Shows / The Money Puzzle
The Money Puzzle
Unlock your wealth potential with The Money Puzzle.
Featuring two power-packed episodes each week packed with smart money-making strategies, from superannuation to investing in shares, plus in-depth analysis of property markets.
Get tips from leading experts and practical tools to help build lasting wealth.
Submit your questions at themoneypuzzle@theaustralian.com.au.
Episodes
- The Money Puzzle
Death, taxes, and the inevitability of an inheritance tax
As trillions of dollars begin transferring to the next generation, is it only a matter of time before Australia joins other nations to tax an inheritance?…
- The Money Puzzle
Bricks vs Shares: Here's how the new tax regime changed the maths
It's the age-old question: is an investment property or shares a better investment? The government's tax changes has blown the debate wide open. As Stockspot…
- The Money Puzzle
How to optimise AI as an active investor
The risks and opportunities of AI become clearer each day, but how do you - the investor - optimise AI while minimising your risks? Daniel Gara, founder of…
- The Money Puzzle
Private credit's 'wake-up' call (with Charlie Viola)
This is the year reality bites for private credit investors: Put simply, it was too good to be true for several years. More recently, just as everyday…
- The Money Puzzle
FIRE- Finding your magic number for financial independence
The Financial Independence Retire Early (FIRE) movement has been re-energised through an offshoot tagged as COAST. It's all about the magic number you need to…
- The Money Puzzle
'Stock overhang'- Inside the property market's biggest issue
The Spring season's 'stock overhang' will determine the outlook for the property market. It will also provide an early guide on where the bargains will emerge…
- The Money Puzzle
Higher rates, lower returns: Is Australia still investable?
Higher taxes, an aging population and hopeless productivity growth ...is Australia the best place to put your money? In today's show, we cover... What…
- The Money Puzzle
Investing in your home versus building a share portfolio
The removal of negative gearing from existing residential property, coupled with sliding values for investment property, has changed the game for every…
- The Money Puzzle
Why the $175 billion man still likes the sharemarket (with UniSuper's John Pearce)
Managing $175 billion for UniSuper would keep anyone on their toes. It also helps to clarify a clear view on every asset class from US shares to private…
- The Money Puzzle
Wall Street rewards...but should you hedge?
Big super funds hedge up to 50 per cent of their offshore investments: The textbooks say you should hedge about one third of any exposure overseas. But the…
- The Money Puzzle
The career choices that matter for long term wealth
How do you get a pay rise? Should you join that start-up that promises to go to the moon, or should you simply buy your first home a lot sooner than you had…
- The Money Puzzle
Cash is king again...here's why
Interest rates are moving higher worldwide, but this time around it's for good reason: The AI boom is fuelling tremendous returns on global share markets. As…
- The Money Puzzle
You can't take it with you...but you should do this
If you don't have a Will, that's plain stupid. If you have a Will, you should also consider a Testamentary Discretionary Trust...and if you have done that too…
- The Money Puzzle
How to invest in the data centre boom
It's the biggest investment upsurge we have seen since the LNG gas expansion of more than a decade ago: Data centre construction will make or break investors…
- The Money Puzzle
Gold...are you ready for a rebound?
The gold price bounced in August, suggesting the yellow metal may soon recommence the rally that enthralled investors across 2025: It might be time to top…
- The Money Puzzle
Why property bargain hunters can hang tight... this downturn is only starting
House price falls have some way to go, and now that we have the clear and present danger of more rate hikes, bargain hunters have time to kill. In today's…
- The Money Puzzle
Mortgage or super? Where should I put my extra money?
