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We are a
“full-service” financial management firm. Our advisors act as
Personal Financial Managers for our client. We provide or facilitate
a comprehensive set of financial services either directly or by
coordinating partners in our network of service providers.
In effect we play a role of management and quality control by
supervising various specialists and service providers to ensure that
critical items don’t “fall through the cracks”.
We can incorporate clients’ existing service providers in our
service model. However service providers outside of our network are
unlikely to be as efficient in their interaction with our strategic
advisers. This is due to the extensive efforts made by the various
service partners in our network to collaborate in devising
strategies, refining processes and consolidating information and
resources in order to deliver great efficiencies and improved
quality of service.
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COMPREHENSIVE &
CONVENIENT |
We give you
convenience and confidence via a single contact
point for all of your services, with the support of
our staff and a broad network of professionals. You
can choose to have your adviser coordinate some, or
all of your financial matters.
This helps you to achieve greater control of
your finances. Efficient, central management allows
you to reduce costly duplication of
information and effort across multiple suppliers.
The scope of services includes, but is not limited
to:
- Home Mortgages and Investment
Loans
- Investment planning and
strategies
- Tax-effective investment
advice
- Detailed Performance & Tax
Reporting
- Superannuation & Retirement
Planning
- Remuneration Planning
- Social Security Planning
- Estate Planning
In addition to those licensed
services we can coordinate activities with your
existing service providers, or facilitate within our
network:
- Insurance - life, disability,
trauma, income.
- Accounting, bookkeeping and
taxation.
- Solicitors - preparation of
wills, powers of attorney, trust deeds and
sundry legal services.
Unlimited choice of investments
– our licence allows us to offer a comprehensive set
of products. Unlike many platforms and master
trusts, we have no arbitrary limits on the type, or
number of products you can select.
We won’t just sell you products. We listen to your
ideas, concerns and requests, consider appropriate
alternatives and offer advice for you to consider.
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It’s your
money. Our mission is to help you
to manage it wisely. |
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OBJECTIVE |
We work for you, our
client, and our fee structure reflects a commitment
to understanding and servicing your specific needs,
rather than particular products or suppliers.
We are NOT a subsidiary of any financial
institution, bank, insurer, stockbroker or fund
manager. Nor are we a shopfront for any such
institution. Our ownership structure and formal
standards ensure that product issuers and
institutions don’t influence our recommendations.
This places us in the category that a recent ASIC
survey recognised as the best advisory performers.[1]
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PROFESSIONAL |
Your advisor is a
licensed, authorised representative for the
provision of financial services and has attained
formal accreditation and membership of professional
bodies that demand high levels of competence and
conduct- either the Financial Planning Association
(FPA), or Certified Practicing Accountants (CPA).
In addition to formal qualifications, your advisor
has broad business experience, giving them a unique
ability to see the “bigger picture” and better
understand your specific needs. That experience
includes retail banking, accounting, stockbroking,
taxation planning, superannuation, funds management,
small business management and management consulting.
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PERSONAL, CLEAR &
SIMPLE |
Our phones are
answered by PEOPLE equipped to help you. We don’t
believe valued clients should quote account numbers,
listen to impersonal recorded messages, or select
from robotic menus.
Where possible, we avoid the use of jargon and
technical terms to provide advice that is easily
understood and makes clear sense to you.
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AFFORDABLE |
Slashing “Hidden”
Fees
We encourage you to compare our fees and services
with other providers. Our fees are simple and fully
disclosed. Where practical we rebate all up-front
advisor commissions so you clearly see all costs.
The fee structure is intended to maximise value and
minimise the after-tax cost for our clients.
In the past financial advisors relied upon product
commissions to earn their income. This led to some
advisors being influenced to recommend products that
earned them a higher commission, rather than
assessing the various products’ suitability for
their client. This practice is less likely if
advisors fully disclose all commissions and
interests, however you may need to analyse the
disclosure in great detail to understand the true
value of the benefit received by an advisor.
Often a switch between products is warranted to
achieve greater returns or reduced risk and costs.
However, some advisors offering services on a
commission-base may be tempted to switch clients
between investments to earn commissions or brokerage
from the various transactions - a practice known as
“churning”. We forbid such practices.
