Wow, what a banker!

Of course you can have an offset account – even with no savings. Whether it is worthwhile or not will depend on the circumstances. Perhaps they meant that you could not service to qualify for the loan. Hit Corey and his team up for some advice and forget dealing with the banks direct.

Changing names is a transfer so duty and CGT will apply – (limited exemptions for main residence etc)

Recycle debt by paying down the non-deductible main residence debt and then reborrow against the main residence to invest – making the interest dedctible

Yes

what about the leverage outside of super?

Her property would be secured by a mortgage and cross collateralised with your property for your loan. If she defaults on her loan it would affect you because the lender would potentially sell her house. They would be worried about the security for your loan so they may ask you to bring the LVR in line with their lending policies – such as 80% LVR. If she dies the estate would still be liable for the guarantee with the property still securing your loan. For the executor to sell it or change ownership there would be new guarantees needed or your loan paid down – or LVR to 80%, but you would have plenty of time to arrange this. keep in mind your property may have increased in value too.

Yes merely registering a mortgage without it relating to a proper commercial transaction doesn’t give any asset protection, other than a smoke and mirrors approach. Someone glancing at a certificate of title may see a mortgage and just give up there and then – believe it or not this stops many.

But if there is any challange it can be easily attacked and set aside under several methods such as s301 Bankruptcy act http://www.austlii.edu.au/au/legis/cth/consol_act/ba1966142/s301.html

You can’t gift equity in a property – the gift will fail unless the gift is delivered.

To register a mortgage is easy, just enter into a loan agreement incorporating a mortgage and fill in the real property act forms that go with it and lodge with the land titles office. This will then be a legal mortgage, as opposed to a equitable mortgage. BUt this doesn’t mean it provides asset protection, because a mortgage is a form of security – asset protection will depend on the strength of what it is securing. If it is a loan and no money has been transferred then it is not a loan!

(I reviewed one of these recently. A loan and mortgage was set up, but the loan was never actually taken out. no money changed hands)

try Paul at Price Financial
http://www.pricefinancial.com.au/

I have covered the sale to a trust in this thread with 2 or 3 variations:
https://www.propertyinvesting.com/topic/5037824-13-strategies-for-when-you-move-out-of-the-ppor-and-want-to-keep-it/

Listed is a link to a private binding ruling that I obtained for a client. You can click on that link and read how the strategy works and the ATO’s response – saying the interest was deductible and why.
My clients were able to transfer a fully paid off property worth $1.2mil to a unit trust and they personally were able to claim the full interest on the loan of $1.25mil even thought the proceeds, indirectly, ended up paying for their new main residence.