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350 | How BEN Did It: A Passive Income of $190,000 Per Year… At 50!

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Meet Ben Kingsley – Oh, wait. You probably have.

Not Gandhi, the other one.

The co-host of this podcast?

Yeah, THAT Ben.

Today Bryce is INTERVIEWING him, which might sound a bit odd. But, stick with us, ‘cos we promise you it’s going to be an episode you won’t ever forget, folks!

Why? Well, Ben has practiced what he preaches. That is – he has personally built his own property portfolio, played the long game and for his 50th birthday this month, he will gift himself a passive income of $190,000 a year from it. Not bad, huh?

Portfolio, Done. Passive Income, Done. Lifestyle Design, Done.

Speaking of Lifestyle Design, this interview with Ben is taking place while he’s in the Kimberley, Western Australia! Turns out, he has – along with his wife Jane and their two boys – taken a 2-month sabbatical to their dream destination – something that was factored into their life and property plan many, many years ago.

Wait – they planned this holiday YEARS ago?

Yep, they sure did. And Ben is going to tell you exactly how he and Jane built their property portfolio to make certain it happened. (And how it helped fund the entire trip.)

In this “Never Before Revealed” episode, Ben is going to share his OWN journey to Financial Peace with you… and how he did it using the exact same principles and frameworks we teach on The Property Couch!

So, who is this wise ol’ mate, Ben Kingsley? And what can he share with you about his own journey to get here that he hasn’t publicly shared before? And can someone please tell us exactly what his portfolio looks like!?!

Sure. Strap yourselves in. This is a RIPPER!!

 

Free Stuff Mentioned

  • Ben’s $500,000 Mistake – Read here
  • Our NEW TAX SERVICE within our business! If you are on the hunt for a specialised property tax accountant, fill in the form below to register your interest or click here to find out more.
  • Please select your type of Tax Return

  • If you've engaged our services before, tick the checkbox below:

 

Here’s what we cover…

  • 7:08 – A quick update on last week’s episode with Julia regarding BA fees in Canberra
  • 7:30 – Our brand new Tax business! Register your interest here.
  • 11:55 – Mindset minute: What’s found outside your comfort zone?
  • 16:11 – Ben’s dinner table money conversation in “Fundoora”
  • 17:40 – How many jobs did Ben’s dad had just to pay down his debt and what happened the very next day after his dad retired at 55!
  • 20:05 – What happened at home that caused anxiety but yet motivated Ben to do things differently?
  • 29:25 – __________ boots and _________ equipment << This is what they lavish on growing up
  • 30:05 – The Functional view on his purchasing decisions
  • 33:42 – The TWO INVESTMENT PRINCIPLES that started Ben’s investment journey
  • 36:34 – First business he ever started that failed and pushed him out of his comfort zone
  • 39:01 – Who are his early mentors – before Google?!
  • 39:52 – Some of his experiences with spruikers and the mental triggers that they used
  • 43:20 – The one problem that Ben was trying to solve that made him started an award-winning financial advisory firm
  • 49:12 – When and who triggered the creation of Money SMARTS?
  • 51:15 – The behind the scenes work when planning and implementing his lifestyle design of achieving passive income of $190,000 by 50
  • 57:50 – Ben’s portfolio in detail – how many properties, type, location, yield and growth! (FIRST TIME ON THE SHOW!)
  • 1:04:20 – Who did he meet in the Wyndham that made it all worth it?
  • 1:10:40 – Overcoming the 3rd Generation Curse and a Sense of Entitlement
  • 1:11:29 – Bryce’s lifehack
  • 1:11:30 – Update on Labor’s Negative Gearing policy

 

 

349 | How To Avoid Paying Tax Without Going To Prison! – Chat with Julia Hartman

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Update: Hi all, just a quick update on this episode. At the 18 minute mark, we talked about Buyers Agency fees in Canberra and if it’s tax-deductible. We weren’t certain during the recording but we can now confirm that Buyers Agent Fees is not tax-deductible in Canberra.

Tax Time! The question is: what can (and can’t) property investors claim? And how can you get MORE tax back and avoid paying a cent more than you must WITHOUT breaking the law and ending up behind prison bars!?!

(The latter quite important for obvious reasons.)