Financial Advisors charging a fee-for-service
recognise that they provide a professional service,
and as such charge on the same basis as other
professionals (e.g. accountants, solicitors).
However that approach doesn’t recognise relative
value and affordability for different clients.
Hence, we’ve formulated a hybrid fee system based
upon the scale of a client’s total investment. Your
advisor clearly earns their income by servicing your
needs, rather than product vendors’ interests.
Larger portfolios generally involve more work and
the fee scale reflects that via its tiers.
Introductory Review & Statement of Advice
(Financial Plan)*
This service is offered at a 40% discount off our
regular scheduled rate for up to 12 hours work. Most
introductory reviews fall well within that range.
Occasionally extra work may be required for
exceptional plans. Your advisor can provide a cost
quotation for such exceptions. |
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LASTING VALUE |
Your advisor devises
strategies and coordinates those strategies with the
various network affiliates and any of your existing
service providers (accountants, solicitors, banks,
insurers etc.).
Together with network affiliates, we strive to
promote genuine service efficiency, quality
improvements and cost savings. We pass those savings
and benefits on to our clients.
Having a qualified financial advisor as your
Personal Financial Manager reduces the chances of
items being “lost in translation” and saves you
repeating the same information to various service
providers.
Ultimately, that saves
you time and money.
Subscribe to Ongoing Monitoring & Review
Services*
Prudent investors engage their advisor for ongoing
monitoring and review services to stay informed and
ensure that their strategy continues to support
their objectives and changing circumstances.
Subscribers pay a once-off engagement fee and an
annual subscription fee either as a lump sum, or
quarterly instalments through the service period
(year). Your fee covers administration, investment
lodgements, regular monitoring, newsletters,
reporting and reviews.
If you commit to the engagement fee and first annual
fee, then your introductory review fee is DISCOUNTED
a further 50%. This tax-effective way of
establishing a financial plan illustrates our
commitment to deliver savings for our clients.
Financial advisors’ fees
paid for reviews, ongoing management and monitoring
are generally
tax-deductible - making them a very
affordable and valuable investment.[2]
Clients can choose from a number of alternative fee
structures and payment methods – feel free to select
the one that best suits you.
* For complete details of the various options for
fees and charges please read our fee schedule.
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What does the
complete service package include? |
Comprehensive Financial Plan
Formal financial plans are vital resources that form
a foundation for ongoing management of investments.
Advisors conduct introductory interviews to
determine your current position, future
goals/desires and identify problems or
opportunities. The information obtained provides a
basis for advisors to develop an appropriate, formal
strategy and plan. If you request specific
“unlimited” advice your plan will include individual
product recommendations to match specified
requirements and objectives. Otherwise you can
request “limited”, or general advice.
Some financial planners limit their advice due to
restricted qualifications or accreditation. For
example, only registered tax agents may legally
offer specific tax advice. Our Comprehensive
Financial Plan undergoes a review by a registered
tax agent to identify opportunities to minimise tax,
including:
- Remuneration Planning (eg.
salary packaging)
- Loan Consolidation to reduce
debts & interest
- Tax-effect of structures and
investments
- Superannuation & Retirement
Planning
- Social Security Planning
- Estate Planning
- Risk Management & Insurance
Research
To ensure that clients are well informed with
respect to investment choices we gather and analyse
research reports to collate several expert opinions
in order to form reasonable, qualified
recommendations. We regularly review detailed
research data and provide easy-to-understand
summaries, newsletters and regular reports for your
convenience.
Recommendations are based on the opinions of a panel
of Australia’s leading stockbroking firms and
research analysts. We also provide clients access to
discounted publications, seminars and educational
materials.
Regular Reviews
Effective financial strategies need periodic reviews
to adjust objectives, balance portfolios and set
reasonable expectations. Investors’ requirements may
change, as may the economy, markets and the
performance of individual products. Regular
portfolio valuations and detailed, periodic reviews
provide a diagnosis of your position and the
conditions that will impact your ability to achieve
your objectives. |
Monitoring
Active monitoring results in timely, accurate notice
of events that may impact your portfolio. Most
investors do not have access to the many resources
available to financial advisors, nor do they have
the time to read all of that information. Your
advisor is paid to perform that function for you.
