In this episode of Here Comes the Money, Peter and Hovig answer one of the most common (and misunderstood) mortgage questions in Australia:

If you refinance your home loan, do you really go backwards and reset your mortgage to 30 years?

Many homeowners avoid refinancing because they’re worried it will undo years of progress — but the reality is far more nuanced.

Using real client examples, this episode breaks down:

• What actually happens when you refinance a mortgage
• Why a 30-year loan term is often just an administrative label
• How maintaining your existing repayment can shorten your remaining loan term
• Monthly vs fortnightly repayments and how frequency impacts interest
• Why chasing the lowest interest rate alone is a mistake
• How banks think about serviceability and equity
• When refinancing improves your position — and when it doesn’t
• How parallel investing can accelerate mortgage reduction

This episode is essential listening for anyone with a home loan, thinking about refinancing, or wanting to pay off their mortgage faster without relying on guesswork or bank-driven advice.

Topics covered:
Mortgage refinancing Australia, home loan terms, interest rates, mortgage strategy, equity, serviceability, offset accounts, fortnightly repayments, financial strategy, wealth building, smart money decisions.

📩 Have a question you want answered on the show?
Email: info@smartmoneygroup.com.au

General Advice Warning:
All strategies and information provided are general advice only and do not take into consideration your personal circumstances. You should seek personal financial and taxation advice before acting. Past performance is not an indicator of future performance.

All strategies and information provided on this website are general advice only and does not take into consideration any of your personal circumstances. Past Performance is not an indicator of future performance.

Please arrange an appointment to seek personal financial and taxation advice prior to acting on this information. SmartMoney Wealth Management is the parent company of SmartMoney Financial Services Pty Ltd (ABN: 67 618 468 741) a Corporate Authorised Representative (No: 001265087) of Bluewater Financial Advisors Pty Ltd (ABN: 99 153 118 533) the holder of the Australian Financial Services Licence no. 411846.
Copyright © SmartMoney Wealth Management. All Rights Reserved.

Why do smart investors always pay principal & interest on their home loan…
but interest only on their investment properties?

In this episode, we break down the real difference between good debt and bad debt, how banks quietly penalise loyal customers through the lazy tax, and why your investment loan’s actual interest cost is far lower than the number you see on paper.

We also share a real client example:
A $1M home, a $500k mortgage, and how using good debt to invest — instead of just refinancing — became the key to paying off the home faster without squeezing his lifestyle.

You’ll learn:

✔️ Why your home loan is your most expensive debt
✔️ Why investment debt becomes “easy debt” when structured correctly
✔️ How tenants + tax benefits reduce your investment loan to near 1%
✔️ Why winning $500k should pay off your home — NOT your investment
✔️ How interest-only periods work (and why they quietly switch to P&I)
✔️ How to avoid the hidden “lazy tax” banks hit you with
✔️ Why property is one of the most tax-effective wealth tools in Australia

If you’ve ever wondered how to structure your loans to build wealth faster, this is the episode you don’t want to miss.

All strategies and information provided on this website are general advice only and does not take into consideration any of your personal circumstances. Past Performance is not an indicator of future performance.

Please arrange an appointment to seek personal financial and taxation advice prior to acting on this information. SmartMoney Wealth Management is the parent company of SmartMoney Financial Services Pty Ltd (ABN: 67 618 468 741) a Corporate Authorised Representative (No: 001265087) of Bluewater Financial Advisors Pty Ltd (ABN: 99 153 118 533) the holder of the Australian Financial Services Licence no. 411846.
Copyright © SmartMoney Wealth Management. All Rights Reserved.

In Episode #6, Peter and Hovig break down one of most important numbers that truly defines your financial position: your net financial assets. They explain why your home, cars and lifestyle items don’t count toward the wealth that will actually fund your future, how to calculate the number that matters, and why so many Australians think they’re further ahead than they really are. If you want real clarity on where you stand—not just how things look on paper—this episode is essential listening.

All strategies and information provided on this website are general advice only and does not take into consideration any of your personal circumstances. Past Performance is not an indicator of future performance.

Please arrange an appointment to seek personal financial and taxation advice prior to acting on this information. SmartMoney Wealth Management is the parent company of SmartMoney Financial Services Pty Ltd (ABN: 67 618 468 741) a Corporate Authorised Representative (No: 001265087) of Bluewater Financial Advisors Pty Ltd (ABN: 99 153 118 533) the holder of the Australian Financial Services Licence no. 411846.
Copyright © SmartMoney Wealth Management. All Rights Reserved.

In this episode, Hovig and Peter break down one of the biggest misconceptions everyday Australians have about money:

“I need more before I can start.”
…when the truth is, most people already have the ingredients — they just don’t know where to look.

From super, to equity, to tax dollars you’re already paying, this episode uncovers the “invisible money” sitting right under your nose — and how everyday mums and dads can use it to build wealth sooner, instead of waiting years to “save enough”.

They unpack:
💡 Why you don’t need to be rich to start building wealth
💡 The three main types of invisible money almost everyone has
💡 Why doing nothing is often the most expensive mistake
💡 How simple tweaks (home loan structure, cashflow clean-ups, using tax dollars smarter) can accelerate your financial position
💡 Real client stories — from people who started with little and still transformed their future
💡 The real cost of procrastination: renting vs buying, missing compounding, retiring on the pension
💡 Why advice needs to be personalised — not from Google, not from ChatGPT, not from guesswork
💡 What the top 5% of Australians do differently

Packed with straight talk, humour, and real-world examples, this episode will help you rethink what’s possible — no matter your income, age or starting point.

