Register For Our Mailing List

Register to receive our free weekly newsletter including editorials.

Home / 529

Podcast: Noel Whittaker's retirement tips and traps

Season 2, Episode 9

Special guest Noel Whittaker, best-selling author and personal finance guru, offers his key tips for making the most of your retirement. He discusses the mistakes that people make with SMSFs, why super remains a good vehicle for retirees, how estate planning is a "minefield", and the financial traps to avoid with aged care.

Firstlinks’ Managing Editor, Graham Hand, also joins us to explain why more listed investment companies should close as well as the intriguing battle between Magellan and shareholder activist Nick Bolton.

And Morningstar's Peter Warnes is back from a break to talk about the carnage in bond markets and what it might mean for Australian markets.

The podcast is also available via our dedicated website page, Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and BuzzSprout.

Please share with friends and colleagues, and a favourable rating would help spread the word. We welcome questions and suggestions at [email protected].

Grab a cuppa and settle in for our chat.

James Gruber
Editorial, Firstlinks and Morningstar

 

  •   4 October 2023
  • 10
  •      
  •   
10 Comments
Kay
October 05, 2023

I have just listened to this podcast. Very interesting. I don't understand options, I needed an executive summary as background. Please do one. Also, a podcast on why an investor would want to invest in bonds.....no franking credits there, isn't a term deposit the same? More of Noel please, especially on estate planning. As he said 'you don't know what you don't know' . How does one best Estate plan if you have no family and you want to arrange things to give to causes in an ongoing fashion? Or are you best to give before you die and try to pass away broke? Noel told me many things I did not know today, thank you. I regularly read Firstlinks, a fair bit I don't understand, and the comments can be very entertaining.

Jan
October 05, 2023

I am interesting to know how one Estate plan if I have no family like Kay, I am going to arrange everything go to charity, wants some information on their financial situation, what is the percentage of the yearly people donated fund goes to the people who really need ?

Tasman
October 07, 2023

Current term deposits 4-5%?.My bond portfolio last financial year returned 6.8% from a very diverse mix of different types of bonds with interest ranging from 5% to 12%.They will mature over many years and then return my capital when they do.The interest is variously paid monthly or quartely so I am not waiting to the next year to benefit from franking credits.

Kay
October 08, 2023

I admit I am no expert. Treasury/Government Bonds are returning 4-4.5%. They are the capital guaranteed Bonds. If you are earning 12%, I think you must be taking on more capital risk (than a term deposit in Australia up to 250K per institution), with Corporate Bonds. My search for Capital and Inflation protected investments continues....

charles
October 07, 2023

It would be helpful if you could provide a written version of the podcast. It would help the deaf and also those that don't want to interrupt others. Also it would provide ability to refer back to segments.

B2
October 08, 2023

Agreed

Shane
October 09, 2023

Agree

James Gruber
October 18, 2023

Hi Charles, we would love to do it. Unfortunately, many tools such as zoom and others aren't accurate and fail to pick up financial terms and nuances. That means any audio transcription requires labor and money. We don't have that capacity at the moment, though hopefully that changes soon.

Lucille McLaren
October 09, 2023

Kay, Re bonds Tasman would be buying commercial bonds from the likes of FIIG. Some are available on the stock exchange and you can readily sell those if need be. Not all bonds are equal there is risk associated with them.

Tasman
October 08, 2023

Lucille,you are correct,My 18 bonds comprise floating rate 6,indexed 5, RMBS 3, fixed rate 2, asset backed 1 and one commercial .The 12% interset one is the asset backed one, short dated and is about 2% of total portfolio so I am comfortable with the risk.The bonds are also diversified across industry sectors,credit ratings(including unrated),duration and currency.

 

Leave a Comment:

banner

Most viewed in recent weeks

It’s time for LICs to die

A high-profile dividend cut and a prominent fund manager’s apology have reignited a long-running debate. If investors can access similar exposures more cheaply and efficiently elsewhere, what exactly is keeping LICs alive?

The retirement scorecard: how many of these questions can you answer?

From the maths of retirement, estimating spending and picking the right asset allocation to survive a poor decade, here are the questions every retiree – current or future – should be able to answer for themselves.

Testamentary trusts: Treasury has picked the wrong reading

A decades-old estate planning tool has survived one tax crackdown only to be caught by another. The surprise isn't who the reform is targeting, but who could end up paying the price for drafting choices made years ago.

How the typical Australian Family could save $844,350 in taxes

The value of a testamentary trust is not determined by wealth alone. Depending on circumstances, it can reduce the tax burden on inherited income, create efficiencies and help build intergenerational wealth.

The housing slide could become a crash

House prices are sliding across Australia, yet the most dangerous ingredient for a housing crash is still missing. If job losses surge amid growing economic risks, today's correction could become a historic property downturn.

Will investors be better or worse off under new housing tax changes?

Housing tax reforms have sparked warnings of market turmoil and promises of greater fairness. But after modelling nearly two decades of property data, the results suggest winners and losers may not be who many investors expect.

Latest Updates

SMSF strategies

Division 296: the initial moves to make before the windows close

What if the best superannuation strategy isn't about earning more, but acting before your options disappear? Several overlooked planning windows are narrowing, with consequences that can last for decades.

Planning

Avoid unnecessary CGT with this estate planning clause

A simple estate plan can create a ticking time bomb. One overlooked clause can pit spouses against children, delay inheritances, and potentially leave a family facing an unexpected tax bill worth hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Exchange traded products

The hidden trade-off in fixed income ETFs

Some investment trade-offs are immediately visible. Others are embedded in the way a portfolio is constructed. Understanding the difference may explain why similar-looking investments can produce surprisingly different results.

Retirement

The mortgage free retirement is fading

What happens when a generation reaches retirement carrying obligations previous generations largely avoided? New research suggests we may need to rethink both how much we need in retirement and what life could look like.

Retirement

The key question to inspire a confident and purposeful retirement

Most people spend decades planning for retirement. Far fewer plan for what happens when they get there. The difference may explain why so many find the transition harder and less fulfilling than expected, despite careful preparation.

Latest from Morningstar

Making the case for a 'good enough' portfolio

Some investors spend years chasing the perfect strategy. Others choose a path that’s simply good enough and move on. Which approach is more likely to deliver both better outcomes and a happier financial life over the long run?

Investment strategies

Is the US market as expensive as CAPE says?

Many investing ideas survive for decades. But that does not make them right. A famous valuation measure implies that US shares are dangerously expensive, but the evidence may point to a very different conclusion.

Sponsors

Alliances

  • ASA-Logo-RGB-ActiveGreen-web.png

© 2026 Morningstar, Inc. All rights reserved.

Disclaimer
The data, research and opinions provided here are for information purposes; are not an offer to buy or sell a security; and are not warranted to be correct, complete or accurate. Morningstar, its affiliates, and third-party content providers are not responsible for any investment decisions, damages or losses resulting from, or related to, the data and analyses or their use. To the extent any content is general advice, it has been prepared for clients of Morningstar Australasia Pty Ltd (ABN: 95 090 665 544, AFSL: 240892), without reference to your financial objectives, situation or needs. For more information refer to our Financial Services Guide. You should consider the advice in light of these matters and if applicable, the relevant Product Disclosure Statement before making any decision to invest. Past performance does not necessarily indicate a financial product’s future performance. To obtain advice tailored to your situation, contact a professional financial adviser. Articles are current as at date of publication.
This website contains information and opinions provided by third parties. Inclusion of this information does not necessarily represent Morningstar’s positions, strategies or opinions and should not be considered an endorsement by Morningstar.