It's the hot-button question for so many investors - how to optimise any spare cash they may have on hand. For younger investors it's often the mortgage; for…
- The Money Puzzle
How to invest for your kids
"I want to help the kids, how do I start?' It's one of the most common questions we get on the podcast, and it's time to tackle it head on. Dr Doug Turek of…
- The Money Puzzle
Healthy rebound: How the ASX got its mojo back
The ASX 200 is enjoying a solid earnings season, but the healthcare sector is shooting the lights out. Believe it or not, the market sector that offered the…
- The Money Puzzle
Property pile-up warning: Bracing for a listings overhang
Here comes Spring! Welcome to most, except perhaps to residential property sellers, who will be adding stock to an already bloated market where prices are…
- The Money Puzzle
The hunt for income heats up
The old formula for seeking income in the Australian market is fading: Dividend rates have dropped across the ASX. Yet, recent tax changes mean that investors…
- The Money Puzzle
Why investor zones will be worst hit in the property downturn
Property investors are scrambling to sidestep the new property taxes and taking risks in areas they might never have considered before the May Budget. Rasti…
- The Money Puzzle
How rich listers are investing in the AI boom
At the top end of the market, Australia's richest investors are deeplyengaged in the AI boom: Some are betting the house on AI, others are fighting to rescue…
- The Money Puzzle
How to buy your first property (post-Budget)
The first principles for buying property never change. Whether it's your first home or your first move as an investor, you need a pathway. But following this…
- The Money Puzzle
Why it's time to get into alternative investing
The swing towards 'alternative' investing is much more than a fad, it is now a core dimension of most investment portfolios among wealthy investors. But how…
- The Money Puzzle
Getting around the SMSF borrowing ban
Starting August 10 Self-Managed Super Funds will be banned from borrowing to buy residential property. The Government's late move will catch many investors…
- The Money Puzzle
How to build your own ETF portfolio
Investors love Exchange Traded Funds; these cheap and low-risk funds, which mirror indices such as the ASX 200, are increasingly popular. But how do you put…
- The Money Puzzle
How much will house prices fall?
Asked in today's episode if the house price downturn is 'a blip or a bust?', one of the market's top residential experts says 'Way more than a blip, as for a…
- The Money Puzzle
Your retirement plan’s CGT shock (with Adrian Raftery)
For a generation, Australian investors were advised to hold their investments until they retired. Then once they entered tax-free retirement, they could…
- The Money Puzzle
Commercial property suddenly looks attractive: Should you go near it?
There is still a property sector where the outlook is improving, where yields are strong and anyone can negatively gear. Hey, you can even use borrowed funds…
- The Money Puzzle
Why property investing will never be the same again
We are only beginning to digest the full impact of the Budget changes for residential property.In short, it will never be the same again. That doesn't mean you…
- The Money Puzzle
Building a shock-proof investment portfolio
Behind all the market jargon and sophisticated language of wealth managers, there is one gold rule for investors: Don't put all your eggs in one basket. It's…
- The Money Puzzle
Can the economy justify a red-hot sharemarket?
The burning question for all investors is whether the global market is running ahead of itself? Tim Toohey, head of macro strategy for Yarra Capital…
- The Money Puzzle
Are you prepared for a sharemarket crash?
How would you deal with a global sharemarket crash? Because it’s not a question of if, but when. The AI boom, which underpinned the bumper super returns…
- The Money Puzzle
Why Australian shares let you down this year (and what to do about it)
The numbers don't lie: The ASX did 3 per cent over the 12 months to June, and the S&P 500 did 20 per cent. Unless - like a big super fund - you had half your…
- The Money Puzzle
Special episode: Listener questions on new tax changes
Sweeping changes to Capital Gains Tax, Negative Gearing and Self-Managed Super Funds are confronting investors. How will they affect you? Stuart Wemyss from…
- The Money Puzzle
Is superannuation still the Budget winner?