📞 Want to chat with our team?
Email us at info@smartmoneygroup.com.au
or visit 👉 https://smartmoneygroup.com.au
A quick 10-minute conversation can show you whether there are areas we can help with — and the worst case?
You learn something valuable.

All strategies and information provided on this website are general advice only and does not take into consideration any of your personal circumstances. Past Performance is not an indicator of future performance.

Please arrange an appointment to seek personal financial and taxation advice prior to acting on this information. SmartMoney Wealth Management is the parent company of SmartMoney Financial Services Pty Ltd (ABN: 67 618 468 741) a Corporate Authorised Representative (No: 001265087) of Bluewater Financial Advisors Pty Ltd (ABN: 99 153 118 533) the holder of the Australian Financial Services Licence no. 411846.
Copyright © SmartMoney Wealth Management. All Rights Reserved.

💰 Episode #4 — The $2 Million Retirement Reality Check: Why Doing Nothing Is Riskier Than You Think

Most Australians underestimate how much they’ll actually need to retire comfortably — and the reality might shock you.

In this episode, Hovig and Peter break down the real math behind the so-called “$2 million retirement number,” the dangers of lifestyle creep, and why letting your money sit idle could be the riskiest decision of all.

From inflation to income planning, they reveal practical steps you can take today to close your retirement gap and secure your financial future — without giving up your lifestyle.

🎙️ Relatable stories. Straightforward insights. A few laughs along the way.
This is your wake-up call to start building wealth that works for you — not against you.

👉 Learn more or get in touch at smartmoneygroup.com.au

All strategies and information provided on this website are general advice only and does not take into consideration any of your personal circumstances. Past Performance is not an indicator of future performance.

Please arrange an appointment to seek personal financial and taxation advice prior to acting on this information. SmartMoney Wealth Management is the parent company of SmartMoney Financial Services Pty Ltd (ABN: 67 618 468 741) a Corporate Authorised Representative (No: 001265087) of Bluewater Financial Advisors Pty Ltd (ABN: 99 153 118 533) the holder of the Australian Financial Services Licence no. 411846.
Copyright © SmartMoney Wealth Management. All Rights Reserved.

Most Aussies think their mortgage is simple — you borrow, you pay it back.
But what if your $650,000 home loan actually costs you $1.3 million over time?

In this episode of Here Comes the Money, Peter Kaleski and Hovig Evanian expose the real cost of a mortgage — and how the banks quietly make you pay double without you even realising.

They unpack:
💰 Why rate drops don’t actually save you much
🏦 How the banks keep you trapped for 30 years
⚖️ The smarter way to use your equity and tax dollars
🚀 And how to turn your home loan into a wealth-building strategy

Don’t just pay your mortgage — leverage it.
Tune in now to find out how to escape the debt trap and start building real wealth.

All strategies and information provided on this website are general advice only and does not take into consideration any of your personal circumstances. Past Performance is not an indicator of future performance.

Please arrange an appointment to seek personal financial and taxation advice prior to acting on this information. SmartMoney Wealth Management is the parent company of SmartMoney Financial Services Pty Ltd (ABN: 67 618 468 741) a Corporate Authorised Representative (No: 001265087) of Bluewater Financial Advisors Pty Ltd (ABN: 99 153 118 533) the holder of the Australian Financial Services Licence no. 411846.
Copyright © SmartMoney Wealth Management. All Rights Reserved.

This episode of Here Comes the Money with Peter & Hovig tears apart the myths that keep everyday Aussies trapped in the financial system. From the illusion of “working harder” leading to freedom, to the hidden truth that your biggest debt might actually be retirement, Peter and Hovig expose the lies, traps, and systemic flaws that keep people poor. With bold insights into mortgages, government policy, and the psychology of money, they reveal how the game is rigged—and more importantly, how to play it smarter. Packed with shock-value truths, relatable examples, and a touch of humour, this episode flips traditional financial advice on its head and empowers viewers to take control of their financial future.

All strategies and information provided on this website are general advice only and does not take into consideration any of your personal circumstances. Past Performance is not an indicator of future performance.

Please arrange an appointment to seek personal financial and taxation advice prior to acting on this information. SmartMoney Wealth Management is the parent company of SmartMoney Financial Services Pty Ltd (ABN: 67 618 468 741) a Corporate Authorised Representative (No: 001265087) of Bluewater Financial Advisors Pty Ltd (ABN: 99 153 118 533) the holder of the Australian Financial Services Licence no. 411846.
Copyright © SmartMoney Wealth Management. All Rights Reserved.

You’ve heard the headlines — but here’s what’s really happening. In the first episode of Here Comes The Money, SmartMoney Directors Peter Kaleski and Hovig Evanian unpack the truth about finance, property, and wealth that most Aussies never hear. Straight talk. No fluff.

All strategies and information provided on this website are general advice only and does not take into consideration any of your personal circumstances. Past Performance is not an indicator of future performance.

Please arrange an appointment to seek personal financial and taxation advice prior to acting on this information. SmartMoney Wealth Management is the parent company of SmartMoney Financial Services Pty Ltd (ABN: 67 618 468 741) a Corporate Authorised Representative (No: 001265087) of Bluewater Financial Advisors Pty Ltd (ABN: 99 153 118 533) the holder of the Australian Financial Services Licence no. 411846.
Copyright © SmartMoney Wealth Management. All Rights Reserved.