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The office might go quiet over Christmas, but the costs don't. Wages and super keep going out through the break, which is why the holidays can catch small business owners out. Jase runs the numbers on a 10-person business closing for three weeks, and it adds up to around $60,000. For businesses that aren't trading over the break, that can be brutal, and it doesn't stop there. Shutdown notice rules, payday super deadlines and fringe benefits tax on the Christmas party are all worth getting right. Today Jase takes us through what you need to be across, so you can plan ahead and head into the break with no surprises. On this episode, we discuss:(00:00) Intro(02:23) The cost of a work Christmas party(04:40) What a Christmas shutdown really costs(07:08) Christmas shutdown rules for staff leave(08:18) When staff don't have enough annual leave(09:48) Payday super over the holidays(11:59) Fringe benefits tax and the $300 rule(13:07) Going over $300 a head(16:04) Which Christmas gifts are tax deductible(18:34) Why FBT records are so hard to keep(20:37) How likely is an FBT audit?(21:14) Simple bookkeeping habits for FBT(22:22) Planning cash flow for December and January Check out some free resources from Inovayt here: https://www.inovayt.com.au/resources/ Send us an email at: [email protected] The Numbers Game is brought to you by Future Advisory: https://futureadvisory.com.au/ & Inovayt: https://www.inovayt.com.au/ Hosts:Nick Reilly: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nickreilly/Jason Robinson: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonrobinsoncpa1/ This podcast is produced by VIDPOD: https://vidpod.com.au/ Check out the free resources from Inovayt here. Send us an email: [email protected] The Numbers Game is brought to you by Future Advisory & Inovayt. Hosts:Nick ReillyJason Robinson This podcast is produced by VIDPOD. Check out our new website thenumbersgamepodcast.com.au. Browse the full show catalogue, jump straight to specific moments on the topics you love, or leave us a voice note. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Rents are up in every Australian capital city, putting strain on a lot of weekly budgets, and with rates on the rise, plenty of would-be buyers are holding off. Today Nick works through why the rental shortage isn't getting fixed, and why higher rents and softer prices could soon bring investors back into the market, making this quiet stretch worth paying attention to if you're thinking of buying. On this episode, we discuss: (00:00) Intro(01:47) Rents compared across every capital(03:30) Australia's rental vacancy rate right now(05:11) Victorian landlords leaving the market(06:23) Why so many buyers are holding off(10:43) Will rents keep going up?(13:10) The housing supply problem(14:02) Developers struggling to get funding(16:10) Why investors could soon be back(16:47) Investors moving into Melbourne apartments(17:44) The risk of waiting for the bottom(21:55) Where the cheap rentals went(23:21) Share housing and other rent options Check out the free resources from Inovayt here. Send us an email: [email protected] The Numbers Game is brought to you by Future Advisory & Inovayt. Hosts:Nick ReillyJason Robinson This podcast is produced by VIDPOD. Check out our new website thenumbersgamepodcast.com.au. Browse the full show catalogue, jump straight to specific moments on the topics you love, or leave us a voice note. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Today we're celebrating 300 episodes of the podcast in style on the rooftop of Inovayt HQ. We're looking back at how much has changed since we started in 2021, from interest rates to property prices and investments. We also get into our favourite episodes and biggest flops, and throw out a few predictions on what we think will happen by episode 400. On this episode, we discuss: (00:00) Intro(01:07) How many podcasts reach 300 episodes?(03:46) Cash rate in March 2021 versus 2026(10:12) What 300 episodes taught us(13:25) Favourite episodes and biggest flops(14:40) Does property double every 10 years?(15:39) Property price growth by capital city(22:35) Home loan repayments, 2021 versus 2026(23:37) Gold vs Bitcoin vs shares since 2021(25:51) Victoria's net debt and interest bill(28:33) Predictions for episode 400  Check out the free resources from Inovayt here. Send us an email: [email protected] The Numbers Game is brought to you by Future Advisory & Inovayt. Hosts:Nick ReillyJason Robinson This podcast is produced by VIDPOD. Check out our new website thenumbersgamepodcast.com.au. Browse the full show catalogue, jump straight to specific moments on the topics you love, or leave us a voice note. