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Financial Autonomy: Daily Summaries Delivered
by Guidance Financial Services
Plenty of books, podcasts and blogs 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.
Latest Episodes
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- 4 days ago15 min
Is a Family Trust Still the Best Way to Build Family Wealth?
For decades, the family trust has been treated as the go-to structure for Australians building serious wealth. But what happens when the rules that made trusts so attractive begin to change? Suddenly, the structure many investors have relied on for tax flexibility, capital gains concessions and passing wealth between generations may no longer be the automatic choice. And a much less fashionable alternative could be worth another look. In this episode, Paul compares family trusts with private investment companies and explores why the best structure for building wealth may not be the one most people expect. This is not simply a question of which option could save you more tax this year. It is about how you hold, grow and eventually pass on wealth over decades. In this episode: Why the family trust may no longer be the obvious choice for building wealth The proposed changes that could upend a strategy Australians have relied on for decades <li class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW42670089 BCX0" role="listitem" aria-setsize="-1" data-leveltext="" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="1" data-list-defn-props= "{"335552541":1,"335559685":720,"335559991":360,"469769226":"Symbol","469769242":[8226],"469777803":"left","469777804":"","469777815":"hybridMultilevel"}" data-aria-posinset="3" data-ar
- 6 days ago8 min
Am I on Track to Retire?
You may know how much is sitting in your super. But do you know whether it is enough to retire when you want to? Could you stop work at 60? Would your money last? Or could you already have more options than you realise? In this Financial Autonomy Essential, Paul explains how to assess whether you are on track for retirement and what the answer could mean for the years ahead. Because being on track is not only about having enough money. It could mean retiring earlier, reducing your working hours or spending more while you are healthy enough to enjoy it. Inside this episode: How to work out whether you can retire when you want to Why a healthy super balance does not always mean you are on track The signs you may be able to retire earlier or cut back your hours <li class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW92819233 BCX0" role="listitem" aria-setsize="-1" data-leveltext="" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="1" data-list-defn-props= "{"335552541":1,"335559685":720,"335559991":360,"469769226":"Symbol","469769242":[8226],"469777803":"l
- 1 weeks ago35 min
The Sharemarket Financial Year in Review (and What BlackRock Is Watching Now)
If you have been watching the news and wondering whether your investments are about to get hit, you are not alone. Over the past year, investors have had plenty to worry about. War, inflation, interest rate changes, property pressure and constant talk of an AI bubble. Yet markets have not behaved the way many people expected. So what actually happened? Why did some markets keep climbing despite all the uncertainty? And what does that mean for where your money is invested now? In this episode, Nick Donato is joined by BlackRock strategist Beatrice Yeo to cut through the noise and explain the market moves that matter most to everyday investors. They look at whether the AI boom still has room to run, why Australian shares have struggled to keep pace with global markets and how higher interest rates have quietly changed the investment landscape. They also explore what BlackRock is watching across shares, bonds and property, and what could matter most for your portfolio over the next 12 months. In this episode Why the sharemarket kept rising when the headlines said it should be falling <div class="ListContainerWrapper SCXW2
- 1 weeks ago11 min
How to Build Passive Income So You Can Retire Earlier
Imagine reaching a point where your pay cheque is no longer the only thing keeping your life running. You could reduce your hours, change careers, retire earlier or simply have more freedom to decide what comes next. That is the promise of passive income. But the path to getting there is often very different from the effortless version sold online. In this Financial Autonomy Essentials episode, we look at what passive income really involves, where it can come from and the decisions that can make or break your progress. Because building income outside your job is not only about finding investments that pay dividends or buying a rental property. The way you think about growth, tax, risk and even spending your capital could completely change the strategy. And there is another question worth asking: what is the point of creating financial freedom if getting there costs you the best years of your life? In this episode: The real work hiding behind supposedly passive income Which income sources are more passive than others <li class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW151362100 BCX0" role="listitem" aria-setsize="-1" data-leveltext="" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="1" data-list-defn-props= "{
- 2 weeks ago12 min
Why Doing Less with Your Investments Could Make You Richer
Think the secret to getting rich is finding the next Nvidia, picking the perfect fund manager, or making clever moves before everyone else? Well, this episode is here to change that. Today we're looking at the investment strategy that was once labelled as boring, uninspiring and almost impossible to sell, but went on to reshape the way millions of people invest. Index investing started with a simple idea: stop trying to beat the market, and own it instead. It sounds almost too basic to work. But when you take a closer look, simple can become seriously powerful. In this episode, we unpack why "average" market returns may be better than they sound, why more activity does not always mean better results, and why the hardest part of investing is often leaving a good plan alone. In this episode: Why trying to beat the market is harder than it looks <li class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW121082551 BCX0" role="listitem" aria-setsize="-1" data-leveltext="" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="1" data-list-defn-props= "{"335552541":1,"335559685":720,"3355599
- 2 weeks ago7 min
Offset Account vs Investing in Shares: Which Will Make You Richer?
When interest rates are high, putting extra money into your offset account can feel like the obvious decision. It reduces the interest on your home loan, keeps your money accessible, and gives you a return that is hard to ignore. But if you are trying to build wealth over the long term, is the offset always the best place for your money? In the first episode of our Essentials Series, we revisit one of the most common questions homeowners ask: should extra savings stay in the offset, or could that money be working harder elsewhere? In this episode, we look at how to weigh up the trade-off between reducing mortgage interest today and investing for growth over time. We also explain why tax, inflation and timeframe can all change the way this decision looks. In this episode: Why offset accounts have become more attractive as rates have risen The simple mistake people make when comparing offset accounts with shares <span class= "NormalT
- 3 weeks ago24 min
Everyone Says Pay Off the Mortgage with an Inheritance. But What Should You Really Do?
Everyone says that when you receive an inheritance, the smartest thing to do is pay off the mortgage. And sure, for some people, that might be exactly the right move. But what if it isn't the whole answer? Receiving an inheritance can be one of the most emotional financial moments of your life. There's grief, gratitude, guilt, pressure, and suddenly a long list of decisions you may not feel ready to make. Should you pay down debt? Invest? help your kids? keep some aside? take the trip your loved one always wanted you to take? In this episode of the Wealth Builder Podcast, Nick Donato is joined by Paul Benson to unpack what to think about before making any big moves with inherited money. They talk through why pausing can be powerful, what tax and timing issues can catch people out, and how to make decisions that honour the legacy you've been left while still supporting the life you want to build. In this episode: How to avoid rushing into a decision while emotions are high Why paying off the mortgage may feel obvious, but still needs to be tested <ul class="
- Jul 1, 202613 min
Self-Managed Super: Do the Tax Changes Make SMSFs Worth a Rethink?
Self-managed super funds have been out of favour for a while. With low-cost industry funds, better online platforms and more compliance to deal with, plenty of Australians decided SMSFs were not worth the effort. So why is everyone talking about them again? In this episode, Paul looks at why recent tax changes could make superannuation even more important in Australia's wealth-building landscape, and why that has some people taking a fresh look at self-managed super. Not because SMSFs are suddenly right for everyone, but because when the rules around other wealth-building structures change, the way you hold and manage your retirement savings starts to matter more. In this episode: Why SMSFs are back on the radar What the tax changes could mean for wealth builders Why super may matter more than ever <li class="OutlineElement Ltr SCXW124388256 BCX0" role="listitem" aria-setsize="-
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About Financial Autonomy
Plenty of books, podcasts and blogs 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.
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