This includes access to IPOs (“Initial Public
Offerings” or “floats”), to which retail investors
usually have limited access.
Administration &
Consolidated Reporting
While many advisors charge additional “platform” or
“master trust” fees of up to 1.5%, our subscription
fee includes such services at no extra cost;
including:
- Preparing, collating and
filing all your investment paperwork for you.
- Consolidated investment
performance & tax reports (Capital Gains &
Income).
- Coordination and/or liaison
with accountants, or tax agents for end-of-year
returns.
- Secure, Internet access to
your investment details, 24 hours a day, 7 days
a week.
Most financial planners only report
on the investments that you have lodged directly
with them, or for which they receive commissions.
This service extends beyond those conventional
limits*.
By providing all of these facilities and services
within our consolidated package we save you
gathering reports and statements from multiple
sources to prepare for tax returns and finance
applications. This helps you to reduce both the
hassle and cost of financial management.
Having your financial details centrally recorded
means that you’ll no longer repeat that information
to your tax agent, accountant, bank manager,
financial advisors, solicitor and the government. We
provide one set of reports that can satisfy all of
those requirements and work with those various
specialists to schedule the related activities.
*This service requires all account statements and
financial transaction documents to be directed to
your advisor for recording. Your advisor will gladly
explain how this service operates and the potential
benefits. |
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Key Information &
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs). |
Who is my Advisor?
Your Advisor is the authorised representative
identified at the bottom of this page.
Who is responsible for the advice given to me?
The licensee is responsible for advisory services
provided by its authorised representatives. Advice
provided by service providers introduced by referral
is the responsibility of that provider.
What advice am I getting?
You receive a Statement of Advice (SOA) prepared by
your Advisor. It should help you make an informed
decision before acting on the advice. It will
contain details about the type of advice, products
chosen, what fees are charged and what fees are
payable to your Advisor. This should be given to you
at the time of, or as soon as possible after,
receiving the advice, but prior to receiving any
further financial service arising from this advice.
The advice will also explain any significant risks
of recommended investments and strategies.
You may also receive a Product Disclosure Statement
(PDS) from Investment Product Providers that gives
greater details of specific products recommended and
the associated risks.
Will you give me advice that is suitable to my
investment needs and financial circumstances?
Yes. To do so we need to find out your individual
investment objectives, financial situation and needs
before we recommend any investment to you. You have
the right not to divulge this information to us, if
you do not wish to do so. In that case, we are
required to warn you about the possible consequences
of us not having your full personal information.
Please read the warnings carefully. |
What information do you maintain in my file and
can I examine my file?
We maintain a record of your personal profile, which
includes details of your investment objectives,
financial situation and needs. We also maintain
records of any recommendations made to you. If you
wish to examine your file just ask us and we will
provide access for you.
Can I tell you how I wish to instruct you to buy
or sell my investment?
Yes. You must specify how you wish to instruct us
and how you wish to receive correspondence – whether
by email, fax or other means. This instruction
should be provided in writing.
What should I do if I have a complaint?
To register a complaint you should:
- Contact your Advisor and
explain full details of your complaint.
- If your Advisor does not
satisfactorily resolve your complaint within 3
days, please contact the Compliance Manager of
the licensed dealer identified at the foot of
this page. We will try and resolve your
complaint quickly and fairly.
- If you still do not get a
satisfactory outcome, you have the right to
complain to the Financial Complaints Authority,
which can be contacted on the toll free number
1800 931 678 or internet site www.afca.org.au.
The Australian Securities &
Investments Commission (ASIC) also has a free-call
line on 1300 300 630. There you may lodge complaints
and obtain information about your rights
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[1] Source: The Australian Securities and Investments Commission
(ASIC) and the Australian Consumers' Association (ACA) joint survey
of the quality of advice provided by financial advisors, Tuesday 11
February 2003.
[2] ATO Tax Determination TD95/60 6 December 1995. NB:
Preparation of initial financial plans may not be treated as a
tax-deductible expense, but rather capitalised as part of the cost
base for resultant investments. Review of existing investments or
strategies should qualify as deductible.
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