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Cash flow's getting tighter, clients are paying later, and the bills aren't waiting. If that sounds like your business, you're not alone. Right now plenty of profitable Aussie businesses are running short on cash as rule changes and ATO pressure start to bite. Today Jase takes us through why good businesses are struggling and how much cash you should actually have in the bank to make sure yours isn't one of them. On this episode, we discuss: (00:00) Intro(01:10) Why small business is doing it tough(04:26) Three businesses squeezed for cash(07:26) Cash flow lending and invoice financing(12:25) How much cash your business should hold(14:01) Scaling pains between $5M and $10M(17:12) Most owners have under 3 months' cash(19:47) Why the ATO is chasing small business debt(22:49) What payday super did to cash flow(23:49) The credit card surcharge ban(26:11) PayTo and avoiding card fees(30:54) Building a 12-month cash flow forecast(31:29) Understanding your own books(35:31) Using AI to track your cash flow Check out the free resources from Inovayt here. Send us an email: [email protected] The Numbers Game is brought to you by Future Advisory & Inovayt. Hosts:Nick ReillyJason Robinson This podcast is produced by VIDPOD. Check out our new website thenumbersgamepodcast.com.au. Browse the full show catalogue, jump straight to specific moments on the topics you love, or leave us a voice note. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Aussie property market is slowing, and most of us are wondering what happens next. New Zealand's already been through this same cycle, so we've had a real preview of how it plays out. They hiked rates before us. Their property fell before ours. Almost five years on, prices are still 15% below peak. Today Nick takes us through what actually happened across the ditch and what it means for anyone thinking about buying or already holding property here. On this episode, we discuss: (00:00) Intro (01:17) Comparing Australia to New Zealand's property (01:36) New Zealand is 6 months ahead of us (04:43) NZ's lending controls vs Australia's tax approach (06:18) How far New Zealand property fell (06:35) Auckland and Wellington's steepest drops (07:00) Mortgage arrears and negative equity in NZ (09:01) How the first home buyer window opened (09:22) First home buyer share of new mortgages (09:59) Why New Zealand's recovery is still slow (11:23) Nick's advice for Aussie first home buyers (14:13) When Australian property might turn around (18:36) How Australia has more support than NZ did (20:38) 47,000 Kiwis moved to Australia in 2025   Check out the free resources from Inovayt here. Send us an email: [email protected] The Numbers Game is brought to you by Future Advisory & Inovayt. Hosts:Nick ReillyJason Robinson This podcast is produced by VIDPOD. Check out our new website thenumbersgamepodcast.com.au. Browse the full show catalogue, jump straight to specific moments on the topics you love, or leave us a voice note. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

When you donate $100 to charity, how much actually reaches the person it's meant to help? Turns out there's no law that says any of it has to. Some big Aussie charities get 82 cents on the dollar through to beneficiaries. Others get 6 cents. Today Jase takes us through Australia's $239 billion charity sector and how to actually give in a way that makes it there. On this episode, we discuss: (00:00) Intro (01:15) What Aussies expect from charity (01:58) Why there's no minimum donation rule (04:15) Australia's $239 billion charity sector (06:54) How Save the Children hits 82% (08:23) Where charity revenue really comes from (10:13) 1% of charities get 57% of revenue (11:50) The shopping centre donation trap (13:05) What your monthly donation really costs (16:06) Grilled's tree campaign gone wrong (17:26) Oscar Wylee's $3.5 million penalty (19:51) Live4Lily's 100% pass-through model (22:31) Starting a charity in Australia Check out the free resources from Inovayt here. Send us an email: [email protected] The Numbers Game is brought to you by Future Advisory & Inovayt. Hosts:Nick ReillyJason Robinson This podcast is produced by VIDPOD. Check out our new website thenumbersgamepodcast.com.au. Browse the full show catalogue, jump straight to specific moments on the topics you love, or leave us a voice note. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

