children Money Now?

    You have worked hard to build financial security, and now you are watching your adult children struggle with house prices, mortgages and the cost of raising a family. You could help them. The harder question is whether you should. Giving your children money now could help them buy a home years sooner, relieve some of the pressure they are under and allow you to see them enjoy their inheritance while you are still here. But what if your help changes the decisions they make, creates an expectation you never intended or keeps them in a situation they would otherwise need to change? In this episode, Paul explores what can happen after parents decide to step in financially. Through real examples, he reveals why some gifts can transform an adult child's future while others produce consequences nobody saw coming. Inside this episode The question to ask before giving your children an early inheritance Why the timing of your help could make an enormous difference The point where financial support can begin working against its purpose What parents can overlook when they attach conditions to a gift How to help your children without putting your own financial security at risk If you are considering helping your adult children: Guidance Financial Services can help you understand what you can comfortably afford and explore the options available before money and family become unnecessarily complicated. Book your appointment here. You can also find all our links here.  General advice disclaimer

    Early Inheritances: Should You Give Your Children Money Now?

  5. Sep 15

    Offset, Redraw, Fixed or Variable: Is Your Mortgage Set Up to Build Wealth?

    A well-structured mortgage can help you pay less interest, keep more flexibility and put you in a stronger position for whatever you want to do next.  That could mean upgrading your home, buying an investment property, freeing up more money to invest or putting your emergency fund to work. But with offset accounts, redraw facilities, fixed rates, variable rates and split loans all on the table, working out the best setup is rarely as simple as choosing the lowest rate.  In this episode, Nick is joined by mortgage broker Aydin Gulmen to explain how to structure your home loan so you can reduce the interest you pay, keep your savings accessible and avoid limiting your future borrowing or investment plans.  They compare offset and redraw facilities, fixed and variable rates, and the factors that determine how much a lender may allow you to borrow. You will also learn how your credit cards, deposit and choice of loan features can affect your borrowing power, repayments and overall cost.  Inside this episode:  The offset-versus-redraw decision that could affect your future investing and property plans  Why offset and redraw can look almost identical now but produce very different consequences later  The mortgage decision that could come back into play if your home becomes an investment property later  The costly risk people often overlook when choosing the certainty of a fixed rate  The everyday financial facility that may be reducing how much you can borrow  Why your true borrowing capacity could be very different from the number you found online  Are you in your 30s or 40s and ready to put yourself in a stronger financial position?  Your mortgage is one part of the picture. Wealth Builder helps you work out how your home loan, investments, super and spare cash can work together to build the future you want.  Find out more about Wealth Builder    You can find Aydin on Linkedin here.  Visit our website here https://www.guidancefs.com.au/ and you can also find all our links here.  General advice disclaimer

  6. Sep 8

    7 Things Investors Should Check Now Before the Capital Gains Tax Changes

    If you own an investment property, shares, a business or other assets with a decent capital gain sitting in them, the changes coming to Capital Gains Tax from 1 July 2027 are worth paying attention to.  Because once people hear the words tax change and deadline, the instinct is often to think they need to act before it is too late. Do you need to sell now? Bring your plan forward? Or is there something you need to do now while the old rules still apply?  In this episode, Paul works through what the new CGT rules actually mean for investors and, more importantly, where they could change the decisions you make over the next few years. If you were already thinking about selling an investment, waiting until retirement, moving more money into super or simply leaving everything as it is, there are a few parts of these changes you will want to understand before making your next move.  Inside this episode:  The CGT change that sounds much more dramatic than it may actually be for gains you have already built up  Why rushing to sell before 1 July 2027 could create a bigger problem than the tax change itself  The retirement strategy that may not work quite the same way once the new rules begin  Whether you should be thinking about getting property, business or other assets valued before the deadline  The little-known change that could affect some assets that have been outside the CGT system for decades  Why where you hold your investments could become a much bigger planning question  The situations where doing nothing may still be the smartest move  What is actually worth reviewing between now and July 2027, before you make a decision that is hard to undo  The real challenge here is not understanding the tax rule, it's working out whether the rule changes what makes sense for you.  A decision to sell, hold, contribute more to super or change how your investments are structured can affect far more than one tax bill. It can flow through to your retirement timing, cash flow, investment mix and the flexibility you have later.  If you have built up significant investments and are wondering whether the 2027 CGT changes should alter your strategy, this is exactly the kind of decision we can help you work through.  Our advisers can look at the different pieces together and help you understand your options before you make a major move.  Book an initial meeting with Guidance Financial Services.    You can also find all our links here.  General advice disclaimer