Folks, we get that you want to claim as much as legally possible this tax season and keep as much in your “back pocket” (AKA offset or savings account 😉) as you can.

So, here to help property investors MAXIMISE their tax deductions on their investment properties is none other than THE #1 Property Tax Expert in Australia… Julia Hartman!!!

Julia is the Founder of BAN TACS, a co-operative of Accountants that has been helping thousands of Australians navigate the world of tax since 1992. (yep… since 1992… says quite a bit about her industry experience, right?). She has a Bachelor of Business and is a Chartered Accountant (CA), Certified Public Accountant (CPA) and a Registered Tax Agent.

And when it comes to Property Tax… Julia is ALL over it!

Not only is she CO-HOSTING this episode with Bryce and kicking off our AweGuest series while Ben’s relaxing in the north of Western Australia, but also Julia is a total JET when it comes to understanding the intricacies and often grey areas of tax… in a way that won’t make your eyes glaze over! (Phew!)

 

We’ve broken this episode into a 3-part framework for you:

  • 1 – What Everyone Needs To Know About Property Tax!
    • CAN’T Claim Deductions
    • CAN Claim Deductions in the income year you incur the expense
    • CAN Claim Deductions over a number of income years
  • 2 – Other Important Taxes to Consider
    • Capital Gains Tax (CGT)
    • Goods and Services Tax (GST)
  • 3 – Listener Questions on TAX!

 

Plus, Julia has thrown in a property checklist of Dos and Don’ts as well.

So… fancy some winning property tax tips? Listen now to get ‘em.

Folks, as mentioned in this episode, we’ve just introduced a NEW TAX SERVICE within our business. We very rarely mention our own company on the show, but if you are on the hunt for a specialised property tax accountant, fill in the form below to register your interest or click here to find out more.

  • Please select your type of Tax Return

  • If you've engaged our services before, tick the checkbox below:

 

Free Stuff Mentioned

 

The Questions We Answer

Psst… if we’ve answered your question today please get in touch with us here so we can organise your free access to Start & Build 😊

 

Question on Capital Gains Tax on Knockdown Rebuild from Tamika:
Hi there Property Couch. I’ve been loving your podcasts I’m enjoying them. I’ve been listening for over 12 months since I’ve found them, I’ve been looking forward every Thursday to the little message saying that they’re uploaded. I’ve got a question, it’s in regard to capital gains tax and knock down rebuild. I don’t know what sort of information I need to keep and whether a valuation prior to a demolishment is necessary all of that sort of information. If you could please help with this? I’m thinking your tax agent Julie Hartman might have the best sort of information and advice in this situation. I’m planning to demolish a property that I’ve held for over 15 years, it’s been a rental income since day dot and obviously it was a lot cheaper, the land value and the house, and I just want to get this right so if you could give me some advice I’d really appreciate it. Thanks!

 

Question on Deductibility of Interest from Lennard Abarcar:
Hello everyone, I’ve got a question for Julia. I took on a new loan by extracting some equity from an investment property that increased in value. Will the interest on this new loan be tax deductible if it is used for one of both of the following: renovating the investment property or paying the monthly interest expense of the investment property loan? Thank you!

 

 

Quote of The Ep:

“The difference between tax avoidance and tax evasion is the thickness of a Prison Wall” – Denis Healey former Chancellor of the Exchequer

 

 

 

333 | Are We Property Spruikers?

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Right. Let’s have the uncomfortable conversation – is The Property Couch just a platform for another couple of Spruikers to push property on you!?!

Look, we get it… this is a fair question to ask. One we recently received recently from a listener! And, who knows, maybe it might even be something weighing on the back of your mind as well.

So… Are we Property Spruikers?

Listen now, and you’ll hear our answer… we’ll leave it in your court to decide what you believe to be true.

Just a heads up – this is a Q&A episode, folks! So, while we definitely strip down to the bare bones on whether or not we are Spruikers, we’ve also got a couple of other themes in store for you…

 

 

Free Stuff Mentioned

 

The questions we answer…

Question about “Are WE Property Spruikers?” from Daniel/RIPPAA

Massive fan of your show, which leads me to my questions regarding in particular Episode 325 – How to buy on a hot property market.