I'm sure you've heard the saying that property doubles every 7 to 10 years. It's been the retirement plan for a generation. But 25 years of data doesn't quite back up the myth. Today Nick takes us through what the real numbers look like on property returns and, with the market slowing in Australia, what to expect if property is your wealth-building plan.  On this episode, we discuss: (00:00) Intro (00:42) The property doubling myth (04:22) What property really returns over 25 years (06:15) Capital city property growth compared (07:50) Will past returns repeat in the next 40? (09:55) 1990 mortgage stress vs now (11:52) Why mortgage stress caps property growth (13:53) Migration cooling and property demand (15:11) Three headwinds against property returns (16:53) Deposit trap and price-to-income (21:20) Nick's model for planning property today (25:17) Cash flow over capital growth Check out the free resources from Inovayt here. Send us an email: [email protected] The Numbers Game is brought to you by Future Advisory & Inovayt. Hosts:Nick ReillyJason Robinson This podcast is produced by VIDPOD. Check out our new website thenumbersgamepodcast.com.au. Browse the full show catalogue, jump straight to specific moments on the topics you love, or leave us a voice note. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Business closures and director penalty notices are hitting record highs across Australia. If you've missed a BAS lodgement or you're dreading a red letter from the ATO, you're not alone. Jase deals with this every week at Future Advisory. Today he covers what a Director Penalty Notice actually means, the rescue options like a Small Business Restructure that most owners don't know exist, and the one lodgement habit that keeps them all on the table.  On this episode, we discuss:   (00:00) Intro (02:55) Why Two Franks Cafe closed despite the queue (07:04) How Prime drink collapsed owing $8 million (10:00) Director Penalty Notices, up 136% in a year (12:01) What triggers a Director Penalty Notice (15:37) Why to lodge on time even without paying (18:06) Inside a Small Business Restructure (19:19) How an SBR proposal works with the ATO (22:25) What Voluntary Administration actually involves (24:51) Straight liquidation and what gets clawed back (30:29) What actually happens if you go bankrupt (32:41) The income threshold during bankruptcy Check out the free resources from Inovayt here. Send us an email: [email protected] The Numbers Game is brought to you by Future Advisory & Inovayt. Hosts:Nick ReillyJason Robinson This podcast is produced by VIDPOD. Check out our new website thenumbersgamepodcast.com.au. Browse the full show catalogue, jump straight to specific moments on the topics you love, or leave us a voice note. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Most people try to work out how much they need to retire before they've worked out what they actually want retirement to look like. It's no wonder, when you're constantly hearing you need $2 million or some other massive number to retire. For a lot of Aussies, that turns retirement into something they'd rather not think about. Today Nick walks through how to work out what enough actually looks like for you, and why once you do, most Aussies find they're already further along than they think. On this episode, we discuss:  (00:00) Intro (01:32) Nick's "enough" framework for retirement (04:00) Why most people start retirement wrong (05:08) Picturing your ideal retirement (06:20) Ask what makes you happy first (06:53) What fills your day at 65? (10:29) Attaching numbers to what you want (11:47) Real cost of a comfortable retirement (13:05) Super figures for a $100K retirement (14:57) Compound returns doing the heavy lifting (15:31) When the pension kicks in (17:36) Downsizer move that boosts your super (19:00) What if you live past 92? (21:25) Getting serious at 40 vs 55 (22:33) $2 million myth vs the real number (23:39) The bell curve, why you're not behind Check out the free resources from Inovayt here. Send us an email: [email protected] The Numbers Game is brought to you by Future Advisory & Inovayt. Hosts:Nick ReillyJason Robinson This podcast is produced by VIDPOD. Check out our new website thenumbersgamepodcast.com.au. Browse the full show catalogue, jump straight to specific moments on the topics you love, or leave us a voice note. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