The government has made sure that superannuation investors did not entirely escape the investment tax overhaul: Is it still the relative winner as parliament…
- The Money Puzzle
SMSF property ban - an extra Budget sting for investors
Already reeling from a lift in CGT tax and a ban on negative gearing for existing properties, the Government is set to give the property market one last punch…
- The Money Puzzle
Bull market bonanzas and back-flipping Budget moves
Investors are fully stretched trying to keep up with a remarkable period for markets as a record number of Australians make a 50 per cent profit on the SpaceX…
- The Money Puzzle
Why property investors are turning to the outer suburbs
With negative gearing soon to be restricted to new buildings, property economics in the Australian market have been turned upside down: Until very recently…
- The Money Puzzle
Mega floats, market froth, and whether investing in SpaceX risky or smart
SpaceX lists today (June 12) and will be followed by two more AI mega-IPOs: OpenAI and Anthropic. Collectively valued at more than $US3.5 trillion, every index…
- The Money Puzzle
Moving money around the world - Your expat explainer
Many Australians move abroad to earn more money - or at least that's the plan - but it doesn't always work out unless you do your homework first. Likewise…
- The Money Puzzle
What women need to know about super
On average, women retire with 25% less superannuation than men, and one in ten have no super account at all. While you might assume this is purely down to…
- The Money Puzzle
‘Swim between the flags’ : The simple formula for managing money
Do you speak the language of money? If you - or anyone close to you - cannot understand what the investment market is telling them, there can be a high price…
- The Money Puzzle
How to legally save tax on property investment with Adrian Raftery
As a property investor, you may already know the usual tax breaks for properties, like negative gearing, but did you know there are ways to boost your cash…
- The Money Puzzle
Budget fallout: Before you do anything, do this
The Federal Budget will be a landmark moment for investors if it all goes through parliament as planned. Investors need to know what happened but also... what…
- The Money Puzzle
How to tackle the Budget’s property investment clampdown
Property investors are trying to piece together the cumulative effect of the bad news in the Budget. How much will the combined CGT changes and negative…
- The Money Puzzle
Budget Special edition: What you need to do
The 2026 Budget has introduced the biggest tax changes seen in decades: Every investor in Australia will be affected by the measures. Here's what you need to…
- The Money Puzzle
ETFs...What's next? (with Vanguard CEO Daniel Shrimski)
Australian investors have fully embraced Exchange Traded Funds. Now, as the gap between managed funds and index funds narrows, investors want to know what's…
- The Money Puzzle
Beyond property: Why it's time to widen your investment horizon
Investment property and high-dividend-paying shares are about to get a tax hit in the Budget: So, it's the perfect time to look wider for the active investor…
- The Money Puzzle
Who really gets hit with higher rates?
Interest rate hikes are just not the same anymore: Once upon a time, they hit the mortgage belt, that fictionalised housing strip in the outer suburbs…
- The Money Puzzle
After the oil shock: Who's really making money?
The Iran crisis oil shock is creating winners and losers in the sharemarket, but it may not be playing out as you expect. Yes QANTAS is hit, but…
- The Money Puzzle
You're biased! - The six signs of investment bias that hold you back
Once you get on top of the basics, then investing should get a lot easier. But the hidden factors that make a difference between winning and losing inside the…
- The Money Puzzle
Private credit - How bad is this going to get?
The private credit boom is having a shake-out: But not before many Australian investors - and big super funds - placed a lot of money into what has been, until…
- The Money Puzzle
What you should be paying on your borrowings (and getting on your cash)
The upside of higher interest rates is that you might get more on your money in the bank. But it turns out that anyone who uses a 'bonus' account (which is…
- The Money Puzzle
Your top tax hacks for FY 2026
You've only got a few months to go before the end of the financial year: It's time to plan your tax returns...and yes, this year - with soaring transport costs…
- The Money Puzzle
Why residential rental income is about to move higher (again)
It was not supposed to happen this year: Vacancy rates were meant to rise in 2026 and income was expected to flatten…not at all. Property investors are…
- The Money Puzzle
Separately Managed Accounts: Advisers love them, but should you?
SMAs are booming inside the financial advice sector: But if they are so terrific, then why is regulator ASIC asking so many probing questions around fees and…
- The Money Puzzle
Where investors will hunt in the looming property downturn
You can’t have a run of interest rate hikes and expect property to shoot out the lights. The chances are we are going to see a price slowdown in the…
- The Money Puzzle
Bringing it all back home - Why the oil shock is turning investors back to the ASX
What are investors doing in reaction to the shocking turn in markets during the first three months of 2026? One of the first moves is a distinct retreat from…