Listening to your show for quite a while, I’ve found that you guys always seem to advocate for property being an effective means of investing. However, sure you’ve got to be in a point in time where that is not the case. Investing in shares & stocks, generally speaking was probably not the best idea, what about property? You guys have done episodes on warning against spruikers and so I’ve been having concerns about, “What about The Property Couch then – does it fall under that category?”

However, until you guys did this recent episode 325, which to be honest was very refreshing to hear that acknowledgement of you guys just really giving that message of warning of cautioning I should say against buying at this point in time which I really appreciate,

that message of you guys caring about the community really came through. So my question is when do you guys see, at least a minimum point in time, until which the market is gonna change and sort of calm down a bit?

 

Question about Land Tax from Bruce Adkins

Hi Bryce and Ben. My question is about land tax. After starting out with a passive ‘buy any hold’ strategy, and then moving on to some renovations. I have finally landed on a strategy 3 or 4 years ago of buying splitter blocks, knocking down the existing house, subdividing into 2 or 3 lots, and then building new homes on each lot. When I can afford to, I keep the new houses and rent them out I do. Occasionally I need to sell one or more of the houses to assist with cashflow, or to help fund the next project. All my properties are in Brisbane and surrounding areas as I feel the need to touch and feel the sites and keep an eye on construction, etc. Early in my property investing journey I did invest in a location distant from my home. After a little bit of research and a quick flight to inspect, I purchased the property and the whole experience was a disaster, made worse by not being around when things went wrong. This experience convinced me that I need to invest in my own backyard, and my current, more active investment strategy reinforces the need to invest locally.

My current portfolio is now more than a dozen properties with an unimproved land value of around $8 million, and the annual land tax bill is really starting to hurt.

Apart from investing in different States (which I will find hard to get my head around), Do you have any other strategies for minimising the land tax impact of a large and growing portfolio?

I love your podcasts and would love any ideas you have for easing the sting of land tax.

 

 

Question on Lenders Mortgage Insurance (LMI) from  Francis Rivero

Not really a question but I would like to hear your thoughts on the following:

My wife and I bought a PPR in November 2018.

  • Purchase price – $345,000
  • LVR – 90%
  • LMI – $9700

Through making extra repayments and recovering a strong valuation result yesterday ($420,000) we are now sitting at 72% LVR just 2 years later. I realise this is just the way it is but I can’t help feeling like $9700 is a huge amount of money to pay in order to protect the bank for such a short time. Fair enough if we are still 5 years off getting down below 80% but I’m sure this happens to lots of people who buy well and are diligent with their money. Like I said, no specific question but would love to get your take on this.

 

Question on Being Gazumped from Matt Rose

Hi Ben, Bryce and the great Stig. I’m looking for some advice as my wife and I have been left disillusioned by the property system while trying to buy our 2nd investment property, this time in Melbourne.

The sequence of events went like this – we put in an offer on contract and put down 5% deposit, the agent phoned to say the owner has accepted, the agent then proceeded to shop our offer around telling everyone our exact price, the agent then entered into some sort of silent blind auction and sold it to someone else last night without coming back to us on the new price even though they told everyone else our price. Is this illegal or unethical and if not, how do we as a community vote to put better rules in place to protect the consumer?

 

 

 

 

330 | Top 10 FOMO Mistakes Investors Make!

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FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out) is certainly here in this hot property market, folks! 

Let’s be real… the “Great Australian BBQ Topic” is officially on steroids right now — a combination of low interest rates, rising property prices and lack of supply in the market is seeing all sorts of people jump in on “the property party” they perceive everyone else is enjoying. 

So, we want to be direct with you… there are NO excuses to purchase property because of FOMO! The reality is you should NEVER make huge financial decisions on a whim or forget to “Look Before You Leap”. 

A hot market — like the one we’re currently experiencing — is the perfect storm for property buyers to make mistakes and land themselves in hot water by stretching themselves too far, act without thinking, fall into the “herd” mentality or disregard that FOMO is paradise for Spruikers!! 

As a follow on to our 3-part mini-series on how to win in a HOT property market, today we’re tackling the Top 10 FOMO mistakes property investors make… because we DON’T want to see you getting burnt out there or Realising Too Late that you fell into the trap of Irrational Exuberance!! 

So, strap yourselves in folks… ‘cos we’re about to give you some TOUGH LOVE! 

