My Accounting Advantage

Ask Mai & Send Feedback Most people think retirement is something to worry about later. The problem is that later arrives much faster than expected. In this episode, Mai Harris is joined by financial planner Nicholle Shepherd to discuss why building wealth and planning for retirement should start much earlier. Together, they explore the small financial habits that can have a significant impact...

Ask Mai & Send Feedback Everything you thought you knew about borrowing has just changed. In this timely episode, Mai unpacks one of the biggest shifts currently impacting property investors: what borrowing actually looks like now under the new lending rules. Following the recent Federal Budget announcements, the landscape has changed almost overnight. Restrictions on negative gearing for exis...

Ask Mai & Send Feedback With multiple obligations hitting at different times—BAS, PAYG instalments, payroll tax, super, and annual income tax—it can feel like money is constantly leaving your account. This episode cuts through that confusion and explains why it often comes down to a lack of structure, visibility, and preparation. Mai walks through how the tax system actually works, including t...

Ask Mai & Send Feedback In this episode, Mai and Lee unpack a powerful mindset shift that’s impacting more business owners and homeowners than ever before, how we think about debt, and specifically, our mortgage. With rising costs and business pressures, many Australians are feeling the weight of their loans, but this episode challenges whether that stress is actually justified. Using a real c...

Ask Mai & Send Feedback In this episode, Mai and Lee break down one of the most common misconceptions at tax time:   “If I spend money, I’ll get it all back in tax.” With the end of financial year approaching, many business owners and individuals fall into the same trap. That is, making rushed purchases purely for a deduction, without considering the actual return. This episode cuts through th...

Ask Mai & Send Feedback In this episode, Mai and Lee tackle one of the biggest questions coming out of the recent Federal Budget: what investments still make sense when the rules are changing? There’s a lot of noise right now. Changes to the proposed 50% CGT discount, restrictions on negative gearing, and potential new minimum tax rules for trusts. It’s no surprise investors are feeling uncert...

Ask Mai & Send Feedback In this episode, Mai and Lee unpack one of the most misunderstood areas of running a company: director’s loans. While many business owners see this account in their financials, very few truly understand how it works, or how costly it can become if handled incorrectly. Mai breaks down what a director’s loan actually is, why it exists, and how it’s often used to record pe...

Ask Mai & Send Feedback In this episode, Mai and Lee break down the key announcements from the latest Federal Budget. Importantly, they explore what these changes actually mean for business owners, property investors, and everyday Australians. With headlines creating panic and confusion, this episode cuts through the noise to focus on what matters and what actions should be taken. Mai walks th...

Ask Mai & Send Feedback In this episode, Mai and Lee explore why so many business owners feel overwhelmed as their business grows, even when everything appears successful on the outside. The issue isn’t always structure, staffing, or systems. It’s how time is being managed day‑to‑day. Mai shares her own experience of reaching a point where growth no longer felt exciting, but instead felt heavy...

Ask Mai & Send Feedback As the end of the financial year approaches, superannuation remains one of the most powerful, and most commonly missed, tax planning strategies available. In this episode of the My Accounting Advantage podcast, Mai explains how the right superannuation strategies, implemented before 30 June, can materially reduce tax while supporting long‑term wealth creation.  She brea...

Ask Mai & Send Feedback What happens when a long-term business owner walks in feeling exhausted, overwhelmed, and ready to shut everything down? In this episode of the My Accounting Advantage podcast, Mai Harris takes us behind the scenes of a powerful real‑life case study that highlights the impact of seeking the right advice at the right time. What began as a conversation about exiting a bus...

Ask Mai & Send Feedback In this episode, Mai and Lee explore why so many investment mistakes aren’t caused by bad opportunities, but by doing things in the wrong order. From property purchases to business decisions, excitement often takes over before the right groundwork is done. Mai introduces her SRS decision‑making framework: Structure, Risk, and Sequencing. It is a practical way to slow do...

Ask Mai & Send Feedback In this episode, Lee and Mai unpack a big mindset shift for business owners and individuals alike: why paying down your home loan isn’t always the best return on investment (ROI). They explore how ROI applies to everyday financial decisions — from mortgages and offset accounts to superannuation and long‑term wealth strategies — and challenge the common belief that throw...

Ask Mai & Send Feedback In this episode Lee and Mai take a deep dive into tax planning, business structures, and the smart (and legal) ways business owners can reduce tax, improve cash flow, and build long‑term wealth. Following the strong response to last week’s Payday Super episode, this conversation tackles one of the most common questions business owners ask: “Am I paying too much tax?” Th...

Ask Mai & Send Feedback We're back this week with a hugely important topic. Payday Super is one of the biggest changes to hit Australian employers in years — and many businesses aren’t ready for the cash flow impact. In this episode, Lee and Mai unpack what Payday Super actually means, why it’s a major shift from the current system, and how it could seriously affect small business cash fl...

Ask Mai & Send Feedback Welcome back to the My Accounting Advantage podcast. In this episode, Mai tackles one of the biggest and most common questions Australians ask when it comes to building wealth: is buying an investment property really for everyone? Property is often seen as the ultimate milestone — something you’re “meant” to do. But as Mai explains, it’s not always that simple. Whether...

Ask Mai & Send Feedback Welcome to the very first episode of the My Accounting Advantage podcast. This episode is all about getting to know the person behind the mic, Mai Harris.  Mai shares with us her journey, how she ended up Director and Principal Accountant of My Accounting Advantage , and why she’s so passionate about helping people do more with their money than just survive tax time. Yo...