  7. Sep 6

    Can You Afford to Take a Career Break Without Derailing Your Finances?

    Could you afford to take six months off work? You might love the idea of stepping away from work for a while. Maybe you want to travel, study, Spend more time with family, or simply getting off the treadmill long enough to work out what you actually want next. Then the financial anxiety kicks in. What happens to the mortgage? How much cash would you need? Would you have to sell investments? What if it takes longer than expected to find another job? And after spending years building your career, super and investments, could taking time out now set you back later? That's where a career break stops being a daydream and becomes a financial planning question. In this episode, Paul breaks down what you need to think through before walking away from your regular income, including some of the costs that are very easy to underestimate. He also looks at the bigger trade-off: whether taking some freedom now could change what becomes possible later. Because building wealth shouldn't only be about reaching a number decades from now. For many people, the whole point is having enough financial flexibility to make choices before retirement too. Inside this episode: How to work out whether the career break you're imagining is actually financially realistic The sabbatical costs that can catch you out even when you think you've saved enough Where the money could come from when your salary stops A timing decision that could affect the financial outcome of your break Why you may need considerably more money than simply covering the months you're away What taking time out could mean for the wealth and retirement plans you've already built The bigger question: do you really want to save all your freedom for retirement? Want to build wealth while creating more options along the way? Our Wealth Builder program is designed for people in their 30s and 40s who want a clear strategy across investing, debt, super and the lifestyle they actually want their money to support. FIND OUT MORE ABOUT WEALTH BUILDER AND BOOK YOUR APPOINTMENT  You can also find all our links here.  General advice disclaimer

    Can You Afford to Take a Career Break Without Derailing Your Finances?

  8. Sep 1

    Private Equity: What is it, can It Help You Build Wealth... and do you already invest in it without realising?

    Private equity used to sound like something reserved for investment bankers and the ultra-wealthy, but chances are, you may already be invested in it without even knowing.  So what actually is private equity, why are large investors willing to lock money away in private businesses for years, and what are they hoping to get in return?  In this episode, Nick is joined by former investment banker Stephen Zhang to break down the world of private equity and private credit. They look at what makes these investments different from buying ordinary shares, why super funds use them, and the trade-off investors make when they give up liquidity in pursuit of diversification and potentially higher returns.  Inside this episode:  Why private equity investors can make money very differently from someone buying shares on the ASX  The reason investors may accept less access to their money in exchange for greater return potential  Private equity vs private credit and why the difference matters  How large investors use private assets to diversify beyond traditional markets  Why you may already have private equity exposure sitting inside your super without realising it  What higher potential returns can mean for the level of risk you're taking

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Ratings & Reviews

4.7
out of 5
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About

Plenty of podcasts focus on building wealth – and that's great, as far as it goes. But focusing just on wealth misses the point. I believe what most of us actually want is to have choice. Choice in how much time we give to income-producing activities. Choice about what those income-producing activities are. Choice about where we live. Choice about when we retire. Choice about the ways we use our money to produce happiness. In the Financial Autonomy podcast, I explore the different ways you can gain choice - from investing in stocks to becoming self-employed, starting a side hustle, or buying an investment property. I share learnings I've gained working with clients for over 20 years as a Certified Financial Planner, and interview others with interesting insights or experiences in gaining choice in life.

Information

  • Creator
    Guidance Financial Services: Investing & Retirement Planning Experts
  • Years Active
    2017 - 2026
  • Episodes
    459
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Paul Benson
  • Show Website
    Financial Autonomy

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