Total control over your super sounds empowering, right up until you realise you are also the trustee, the compliance manager and the last line of defence against mistakes. We sit down with superannuation specialist Marco Millardo to unpack what self-managed super funds (SMSFs) really are, why Australians set them up, and why plenty of people later decide to wind them down.

We talk through the practical stuff most brochures skip: typical set-up and running costs, why fixed admin and audit fees can hurt smaller balances, and how SMSF insurance often lacks the buying power of group cover in an industry fund. We also dig into the unglamorous reality of being responsible for every decision and every signature, plus the growing risk of scams and illegal early access when you control the bank account.

Listener questions take us into the tricky corners: rolling an SMSF into another fund, managing “lumpy” assets like property, paying expenses correctly, and coping with minimum pension drawdown rules as you age. Marco also explains why defined benefit super funds can be worth their weight in gold, what to think about before giving one up, how SMSF borrowing works via an LRBA, and the tax traps that can hit adult children through non-dependent death benefit tax.

If you are weighing up an SMSF, already running one, or wondering when it is time to simplify, hit play. Subscribe, share this with a mate who loves spreadsheets, and leave us a review with your biggest SMSF question.

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

Send us Fan Mail

Support the show

Hiring a financial adviser can feel like handing your future to a stranger, especially when you’re already under pressure from a big life change. We talk through the moments that commonly push people to seek advice, from starting a family to receiving an inheritance, but the biggest trigger is approaching retirement. What surprised us is how much this timeline has shifted: more Australians are starting retirement planning in their 40s and 50s because the real work happens over decades, not in a last-minute scramble.

We also get practical about what financial advisers actually do. Yes, there’s superannuation advice, investing and retirement planning, but there’s also budgeting, debt management, life insurance, and the role of an adviser as an objective sounding board when family emotions are running hot. We share how to find the right fit, including referrals, the Financial Advice Association directory, and the checks you can do before you meet: Google their name, read client testimonials, and confirm qualifications and registration on the ASIC Financial Advisers Register. We also explain what a good first meeting should look like, and why it should start with your values, goals, and the life you want to live.

Then we tackle the sticky questions listeners always ask: what advice costs and why, plus clear super rules around concessional and non-concessional contributions, the $1.9m total super balance limit moving to $2m from July, work tests after 65, contribution cut-offs around 75, and deadlines like making sure money lands in your fund before 30 June. We finish with a grounded take on high growth investing in retirement and how to think about volatility. If this helped, subscribe, share it with a mate who’s putting this off, and leave us 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

Send us Fan Mail

Support the show

The ATO is waving a big flag at tax time, and it’s not just about rental property deductions and work-related expenses anymore. We dig into the areas that trip up real people: capital gains tax on shares, the fast-growing crypto tax footprint, and why “surely they won’t know” is no longer a strategy when data matching is this strong. If you’ve bought, sold, swapped, or simply forgotten what you did over the year, we walk through the mindset and the record-keeping that makes your numbers easier to defend and your return easier to lodge.

We also get stuck into a mid-year portfolio clean up. Markets have been stronger than the mood music suggests, which is exactly why it’s worth reviewing what you own and why. We talk through the psychology that pushes us to sell winners for a quick win while clinging to losers out of pride, plus how capital losses can be useful if you genuinely need to exit a position. Then we spell out the wash sale problem in plain language: if you sell purely to manufacture a loss and buy back straight away, the ATO may treat it as a no-go.

From listener questions we move through real-world examples and decisions: how ETFs work compared with managed funds, why fees and simplicity matter, and how “more return” almost always means “more risk”. Finally, we tackle a classic superannuation dilemma: moving to cash because a recession feels close, then watching markets jump without you. That’s sequencing risk, and it’s brutal, so we explain how a sensible asset allocation can keep you invested without forcing you to predict the future. If this helped, follow the podcast, share it with a mate who’s stressing about tax time, and leave us a review. What money decision are you second-guessing right now?

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

Send us Fan Mail

Support the show