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Author bio
Laura Stewart is a Finance Editor at The Motley Fool, where she covers Australian and international equity markets. She joined the company in 2022, following a career transition from legal advisory work in Southeast Asia into the investment industry.
Prior to her current editorial role, Laura spent three years as an Equity Analyst and Writer, producing investment research across the ASX, NYSE, and NASDAQ. Her coverage included small-cap growth companies, thematic investment ideas, and high-quality U.S.-listed businesses.
Laura holds a Master of Applied Finance and brings additional expertise in accounting, taxation, and estate and wealth planning from her postgraduate studies. She also has a background in law and communications, which supports her analytical and reporting work in financial markets.
Outside of work, she enjoys spending time in the Adelaide Hills with her flock of sheep.
Education
Laura holds a Bachelor of Laws, a Bachelor of Communication (Journalism), and a Bachelor of Commerce with majors in Accounting and Corporate Finance. In 2025, she completed a Master of Applied Finance at the University of Adelaide, receiving postgraduate awards in Accounting Concepts & Methods, Ethical Principles in Accounting & Finance, Real Estate Valuation & Investment, and Tax, Estate & Wealth Planning.
Social media
LinkedInFYI – I am taking a break from social media at the moment, so this account isn’t active at the moment, but I will let you know when I rejoin.
Favorite investment quote
"Compound interest is the eighth wonder of the world. He who understands it, earns it... he who doesn't... pays it."
— Albert Einstein
Published
If you're among the 33% of Australians with a mortgage, you're likely to have noticed a dramatic increase in your mortgage repayments this year.
Since the beginning of 2026, the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) has lifted the cash rate four times, taking it from 3.6% to 4.6%. This represents a 15-year high.
For those with an average $731,000 loan balance, this change is meaningful. For those with an even larger mortgage or insufficient income to cover it, the change is likely to be especially stressful.
At the same time, a record number of Australians are investing.
According to the 2026 ASX Investor Study, 11.5 million Australians are now investing outside of their superannuation or primary residence in 2026. That's up by 2.5 million since 2020.
The largest allocation is to ASX-listed shares, with 58% of investors holding them.
Approximately 950,000 Australian adults also plan to start investing in the next 12 months.
Interest in Self-Managed Super Funds (SMSF) investing is also rising. Around 20% of non-SMSF investors say they're considering establishing an SMSF in the next 12 months.
Overall, the data is showing that a growing number of Australians are committed to growing their wealth through investing. However, in the face of mortgage pressures, many of these investors may be reconsidering whether to pay down the mortgage instead.
While this is a highly personal decision, a simple calculation can help Australian mortgage holders decide which option is more likely to put them ahead.
So let's run through the numbers.
Image source: Getty Images
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