In this Friday episode of The Australian Finance Podcast, Owen Rask and Gemma Mitchell dive into your questions on saving, investing, brokers, kids’ money and planning your next big property move. This week we unpack whether a high-yield savings account still stacks up against investing, how to think about using multiple brokers, and what to consider when choosing a provider to invest for your kids.

We also tackle a classic rentvesting question from someone with five investment properties who now wants to buy their own home, plus a quick explainer on what really happens to your HECS-HELP debt when you pass away.

Topics covered
– Whether you should follow your parents’ advice to save in a high-yield account or invest once you’ve built a three-month emergency buffer
– How compounding, inflation and time horizons shape the save or invest decision
– The pros and cons of having core and satellite portfolios across two brokers, and when it makes sense to merge
– What to think about when investing for children, including fees, tax rules and whether Australian Unity or investment bonds suit your goals
– A simple framework for exiting rentvesting and transitioning into your own home, even when you’re juggling multiple properties
– What actually happens to your HECS-HELP balance when you die, and how the ATO handles unpaid student debt

If you like this episode of The Australian Finance Podcast, make sure you hit follow on Apple, Spotify, YouTube or wherever you get your podcasts. And don’t forget to send in your questions for future Q&As using the link in the show notes.