If you run a company, the money in it might feel like yours, but the ATO doesn't always see it that way. Just ask the plumber who took a million out of his business, missed one piece of paperwork, and lost $470,000 to tax. Today we walk through what he did, the rule that caught him out, and what every business owner needs to know before touching company money. On this episode, we discuss: (00:00) Intro (00:20) A plumber, a million dollars, and one costly mistake (01:33) Inside the Battaglia tribunal case (02:31) $1M taken, $470K lost to tax (04:11) Bucket company owners, this affects you (05:21) Why the ATO's penalty stings more than the tax (07:00) What the ATO now checks on your tax return (08:32) Accountant or business owner, who carries the blame? (10:44) Doing it properly: the right way to use company money (12:14) Big bucket company changes coming July 2028 (13:29) Real reasons business owners take these loans (15:43) Lodgement date, the deadline that trips people up (18:35) Restructure gone wrong, another $470K down (21:39) Three tests to stay on the ATO's good side Check out the free resources from Inovayt here. Send us an email: [email protected] The Numbers Game is brought to you by Future Advisory & Inovayt. Hosts:Nick ReillyJason Robinson This podcast is produced by VIDPOD. Check out our new website thenumbersgamepodcast.com.au. Browse the full show catalogue, jump straight to specific moments on the topics you love, or leave us a voice note. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Every parent wants to give their kid a head start, but most don't realise one of the best ways to do it is inside superannuation. Today we're looking at a strategy that turns small yearly contributions into hundreds of thousands for your child by the time they retire, using rules the government has quietly left on the table. On this episode, we discuss: (00:00) Intro (00:47) Two Super Strategies Most Aussies Don't Use (01:55) Helping Your Kids Get a Leg Up via Super (02:47) The Government's Super Co-Contribution Scheme (04:02) $1,000 a Year Into Your Kid's Super (05:23) The Balance After 5 Years in Super (06:13) The Balance After 10 Years in Super (07:32) Turning $23,675 Into $354,000 for Your Kid (08:16) The $193K Cost of Starting Late (09:40) Pulling Super Out for a First Home (12:58) Moving a Lump Sum Into Super (13:57) Concessional vs Non-Concessional Contributions (16:54) How the Bring Forward Rule Works (18:00) $520K Into Super in Six Weeks (18:47) The $1.6 Million Couple With Downsizer Option (21:34) Why Super Beats a Personal Share Portfolio Check out the free resources from Inovayt here. Send us an email: [email protected] The Numbers Game is brought to you by Future Advisory & Inovayt. Hosts:Nick ReillyJason Robinson This podcast is produced by VIDPOD. Check out our new website thenumbersgamepodcast.com.au. Browse the full show catalogue, jump straight to specific moments on the topics you love, or leave us a voice note. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Every pay rise feels smaller than it should. That's because when your income goes up but the tax brackets don't move, you quietly pay more tax at higher rates. It's called bracket creep, and it's why your pay never quite catches up. Today we run through what your pay rise is really worth after tax, and the one change every other developed country makes that Australia doesn't. On this episode, we discuss: (00:00) Intro (00:49) The Viral Max Harris Bracket Creep Clip (02:24) Why Australia Won't Index Its Tax Brackets (03:14) How the Government Profits From Bracket Creep (04:30) The Minimum Wage Win Chalmers Is Selling (05:51) Why Wages Aren't Keeping Up With Prices (06:49) The $3,100 a Year You're Falling Behind (07:59) What a Pay Rise Really Leaves You (09:29) What a $190K Earner Really Loses (11:11) A $190K Family Living Week to Week (13:29) Why the Government Is Your Biggest Expense (15:34) Personal Tax Hits 54% of Revenue (16:47) The Fix: Lower Income Tax, Higher GST (17:26) The Payroll Tax Killing Small Business Hiring (18:12) Why We Need to Index Tax Brackets (21:03) Why Young Australians Get Hit Hardest Check out the free resources from Inovayt here. Send us an email: [email protected] The Numbers Game is brought to you by Future Advisory & Inovayt. Hosts:Nick ReillyJason Robinson This podcast is produced by VIDPOD. Check out our new website thenumbersgamepodcast.com.au. Browse the full show catalogue, jump straight to specific moments on the topics you love, or leave us a voice note. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The doom and gloom online is loud, but what never changes is young people wanting to get ahead. Today we're looking back on the choices we made in our 20s to see what we would do differently now.  On this episode, we discuss: (00:00) Intro (01:00) What We'd Change at 25 Again (01:43) The One Property Choice Nick Would Undo (04:54) Why We Wasted Every Paycheck at 15 (06:23) How Jase Lost on Hills Hoist Shares (07:41) How $50 a Week Becomes $294K (10:10) Why Nick Started His Business at 25 (13:05) Failing at 27 Costs Less Than 45 (13:28) Your Network Is Your Net Worth (14:38) Why Every 25-Year-Old Needs a Mentor (16:44) Why We'd Skip Extra Super at 25 (18:01) When First Home Super Saver Works (19:04) Why We Wouldn't Rush HECS (21:20) The Second Job Tax Myth Explained (24:23) Why Insurance at 25 Costs 3x Less Check out the free resources from Inovayt here. Send us an email: [email protected] The Numbers Game is brought to you by Future Advisory & Inovayt. Hosts:Nick ReillyJason Robinson This podcast is produced by VIDPOD. Check out our new website thenumbersgamepodcast.com.au. Browse the full show catalogue, jump straight to specific moments on the topics you love, or leave us a voice note. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

1.3 million Aussie small businesses are owned by baby boomers, and in the next few years we’ll see the biggest handover of small business ownership in a generation. For anyone thinking of starting one, today's ep looks at what it means to buy an existing business rather than build from scratch. On this episode, we discuss: (00:00) Intro (00:24) 1.3 Million Aussie Businesses Owned by Boomers (00:52) Why Boomers Haven't Planned Their Exit (01:51) Why Buying an Existing Business Wins (03:23) Why an Accountant Would Buy in 2026 (04:42) A Hairdressing Supplier Buys a Salon (05:47) How to Build a Sellable Business Asset (06:58) Why Banks Won't Fund Business Buyers (07:45) How the US Funds Business Buyers (10:18) How Government-Backed Loans Would Pay Off (13:06) $31 Billion Sent to US Business Buyers (14:45) Buying the Business You Already Work In (18:32) Why Business Sellers Take Less Than Expected   Check out the free resources from Inovayt here. Send us an email: [email protected] The Numbers Game is brought to you by Future Advisory & Inovayt. Hosts:Nick ReillyJason Robinson This podcast is produced by VIDPOD. Check out our new website thenumbersgamepodcast.com.au. Browse the full show catalogue, jump straight to specific moments on the topics you love, or leave us a voice note. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Nothing on the news feels like good news. Wages under pressure, taxes up, housing broken. But there's another story if you go looking for it. Today we lay out the bullish case for Australia in 2026: why we're still the third-richest country per household, and the business, property and tech plays going for anyone paying attention. On this episode, we discuss: (00:00) Intro (01:20) Voice Note From the Former Co-Host (04:23) Boomer Businesses Ripe for a Takeover (07:07) Tax Workarounds for Business Owners in 2026 (08:19) Third-Richest Country Per Household (10:33) Why the $4.4 Trillion Super Pool Matters (12:39) Why Homeownership Still Wins in Australia (14:34) Renters Buying With 10% of the Deposit (15:47) Why 147,000 New Jobs Beat the Headlines (19:10) Why We Won't See a Housing Crash (21:29) Buying Property Without Negative Gearing (23:47) $15,000 Per Aussie From Mining Exports Alone (27:40) Why Big Tech Is Building Data Centres In Australia Check out the free resources from Inovayt here. Send us an email: [email protected] The Numbers Game is brought to you by Future Advisory & Inovayt. Hosts:Nick ReillyJason Robinson This podcast is produced by VIDPOD. Check out our new website thenumbersgamepodcast.com.au. Browse the full show catalogue, jump straight to specific moments on the topics you love, or leave us a voice note. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.