Ally Wealth Management

02/09/2026

The latest episode of the Money Side Up podcast is out.

The 2026-27 Federal Budget has introduced some of the most significant changes to property taxation, Capital Gains Tax (CGT) and negative gearing in decades.

In Episode 29 of the Money Side Up Podcast, Senior Adviser Joel Kerin and co-host Jarrad are joined by tax specialist Bradley Murphy of Murphy Tax Lawyers and Advisors to discuss what these changes could mean for Australian expats, property investors and those planning to return home in the future.

Key topics include:
→ The impact of the proposed CGT and negative gearing reforms
→ Property market implications for expats
→ Strategic planning opportunities and risks
→ Superannuation considerations under the new rules
→ Practical actions investors should consider now

If you're an Australian living overseas, investing in Australian property, or planning your return home, this episode provides valuable insights to help you stay informed and prepared.

Check it out with the links below.

Apple - https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/episode-29-2026-27-australian-budget-impact-for-australian/id1751279090?i=1000787252698

Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/episode/5Rx1Na1bTUG5siY4Fv7KrZ?si=bZL7KJycRQKW_P9u7SOfzA

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2F9iIINAC3A

Episode 29 - 2026-27 Australian Budget Impact for Australian Expats...

31/08/2026

A UK ISA may be tax-free while you’re living in the UK.

But that doesn’t mean Australia will treat it the same way when you move home.

Once you become an Australian tax resident again, the tax treatment can change materially, including on future income and capital gains.

So one of the key questions to ask is this.

“Where am I likely to live long term, and how should this investment be structured before I return?”

For Australian expats in the UK, planning should start before boarding the flight back to Australia.

30/08/2026

How much do you actually need to retire?

The answer depends on more than just your spending today.

Using the 4% rule as a rough guide:
→ $80,000 a year = around $2 million invested
→ $150,000 a year = around $3.75 million
→ $250,000 a year = around $6.25 million

But for Australian expats, there’s another layer.

You might spend the first years of retirement somewhere lower cost like Thailand or Malaysia.

But what happens if you plan to return to Australia later?

And do you plan to own one home in retirement or two?

If both properties are sitting there for lifestyle reasons and neither is producing income, that can materially increase the amount of capital you need.

The retirement number isn’t just about how much you want to spend.

It's about creating the lifestyle you're working for.

28/08/2026

Living in Singapore doesn’t mean you need to invest in Singapore.

Many Australian expats confuse where they invest with where they’re taxed.

You can live in Singapore, invest through the ASX, hold Australian shares or ETFs, and still have your capital gains treated based on your tax residency.

As a non-tax resident of Australia, capital gains tax in Australia doesn't apply.

This allows Australian expats to build a truly global portfolio and manage their FX risk.

26/08/2026

The first $100,000 you save as an expat probably shouldn’t be treated the same way as the next $100,000.

And that distinction matters.

For many Australian expats, the first chunk of savings should serve as security:

→ Emergency reserves
→ Repatriation costs if you need to move home
→ A future home deposit
→ Ongoing international school fees
→ Short-term uncertainty

That money often needs to stay relatively liquid.

But once those foundations are covered, the job of the next $100,000 can change.

That money may be better directed towards:

→ Long-term investments
→ Retirement savings
→ Super, where appropriate
→ Mortgage reduction
→ Wealth creation strategies

The mistake we often see is treating every dollar like the first dollar.

Everything stays in cash because they're not sure how long they'll be overseas for.

And before they know it, years have passed and a large amount of capital is sitting idle.

The goal is to make sure each dollar is doing the job you actually need it to do.

Liquidity first.

Then growth.

26/08/2026

Receiving an inheritance from overseas can be life-changing for many.

But the first decision shouldn’t be what to spend it on.

It should be what role we want that money to play.

Cash, shares, property, trusts and foreign retirement assets can all come with different tax, currency and planning considerations.

And rushing to sell or transfer everything immediately can create unnecessary complexity.

The best place to start is usually simpler:

→ What have you inherited?
→ What are the implications?
→ And what do you actually want this money to help you achieve?

Inheritance planning is key.

24/08/2026

After many years working with Australian expats, we've noticed the people who really get ahead financially tend to behave differently.

Here are some of the common behaviours of those that get ahead.

1. They make decisions early

They don’t spend years saying, “We’ll sort it out when things are more certain”.

They start investing, structuring and planning early into their expat journey.

2. They automate wealth creation

The strongest savers don’t rely on what is left at the end of the month.

They automate investing, debt reduction and retirement contributions first.

3. They avoid lifestyle creep

This is one of the biggest traps for Australian expats.

Income often rises quickly overseas.

The expats who make the most of the opportunity increase their savings rate as well, rather than alowing every pay rise to disappear into a more expensive lifestyle.

4. They understand that tax residency matters

Now just now, but also in future.

They make financial decisions with both their current country and Australia in mind.

5. They plan for repatriation before repatriating

The strongest outcomes often come from preparing years in advance, rather than trying to restructure everything six weeks before moving home.

6. They invest despite uncertainty

They may not know whether they are returning to Australia in three years, five years or ten.

But they don’t let that uncertainty become an excuse to keep everything in cash indefinitely.

Living overseas can be one of the greatest financial opportunities of your life.

But higher income alone doesn’t create wealth.

22/08/2026

Residential property investing when done well can be a powerful way to build wealth.

But one cost is often underestimated.
Land tax.

As property values rise, land tax can become a much bigger drag on cash flow than many investors expect.

That doesn’t necessarily make property a poor investment.

In fact, the capital growth is often exactly why people build significant wealth through property.

But it does highlight the importance of having an exit strategy.

As you approach retirement, the question quickly becomes.
“How do I turn this wealth into reliable income?”

For many investors, that eventually means considering whether some lower-yielding property should be converted into higher-yielding assets.

Building wealth is often Phase One.

Phase Two is converting your wealth into income to fund your ideal lifestyle.

20/08/2026

Same savings.

Same 8 years in Dubai.

Almost $160,000 difference in the outcome.

Two Australian expats each put aside $5,000 every month.

One invested it.

The other directed it into their Australian offset account.

But over eight years, the difference became significant.

For expats, the opportunity isn’t always earning more.

Sometimes it’s simply directing your surplus to the right place.

18/08/2026

Moving back to Australia after 2, 5, 10 years in the UK?

Don’t assume your UK investments should simply come home with you.

For many returning Australians, their wealth is spread across:

→ ISAs
→ UK pensions
→ Shares and ETFs
→ Cash
→ Property

And each one can be impacted very differently once Australian tax residency resumes.

An ISA may still be tax-efficient in the UK, but that doesn’t mean Australia will treat it the same way.

A UK pension may be one of your largest retirement assets, but the decision to transfer it, retain it or draw from it needs careful planning.

And selling everything before you leave can create its own problems around tax, market timing and converting a large amount of GBP into AUD.

The key question is this.

“What role should each of these assets play in my retirement once I’m back in Australia?”

That is the conversation to have before the move.