 

Free Stuff Mentioned… 

 

 

What’s Covered In The Episode….

  • 02:12 – How can you WIN our Start & Build online course?
  • 07:57 – How Bryce’s heckle to Ben ended in a property investment lesson… (LOL)
  • 09:57 – Mistake #1: You buy__ because you __ __ __ !
  • 10:30 – The Perfect Storm for FOMO…
  • 11:23 – A question to ask yourself to rein in FOMO…
  • 11:54 – “I went to buy a loaf of bread and came back with a property!” (yep… real life story!)
  • 14:02 – Why market movement doesn’t mean you should buy property…
  • 15:10 – “CBAD”!
  • 16:07 – Key FOMO difference for investors and owner-occupiers
  • 16:28 – Ben’s Two Controversial Tips for Owner-Occupiers!
  • 20:00 – Mistake # 2: You buy because you want to get __ __ !
  • 20:26 – Why is FOMO a paradise for Property Spruikers?
  • 22:10 – Beware of The Stock List!
  • 23:26 – Why we DON’T like the word “Rich”!
  • 24:15 – The Fundamental Principle to work out if YOU are the product!
  • 25:13 – Understanding the enemy…
  • 26:34 – How to identify “The Millionaire Next Door”
  • 27:17 – Mistake #3: You __ __ __
  • 31:16 – The 30,000-foot view…
  • 31:57 – The two most-common situations we model…
  • 33:51 – Mistake #4: You __ the wrong __!
  • 34:13 – Why you need to be cautious of “flipping” in a hot market…
  • 35:24 – Understanding investment-grade locations…
  • 36:00 – Why a character property could actually be the WRONG property for you…!
  • 37:09 – Mistake #5: You __ __ want to __ on __ !
  • 40:52 – Mistake #6: You __ without a __ __ __ __
  • 41:27 – Why can you borrow more as a rentvestor?
  • 42:20 – Considerations if you’re chasing higher-yielding properties
  • 44:02 – Mistake #7: You underestimate what it takes to __  __  a __ __
  • 44:47 – Mistake #8: You’re too __ or too __
  • 46:17 – Classic examples that lead to a poor-performing property
  • 48:27 – Mistake #9: Your __  is disconnected from __ __
  • 50:20 – Are you paying too much?
  • 53:50 – Mistake #10: You Buy __ Because You Think __ __ __ Changed!!

Episode 308 | Pain & Gain: The Wealth Effect & The Housing Affordability Debate – Chat with Eliza Owen from CoreLogic

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When it comes to the current property market… WHERE is the Profit being made? And, just as importantly, WHERE are the Losses happening?

‘Cos let’s be honest folks… it’s been quite the year indeed!! But it looks like we’ve finally reached a turning point in the market…

So, here to discuss the latest housing trends and data coming out from the property market is a very, very special guest and someone who definitely knows her stuff when it comes to property, economics and a big issue almost all first homebuyers face… something called “housing affordability”!

Introducing today’s huge guest… Eliza Owen is Head of Australian Research at CoreLogic! She has a first class honours degree in economics from the University of Sydney and has been a regular economic commentator on FBI Radio and guest speaker on Triple J’s Hack, 702 ABC Radio, Sky News and TEDxSydney! Not to mention, she’s also provided comment for many media outlets including The Guardian Australia, the Australian Financial Review, Pedestrian TV, the Daily Telegraph and plenty more!

PLUS, on top of her first-class knowledge bank, guess what Eliza’s also brought with her today?!

… Nonother than CoreLogic’s most recent Pain & Gain Report – that is, the Quarterly Report that unpacks (in a whole lot of detail!) how different properties, regions and cities are performing across the country. Yep… this includes exactly WHERE the profit and loss is occurring!

So, ready to dive in?!

Listen now to get the latest insights into the Australian property market, including where there’s “Pain” and “Gain”… AND get the tour into The Wealth Effect and The Housing Affordability Debate!

 

P.S. The Pies got slammed last week. Poor Ben. (kinda)

 

Free Stuff Mentioned…

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  • And a quick summary on your Money Story!

    Let's start with What Money Means to You.
    We are interested to know what motivates you particularly when it comes to Money. From the options below, please select five that matters to you.
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Here’s a bit of what we cover…

 

 

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