Our 9 Core Principles.
There are plenty of reasons why we deliver greater certainty to you achieving your best financial life.
Independence
Our fundamental belief is that financial advice should be free of conflicts and in the best interest of clients. This makes us different from nearly all financial planners in Australia. We are one of only a few planners that have committed to the independence standard outlined in the Corporations Act and have built our advisory practice to be truly independent, unbiased and without conflicts. Our clients deserve the peace of mind of knowing that our advice is solely designed to benefit them.
Life-centred approach
The best financial advice is designed to help clients achieve what is most important to them in their life. We call it 'Life-centred advice’ because it is focused on personal goals and life issues, not financial products.
We have built an advice process designed to first help clients clarify their future goals. We then develop financial strategies and make investment decisions that will provide the greatest probability of achieving those goals.
Strategic Lifetime Modelling
The only way to truly assess a client’s ability to achieve their goals is to prepare financial models that test the likelihood of achieving them. It also provides the ability to test different life choices and outcomes of potential financial strategies.
These graphic modelling illustrations are a powerful decision-making tool for both us and clients.
Evidence-based investing
We also call this 'investing like a scientist' because scientists believe in facts. A successful investment experience is more likely when you objectively separate opinion and fact. There are limitless opinions about money and what is going to happen in the future but only a limited number of independently verifiable principles that underpin investment decisions. We don’t believe in ‘crystal balls’ because investing without evidence to support the decision is basically gambling, and we don’t gamble with other people’s money.
Keep investing costs low
This principle is based on data. High-cost investments and superannuation funds are proven to have a higher likelihood of poor returns over the longer term. We believe the cost of investing is one of the core controllable elements of investing.
Co-creating the plan
While our clients are asking for our help and guidance, that never means we ask them to blindly follow our recommendations. We believe that the best advice is co-created alongside our clients. Throughout the process we discuss the strategies we are considering, explain the impacts, and obtain their input. This means the final recommendations are designed exactly for their preferences and circumstances.
No commissions, only straightforward fees
We believe in clarity and value. Our clients should clearly understand how much they are paying, and what they are paying for. That is why we only charge flat service fees and confirm them in advance every year. We definitely do not accept conflicted payments like commissions and percentage-based fees.
Plan for market downturns
History tells us that investment markets run in cycles, so we plan for when the cycle turns negative. As such, we consider strategies that allow clients to get through market downturns without being forced to sell at the wrong time. This is especially important in retirement when clients deserve to continue enjoying their lifestyle even while investment markets are struggling.